Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-10-16
AN EXTENSIVE RAID IN MATTHEWS
COUNTY-ANOTHER INSTANCE OF
YANKEE ATROCITY.

AN EXTENSIVE RAID IN MATTHEWS
COUNTY-ANOTIIER INSTANCE OF
YANKEE ATROCITY.
The recent dashing exploit Of Capt. Bealls
small party up the Atlantic coast,in open boats,
has dcvelopeda a system of naval warfare against
which the enemy admit the imrracticabiity
of successfully protecting their coasting tra'le,
80 long as such an organization contirues.-
The capture of vessels within two hundred
| miles of New York city was an earnest OF
more extended operations following the cx
pertinent; SO it was determined, as appears
! from subsequent events, to strike at the source
Of the mischief, and, by the capture at once
of Captain Beall's entire party, to put stop
to further proceedings Of the kind. Accord
insly an expedition, gotten up regardless Of
expense, consisting of negro regiment from
Yorktown, a battery of artillery, the llth
Pennsylvania cavalry, Col. Spears, from Ports
mouth, oil under command of General Wistar,
together with fourteen gunboats. as co-ope-
rating naval force, under what Admiral is not
known, proceeded to narrow STRIP Of lanl
between the East river and the Piapkatank, in
Mathews county, where the party was supposed
to lie in fancied security, and from whence. i:
was reported, made IT'S sallics. Arriving Il.
the scene of operations, on the Ith instant the
negro infantry and the artillery wcrc stretched
across the narrow ncrk Of land above men
tioned-the former being protected from an
anticipated attempt Of the "Buccancr-" to
cut their way out, by fences built across the
roads in front, and tile latter posted in strong
ly fortified positions. Meantime, the gun
boats deployei on the respective rivers, armed
sehooners kept watch on the Bay shore. barg"s
filled with sailors secured the creeks and in
lets, and q line Of marines was established
around every point where il was possible for
tho Confederntes to take water thus securely
henncd in, On the following dly the cavalry
were sent in to beat the bush, and flush the
game.
Whether the subjects OF tie search had
passed through the feet Of gunioats, disguised
as Yankee bargemen. nr, unh"r cover OF the
intense darkness cast By the regiment afore-
said, had escaped the meshcs Of the net: or
whether, rs wag gravely informed the enc,
my, finding themselves closely pressed he'd tn
ken to balloon, which they kent for emcr-
ccncics, two days search was frutless. and
the "grand expedition" rcsu'ted in grand
failure. The whole affair might be regarded
as big farce but for the preparation of an
atrocity by Col. Spears, on the occasion, which
thrilled the whole county with horror. The
circumstances are briefly these: Mr.. Sands
Smith, citizen, 60 years Of age, was discor-
cred or his plantation with il shot gun in his
possession by two Yankees, one of whom
snapped revolver IA his face In self:ie
fence, Mr.. Smith cd his gun and shot the
invader thrcr., he heart. The other one
fired two or :nres times at the old gentlemen,
but without effect, and, dsmouneing, suc-
| ceeded, after a fearful struggle, in taking him
prisoner. The outlaw, Spears, determined 70
add another to his list of atrocities, and on the
| evening of the next day, on the public road
| in front of the residence of Mr.. Burke, after
cursing the old man in voiley of most hor
rible oaths, caused him to he hauled by the
neck up to limb, amid the yells, ieers ant
faughter,nf ihcllth Pennsylvania regiment
and, after porio-asing tb- corpse with piS:o
halls buried 1t rr the roadside. witt
the feet sticking Out. 4 .sritta7 fct
Was posted over the era7e threatening 20 exc
cute in a similar manner every man found in III.
a,ounty with arms in his bards, aud ccucbsd il