She Was bound to Cienfuegos in Cuba, but had no cargo on board, and Captain Semmes, being unwilling at that early stage of his cruise to spare a prize crew, determined to destroy the vessel, and after taking the captain and crew on board the Sumter set the prize on fire and left her to her fate.[1] [Footnote 1: "It was about ten o'clock at night when the first glare of light burst from her cabin-hatch.

Few, few on board can forget the spectacle.

A ship set fire to at sea! It would seem that man was almost warring with his Maker.

Her helpless condition, the red flames licking the rigging as they climbed aloft, the sparks and pieces of burning rope taken off by the wind and flying miles to leeward, the ghastly glare thrown upon the dark sea as far as the eye could reach, and then the death-like stillness of the scene--all these combined to place the Golden Rocket on the tablet of our memories for ever.

But, notwithstanding the reluctance with which we did it, we would not have missed the opportunity for anything on earth.