pt to run us on board. He sheered off, however, when he came
within three or four hundred yards. He repeated this operation several
times during the mid-watch, imposing upon us as often the necessity of
calling the men to quarters; indeed, from about half-past two they slept
at their guns. Great excitement pervades the entire city. The
market-square, the quays, and the windows of the houses, are thronged by
an eager and curious multitude, expecting every moment to see a combat.
The enemy approached us at one time within a ship's length.

_Friday, November 15th_.--Fine, bright morning. At 7.30 a French steamer
of war, L'Acheron, Captain Duchaxel, came in from Fort de France, and
made fast to one of the buoys. The Iroquois about a mile from us. At
8.30 sent a boat on board the Frenchman to pay the usual ceremonial
visit. The throng in the town unabated, multitudes being gathered near
the water, looking out at the two ships. At 10 the French captain paid
me a visit. He came up, he said, with orders from the Governor, to
preserve the neutrality of the port between the two belligerents, and in
case the Iroquois came to an anchor, to demand of the captain a promise
that he would not proceed to sea for twenty-four hours after our own
departure. I wrote to the Governor, informing him of the violation of
the neutrality of the port by the Iroquois, and desiring him to apply
the proper remedy:--

C.S. steamer Sumter, St. Pierre, Island of Martinique, November 15th,
1861.

SIR,--I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I am closely
blockaded in this port by the enemy's steam sloop-of-war Iroquois, of
twice my force. This vessel, in defiance of the law of nations, and in
contempt of the neutrality of this island, has boldly entered the
harbour, and without coming to anchor is cruising backwards and forwards
in a menacing attitude, not only within the marine league of the shore,
but within less than a ship's length of this vessel, which is moored not
more than one hundred yards from the beach. During the past night she
several times approached me within fifty or a hundred yards. I deem it
my duty to acquaint your Excellency with these facts, and to invoke your
authority for the preservation of my just rights within your waters. I
take the following principles, applicable to the present case, to be
well settled by the law of nations:--Firstly, that no act of hostility,
proximate or remote, can be committed by any belligerent