Salvador Pirates was the name given to the band ofConfederate Navy sailors that attempted to seize aPanama Railroad coastalsteamer on the high seas. Their intent was then to arm her and attack thePacific Mail steamers and the Americanwhalers in theNorth Pacific.
In spring of 1864, the Confederate Navy ordered CaptainThomas Egenton Hogg and his command to take passage on board a coastal steamer inPanama City, seize her on the high seas, arm her and attack thePacific Mail steamers and the whalers in theNorth Pacific. InHavana, the American consul, Thomas Savage, learned about this conspiracy, and notifiedRear AdmiralGeorge F. Pearson at Panama City. The Admiral had the passengers boarding the steamers at Panama City watched and when Hogg's command was found aboard the Panama Railroad steamerSalvador, a force fromUSS Lancaster arrested them and brought them to San Francisco.
The Salvador Pirates as they came to be called, were tried forpiracy by a military commission, convicted, and sentenced to be hanged, but GeneralIrvin McDowell commuted their sentences.[1] To prevent any further attempts to seize Pacific coast shipping, General McDowell ordered each passenger on board American merchant steamers to surrender all weapons when boarding, and every passenger and his baggage was searched. All officers were armed for the protection of their ships.[2][3]
