from the March 22, 1862 issue of the Rochester Times Union
(FALSE RUMOR THAT ALABAMA SENATOR YANCEY HAD BEEN CAPTURED NEAR ST. ANDREWS BAY ON HIS RETURN FROM EUROPE)
ROCHESTER TIMES AND ADVERTISER. ROCHESTER, N. Y., MARCH 22, 1862.
The Capture of William L. Yancey, The report of the capture of Yancey seems to confirmed.
A Pottsville (Pa.) dispatch says a letter received there from Mr. Howard Phelps, engineer of the U.S. Steamer Water Witch, the mentions the capture, on the schooner Mallory, in positive terms. A Key West William correspondent of the N. Y.Times, writing immediately after the arrival of the Water Witch there says: the United States steamer Water Witch arrived the 9th from Ship Island, having captured the schooner William Mallory off St. Andrews Bay, Fla., from The Havana, with Witch a full chased cargo the of Cuba prize seven hours, firing 20 shots at her; even then she would have escaped had but for the bad condition in of her foresail, which been carried weather away the the chase. Owing to very heavy steamer was compelled to cast the prize adrift on Fri day, two days since, with a prize crew on *board, and they have not yet arrived. The Water crew of the schooneratere all brought in on the Witch.
The papers of the schooner were all thrown overboard during the chase, but the caris supposed to have cost $15,000 and will sell go well here. Letters received here from. Havana state that W. L. Yancey was there seeking an opportunity, for leave in passage the to Mallory, rebeldom but and he that he does would not prove to be among those found on board, unless he has been.
very successful in preserving his incog. A Fortress Monroe letter to the Tribune says:* A letter received by the Rhode Island yesterday, by Capt. Davids, on Superintendent board the of the gunboat naval R. machine works, dated R. Coyler, at Key West, the 10th inst., says: " Day before yesterday the steamer Water Witch overhauled a schooner while attempting to run the blockade.
Among those on board was Wm. L. Yancey, disguised in sailor's clothes. He was recognized and delivered over to the fort. The writer of this letter is known to Capt.
Davids, who does not question the statement.' There is every probability that Yancey's capture is correctly reported. St. Andrew's Bay is in the Gulf, about 40 miles west of Apalachicola and 100 east of Fort Pickens. Yancey has been in Europe as one of the Commission to secure recognition for the C. S.
A. since May last. He returns unsuccessful, but seems to have met with unexpected " recognition" on this side. He was elected Senator by the • State of Alabama in November last to represent her in the rebel Congress.
from the April 2, 1862 issue of Lexington Weekly Press
YANCEY NOT CAPTURED -ORIGIN OF THE STORY.- -It tarns out after all that the arch demagogue and traitor Yancey is still at large, and that the statement of bis baving recently made a speech in New Orleans has some probability in it. The manner in which the rumor originated is thus stated: It sppears that Commodore Ridgley, of the Santiago de Cuba, received a letter from the American Consul. General at Havana, informing him that Yancey bad sailed for Southern port in the William Mallory. On the 9.h, after tho reception of this intelligerce, tho Water Witch arrived at Key West, having on board the captain and crew of this vessel, which she bad captured on the 5th off St. Andrews' Bay.
The people of Key West were thrown into 8 state of great excitement by the rumor, which immediately got into circulation, that Mr. cey was among the prisoners, in the disguise of a seaman. A close scrutiny of tho crew, however, showed. that this impression wag unfounded; and, furthermore, our correspondent was informed by the mate of the Mallory that Yancey bad left Havana the day before the latter vessel sailed, in 8 schooner called the Break of Day, bound for Mobile.
from the April 9, 1862 Columbus [GA] Enquirer
We learn by a private dispatch that the Federals ran into St. Andrews Bay in cutters and captured the steamer Florida with 250 bales of cotton on board, taking her out without opposition. It was the intention of parties interested to burn the Florida rather than have her taken, but the Yanks were little too quick for them and have made a rich haul.
