Mayo, Isaac (1791-1861) Circumstances leading to and attending the seize of the Phoenix
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04604.17 Author/Creator: Mayo, Isaac (1791-1861) Place Written: Off Cape Hayti, Saint Domingo Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 5 June 1830 Pagination: 4 p. : docket ; 32.5 x 19.9 cm. Order a Copy
Written by Lieutenant Commander Mayo as commander of the U.S.S. Grampus. Relates the chase made by the "Grampus" to capture the slave trade ship"Phoenix" off the coast of Saint Domingo. J.C. Hall, captain of the merchant ship "Kremlin," which sailed out of Boston, Massachusetts (see letter Mayo wrote to Hall at GLC04604.19), was threatened by the "Phoenix" and witnessed Mayo's seizure. The "Phoenix" raised a Spanish flag when encountered. Says they had to fire shots to get them to take down their sails and surrender. Sent a Lt. Wilson and an armed party to board the 90.5 ton schooner. The ship, which was American with Spanish guns, had a crew of 20 and was carrying a shipment of 82 slaves. Reports to have been sailing for 14 months. Was captured under the second section of an act to expire piracy. The ship was detained for trial. Says "It is very certain that the slave trade is now a pretext for piracy." Docket says it is "A Copy sent to the Dist. Judge." Starting to come apart at the center fold and a small section at the bottom of the pages is missing, resulting in minor text loss.
The U.S.S. Grampus was involved in the Amistad incident in 1840. The ship was ordered by President Martin Van Buren to New Haven, Connecticut's harbor in January 1840 to smuggle the captive Africans back to the Spanish in Cuba. The ship did anchor in the harbor, but the plan was never implemented.
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