Letter

Deposition of G. Riley., August 22, 1863.

Author

JOHNSON DUTTON, Acting Clerk of the Peace

Date

August 22, 1863

Type

Letter

[Enclosure 4 in No. 11.]

Deposition of G. Riley.

August 22, 1863.

George Riley states: I am a fisherman. About three weeks ago I started on a fishing excursion down the coast to Saldanha bay, and while pursuing my avocation there on Monday last, the 17th August, I saw two barks enter the bay. One was the Sea Bride, heavily laden, and the other, the privateer Tuscaloosa, came in about sundown. I saw lots of people going off to them— farmers and country people. The Cock of the Walk came in there about sundown on Tuesday. Early next morning I looked out for the barks, but they were gone. I was astonished at this, because it was a dead calm through the night, and it continued so all day. The Cock of the Walk was still there. I could not have got out that night by sail I am sure. I might have pulled out.

On Thursday morning I left in company with the Cock of the Walk, and on leaving we met a large steamer entering the bay. It was a paddle-wheel steamer under British colors. I saw nothing of the Alabama; but about twenty days before I saw a vessel there, which I afterwards learnt was the Alabama, but she was not there on this occasion.

GEORGE RILEY.

Witness: W. H. Scott.

Before me,

R. JOHNSON DUTTON, Acting Clerk of the Peace.

Topics

19th Century Civil War Diplomacy

Sources

FRUS u2014 Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth View original source ↗

U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian. Papers Relating to Foreign Affairs, Accompanying the Annual Message of the President to the Second Session Thirty-eighth.