from the April 17, 1862 issue of the Yorkvillle [SC] Enquirer
CAPTURE OF A CONFEDERATE STEAMER. -A letter from Columbus, Ga., dated the 8th instant, states that the Confederate steamer Florida was captured by the Federalists in St. Andrews' Bay, & few days since, with 241 bales of cotton on board. She was a splendid steamer and considered as fast as the Sumter and considerably larger. She was built in New York some two and a half years since. She lay in St. Andrews' Bay some three weeks, when the Federalists ascertained that she was there, and sent an expedition to capture her which proved successful.
from the May 4, 1862 issue of the New York Times
The rebel propeller steamer Florida, arrived here Thurday, a prize to the bark Pursuit, Capt. Cars. with only two hundred bales of cotton. Capt. Cars. sent his ships' boats well armed into St. Andrews Bay, where the steamer was lying, loading up for Havana, and after a pretty sharp resistance captured her with most of the officers and crew prisoners.
The arrived yesterday, having lost another prize, the sloop Lafayette, laden with cotton, which they had in tow. The weather being rough, the sloop became very leaky and finally sunk.
from the May 9, 1862 Syracuse Daily Courier and Union
A Prize
Philadelphia, May 3.
The steamer Florida captured at St. Andrews Bay, Fla., arrived at the Navy Yard this P. M.in charge of the prize MARTHA LEWIS. She has on board 1200 bales of cotton.
W D. Harrison, the pilot, with the engineers and nine of the crew, took the oath of allegiance and came aboard the steamer.
The nine of the crew who refused to take the oath were put ashore in St. Andrews Bay.
from the May 14, 1862 Georgia Journal & Messenger (Macon)
St. ANDREWS BAY -SALT MAKING
We have had an interview with Mr. Wm. R. Barnes, who has recently visited St. Andrews' Bay and from the information which he gives us, it offers unusual inducements, in point of safety and convenience, for extensive, as well located operations in the manufacture of salt.
He tells us that there are arms, or bayous making out from the bay, the extent of about five or six miles: that at the extreme ends of these arms, the water has been analized, and has been found of equal saline strength, with that of Key West, or St. Joseph: that these arms are navigable only about half a mile for gunboats, beyond which barges cannot pass, and that, a distance of about 45 miles would have to be travelled by the enemy, in making a land attack upon any works that might be erected there.
He also informs us that there is an abundance of fuel, for all purposes, and quite convenient. It is distant only about 18 miles from the Apalachicola River, thus rendering private transportation quite light.
It is the opinion of Mr. Barnes, that Florida, in which State the Bay is, and Georgia, stationing a sufficient force there to protect the works from marauding parties of the enemy could manufacture enough salt during the year to meet the entire needs of the two States. If this be true operations should be commenced at an early day, the prospect for any abundance of meat next winter is now good, but we must have salt to save it.
Should any one desire further information this subject, we are prepared to give it. - Sumter Republican.
from the May 17, 2007 Abbeville Herald
Alabama's Confederate General Assembly established a state salt works facility on East Bay near St Andrews Bay, along with other state government's salt works. The Union forces raided the facilities in the winter of 1863. After that, the operations were shifted to West Bay where they remained until the end of the war. The Union Navy would continue to raid the works, and on one occasion a reported 97 salt works were destroyed at West Bay.
The Confederates would bring in new boilers and soon return to business. An estimated 2,500 men from Alabama, Georgia and Florida were exempted from combat duty in order to labor in these salt works. The salt would be transported from these "Government Salt Works" by wagon and river boats to Eufaula, Alabama, then to Montgomery, for distribution to several Confederate states. As the war worsened, Alabama's Salt Commission could not provide enough salt to meet the state's demand and passed a law making it illegal to sell salt outside of the state. Several Henry County men worked in these Alabama Salt Works in Florida, including John Bland of Abbeville, an excellent blacksmith who came into Henry County in 1855; and Charles E.
Kelley, born in Henry County, and worked in the West Bay Salt Works for about a year. After the war he moved to Okaloosa, County, Florida.









