Wednesday, July 3.—Weather cloudy, with a fresh trade from E. to E.S. E. and some sea. At 9 a.m. off Cape Corrientes. At meridian latitude 21° 29′, longitude 84° 06 ‘. Soon after meridian made two sail nearly ahead. Gave chase and came up, first with a Spanish brig from Cadiz to Vera Cruz, and secondly with the U. S. ship Golden Rocket, of Bangor, Me., in ballast. Took out of her some provisions and a few other articles for the use of the ship, and at 10 p.m., having accomplished this and brought the master and crew on board, set fire to and burned her, west end of Isle of Pines bearing about E. N. E.and distant 10 or 12 miles. Our first prize made a beautiful bonfire and we did not enjoy the spectacle the less because she was from the black Republican State of Maine. The Golden Rocket was a ship of 690 tons, three years old, and was worth from $ 30,000 to $ 40,000. Night cloudy.
Extracts from the journal of Commander Semmes, C.S. Navy, commanding C.S.S. Sumter
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