Accessible Archives Inc.

(The Charleston Mercury, November 21, 1861) The body of original French Zouaves, whose wonderful exhibitions of feats in gymnastics, the bayonet exercise and light infantry drill, have been so popular in New Orleans and other Western cities, are soon to pay a visit to Charleston.

These are some of those gay and gallant Soldiers of the Crimea, who instituted a theatre on the battle field, and during many of their representations were attacked by the Russians, and who, leaving the performance unfinished – even dressed in female attire – seized their carbines, assisted to repel the assailants.

(The Charleston Mercury for September 12, 1861) Our readers will be pleased to see that the Captain-General of Cuba, acting on the authority of the Proclamation of the Queen of Spain, has declared that vessels, occupied in legitimate commerce, proceeding from ports of the Southern Confederate States of America, shall be entered and cleared under the Confederate States flag, and shall be duly protected by the authorities of the Island; and further, that foreign Consuls be notified that no interference on their part can be tolerated.

It will also be gratifying to learn that the Spanish Consul at Charleston, Senor Moncada, will, in a day or two, clear a vessel from this port as from the Confederate States.

As this passage from The Situation, a recurring feature in The New York Herald throughout the war that brought readers bits of news and information that did not warrant a complete article, shows, both the US Government and the Confederacy considered control of the slant and tone of news reaching citizens an important part of a successful strategy.

In the August 23, 1861 issue, the paper shared this information with its readers:

The (Federal) government has inaugurated a vigorous crusade against Northern journals whose articles favor the treasonable practices of the Southern rebels. The New York Daily News was seized by the United States Marshal in Philadelphia yesterday, and its transit to the South and West totally cut off. The same official also took possession of the office of the Christian Observer, which has been deprecating what it calls the present war.

The authorities at the South appear to be exercising a like supervision over those Northern papers which do not represent the views of the rebels. A committee is established at Nashville, Tennessee, which takes hold of all bundles of Northern papers and prohibits their going further South, unless the tone of their articles and news suits their peculiar ideas.

This is done no doubt for the purpose of keeping the Southern people in ignorance of the true feeling of the North, and the real objects of the war, and enabling the rebel leaders to circulate the most atrocious falsehoods concerning the spirit and the conduct of the Union army, which we are credibly informed they do not hesitate to do, in order to keep up a feeling of bitter hostility to the United States government and the people of the North.

This report appeared in The Charleston Mercury on January 6, 1863. Accessible Archives The Civil War – Part 1: A Newspaper Perspective contains major articles gleaned from over 2,500 issues of The New York Herald, The Charleston Mercury and the Richmond Enquirer, published between November 1, 1860 and April 15, 1865. The event recounted here occurred off the East tip of Cuba on December 7,1862.

The following is the full account of the recent capture of the California steamer Ariel, as given in the Northern papers:

As the passengers of the Ariel were seated at their dinner on Sunday, December 7th, Captain Jones was informed that a war steamer was bearing down upon them, and although he made light of the fact, still he left the dinner table and ascended to the deck. The war vessel was descried about four miles off, sailing under the Stars and Stripes; but Captain Jones soon discovered that the build and rigging were English, and suspecting mischief, ordered the Ariel to be put under a full head of steam, intending, if possible, to leave the suspicious craft far behind. But his efforts were unavailing; for shortly after a blank cartridge was fired, closely followed by two shells, one of which, a common round shell, cut a fearful piece from out of the foremast. The other shell, which fortunately passed over the vessel, the passengers were informed, was a stell pointed one hundred pound projectile, so constructed as to cause a destructive explosion immediately as it strikes an object. Had this shell burst over or against the Ariel, there is no knowing what loss of life might have been caused. The marines, who were one hundred and forty strong, under Major Garland, were ordered on deck to resist any attempt to board the Ariel by the crew of the pursuing vessel; but when the character of the craft was fully ascertained, it was considered entirely useless to make any resistance, and the marines were ordered below. Captain Jones, whose bravery is well known, insisted that his flag should not be lowered under any circumstances, but that he would fight it out. The marines, however, being disarmed, he had to give way, very reluctantly, and the Ariel was surrendered to the Alabama. At this time the Ariel was going about eight and a half knots, and the Alabama eleven knots, under only eleven pounds of steam.

(The Charleston Mercury) MOBILE, April 26, 1862  – A dispatch, just received from Jackson, Mississippi, says: ‘Thirteen of the enemy gunboats have anchored in the river opposite the city of New Orleans . A proposition made by the Confederates to evacuate the place is now pending. Various exciting rumors are afloat. The foregoing, however, is reliable. As telegraphic communication with New Orleans is closed, the above information must have been brought to Jackson by railroad.