June 12.—The bark Tacony, in latitude 37° 18′, longitude 75° 4′, was captured by the Clarence, tender to the privateer Florida. Captain Murday gave the following account of the capture:
“On the twelfth of June, at six o’clock A.M., when about forty miles off Cape Virginia, I was spoken by the brig Clarence, of Baltimore, who said she was short of water, and wished for a day’s allowance. Of course I hauled to on this appeal to humanity, and their boat, with an officer and six men, immediately came aboard. They told me they were fifty-five days from Rio Janeiro, were bound to Baltimore, and were entirely out of water, and would assist me in passing it to the boat. While taking the after-hatch off, I was confronted by the officer of the boat, who presented a pistol at my head, and stated that my vessel was his prize — a prize to the confederate States, and ordered me to leave for New-York. Immediately after, or while transferring my crew, the schooner M. A. Shindler came up, and was hauled to and captured. While transferring the crew of the latter, the schooner Kate Stewart came along, but she having several lady passengers on board, and being an old vessel, was ransomed on giving bonds in the sum of seven thousand dollars. We were then all transferred on board the Kate Stewart. The pirates then transferred their guns, ammunition, supplies, etc., from the brig Clarence to the bark Tacony, and set fire to the former vessel, as well as to the schooner M. A. Shindler. We were then released, the pirate standing off to the south-east.—Major-general Darius N. Couch assumed command of the Department of the Susquehanna, and established his headquarters at Chambersburgh, Pa.—Governor Andrew G. Curtin issued a proclamation calling upon the people of Pennsylvania to rally for their defence against the rebels who were approaching under General Lee.—General Michael Corcoran, with twelve thousand men, left Suffolk, Va., on a reconnoissance to the Blackwatcr.—The reply of President Lincoln to the resolutions adopted by the Democrats at Albany, N. Y., on the sixteenth of May, relative to the arrest of Mr. Vallandigham, and the vindication of free speech, was made public.—(Doc. 67.)
—Major-general David Hunter was relieved of the command of the Department of the South, and Brigadier-General Quincy A. Gillmore assigned to the same. —Governor Oliver P. Morton issued a proclamation to the people of Indiana, warning all persons against resistance to the Government in any form, or hindering the Federal officers in the enforcement of the enrolment laws of the United States.—A skirmish occurred near Middletown, Va., between the Thirteenth Pennsylvania cavalry and Eighty-seventh infantry, with one section of artillery, and a body of about four hundred rebel cavalry. Eight of the latter were killed, a number wounded, and thirty-seven, including a captain and two lieutenants, were taken prisoners.—(Doc. 11.)
