Saturday, February 21.--Weather very fine; wind light from the southward and eastward. About 7 a.m. a sail was descried from aloft and others soon afterwards in succession until four were seen. We gave chase to the first one discovered, standing to eastward for an hour and more, but finding her well ahead and to windward we tacked and gave chase to two others, getting up steam, as one of the two showed United States colors and was too far to windward to be overhauled in the very light breeze that was blowing. At 1 p.m. came up with and captured the ship Golden Eagle--she standing a couple of shot before she hove to--from Howland Island, Pacific Ocean, for Cork, for orders. Threw a prize crew on board of her, with directions to follow, and stood for the other, now some 15 miles distant. Came up with her at 3 p.m. She proved to be the bark Olive Jane, from Bordeaux for New York. Captured and burned her and then stood back to meet our first prize, with which we came up at about dusk. Got on board from her a few provisions, and then burned her and filled away on our course. The former was laden with a partial cargo of French wines and knicknackeries, and the latter (the latter one burned) with guano. Latitude 29 28', longitude 44 58'.

Source: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies

Rare Book Collection, William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library, The University of Alabama