Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams, January 6, 1864

Mr. Seward to Mr.
Adams.

Sir: Since the instruction to you of yesterday,
No. 801, on the subject of the alleged enlistments for the Kearsarge at
Queenstown was prepared, the letter of that date, a copy of which is
enclosed, has been received from the Secretary of the Navy. The only two
of the accompanying papers, transcripts of which were not already in
your possession, are also herewith transmitted. It is presumed that you
may now be enabled to present the case to the British government in a
shape that may satisfy it that the men found on board the Kearsarge were
not enlisted at Queenstown; that they secreted themselves in the vessel
without the knowledge of Captain Winslow; and that they were returned to
the place whence they came within a reasonable time after their presence
was discovered.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

[Untitled]

Sir: On the 29th ultimo I had the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 23d ultimo, enclosing
a despatch from Mr. Adams in reference to an alleged violation of
the foreign enlistment act of Great Britain by the commander of the
United States steamer Kearsarge, and to state that Captain Winslow
had been called upon for a report on the subject, as nothing
relative to it had been received from him. Since then a report from
him, dated December 11, has
reached the department, and I have the honor to transmit it and its
enclosures, herewith, for your perusal, and for such use as you may
think proper to make of their contents.

The return of the report, and the papers accompanying it, is
requested.

Very respectfully,

[Untitled]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that,
during the last cruise of the Kearsarge from this port, I took the
opportunity of landing at Queenstown sixteen refugees who secreted
themselves on board of this vessel prior to her departure from that
port on the 5th ultimo.

The accompanying papers afford all information of the character of
that act, with the correspondence which followed.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[Untitled]

Sir: A party of men, either by connivance
of the crew or otherwise, were concealed on board this vessel on the
night of her departure from Queenstown, the 5th ultimo.

These men, I learn, were in expectation of being enlisted in the
service of the United States after the Kearsarge had proceeded to
sea, but found their mistake. To have turned them ashore at Brest
would have been to open to them the temptation to enlist on board
the Florida. I therefore determined to leave them at Queenstown as
soon as it was practicable.

You will please notify Admiral Jones that I informed him that no
enlistments would be made at Queenstown. I have, therefore, sent on
shore this party, that no charge of subterfuge may be alleged in the
premises.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[Untitled]

I certify that the United States steam-sloop Kearsarge arrived in
Queenstown on the night of the 2d of November, 1863, and that on the
following day I left the ship for Cork. On my return to Queenstown,
accompanied by the American consul, I called upon the admiral in
command, and in course of conversation reference was made to a
paragraph in the papers that the Kearsarge had come for the purpose
of enlisting men, when I informed the admiral that I had received notice from the executive
officer of the Kearsarge that many persons had applied to be
shipped, and in response I had directed him to notify all persons
that no enlistments would be made, and instructions were given in
accordance.

On the night of the 5th of November, while blowing heavy, and thick
weather, we went to sea. On the following day report was made to me
that several men had been discovered on board; investigation shows
that they had concealed themselves in the ship during the thick and
rainy weather of the day and night previous, and disguised in this
way had come out in the ship in hopes of enlistment in the service
of the United States after the ship got to sea. The Kearsarge was on
important duty, watching the Florida at Brest, and it was therefore
impracticable to return the men to Queenstown immediately. I
directed the men to be held at Brest, in apprehension if they were
turned ashore they would join the Florida, resolving as soon as the
Kearsarge left Brest again to put them ashore at Cork. The Kearsarge
left Brest again on the 5th of December, and, in accordance with my
resolution, I have this day, the 7th of December, sent sixteen men
ashore in the pilot-boat Petrel, with a list of their names as given
to the American consul.

[Untitled]

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I
came to, off Queenstown, for the purpose of landing sixteen refugees
who had concealed themselves on board this ship prior to her
departure from Queenstown, on the 5th of November. I learn here that
an attempt has been made to magnify this circumstance for purposes
unfriendly to the United States. I have, therefore, given to the
American consul my certificate, with a representation of the
circumstances by the executive officer of this ship, and I have
directed the consul to hand you a copy of the same.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[Untitled]

Sir: I beg leave to state, in accordance
with your request, that on or about the 3d of November, 1863,
several men from Queenstown came on board of this ship as applicants
for enlistment in the naval service. In the absence of yourself and
of any definite instructions in regard to such applications, I told
the men that if they were physically qualified for enlistment they
might remain on board until your return, when you would decide. Upon
your return, your instructions were not to enlist them. These men
were accordingly sent out of the ship. Many applications of a
similar nature were made, but their enlistment was, in every case,
refused, in accordance with your instructions. During the time we
were at anchor the ship was surrounded by boats filled with men
desiring to enlist. Orders were given and executed not to allow them
alongside. On the evening of the 5th this was the case until after
dark and until the ship was under way.

The ship went to sea on the 5th November. It was stormy and blowing
hard. In accordance with the usual custom of the ship, and with the
necessities of the case, (as
I thought,) before tripping the anchor, all strangers were ordered
out of the ship. The master-at-arms, with the ship’s corporal and
others of the police force, executed the order, finding men stowed
away in the hold, in the carpenter’s locker, and elsewhere. These
men were put out of the ship, in some cases by force. As soon as the
ship was reported cleared, the anchor was tripped and the ship went
to sea.

On the next day several men were discovered who were strangers in the
ship. These men, probably with the connivance of some of the crew,
had been so secretly concealed as to elude the vigilance of the
police force. Upon receiving this information you decided to land
these men at Brest, whither you were bound.

These men were sent out of the ship at Brest in accordance with this
determination, but pleading destitution, they returned and were
permitted to remain on board until this morning, when they were
returned at Queenstown by the pilot-boat Petrel.

I would add that the names of these men, upon their return to the
ship while in Brest, were placed upon the ship’s books for the
purpose of their support and comfort, they being otherwise entirely
destitute.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

[Untitled]

Sir: Your letter, with enclosed memorandum,
is at hand. I have just returned from a cruise of reconnoissance up
the channel, and while off Cork landed sixteen men, who had secreted
themselves on board the Kearsarge some time prior to her departure
from Queenstown, the 3d ultimo.

I learned from the consul at Queenstown of the seizure of this act by
secession agents to make capital of, and left with him originals of
the enclosed letters, which will afford you all information in the
premises.

I would beg leave to say, that so far as my action is concerned in
this case, I was so particular as even to send ashore an American
seaman (Boston born,) lest it might be said that I had not dealt
faithfully.

I should be pleased to receive your views in consideration of this
subject, with any information relating.

It is to be regretted that the daily papers could not publish the
facts, and disclose the plot of secession agents to prejudice the
public mind.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant.