, 1863-02-28
THE RIVER PIRATES.
The Late Escape Of the Belle
Memphis.
DETAILS BY An EYE-WITNESS

DR.. E, A. Beers, Surgeon ofthe I'D Illinois,
states that when, on Monday evening Last, he
came up On the boat, Bellc-icmphis, from
Memphis to St. Louis, Il man got on board at
Memphis who was > guerilla, and wished to
be landed at Cottonwood Point; but tile
Captain refused, and offered to put him
ashore at Island 81, knowing that u good
Union man lived there who had in years past
furnished the boat with wood, and was to be
relied on. The man was finally landed there;
and Us The boat touched the wharf some rough
looking fellows who were standing there call
ed 10 the Captain, and asked him II be could
take any cotton aboard. The Captain asked
how much they had got; and the reply WAS ten
bales. 'Whcre is it :f' said the Captain.
They replied about fifty yards of in the
woods. The Captain detailed some of
the crew to 60 and examine the
bales, and they had scarcely touched the
shore Wien they were hurled on one side, and
the men (who proved to be guerillas,) mount
ed the gang plank, marched in L body on
deck, and before any resistance was so much
as thought Of. seized the engines, and took
ashore. As soon is the Captain knew what
was up, he went below md loaded some mus.
kets, calling upon the crew to come aft and
le1p him. To their shame and disgrace, be
it spoken, only half dozen men on board
could be found who would strike 4 blow for
the ship end passengers S1any Of the towards
actually sneaking away and hiding themselves
behind the women!
The Captain saw bis case was hopeless, un-
less he rcsortcd to 4 Tat& to deceive the rebels.
Soho went below to the engine house, and told
them he was citizen, and would steer the
+,,rhr v$.A3
let him, adding that neither lie nor the rassen-
gers wanted to get killed If they could help it,
aud be supposed their object was not to xiii
item but..to p1under the boat. After some par
ley they agreed, and the Captain Immediately
backed one Of the wheels, and went on deck,
| wcrc being carried ont into the river
tGen the firing began. The crew wounded
several Of the rebels and mortally wounded
one who was found on the hurricane deck.
they jumped into the riyerand escaped. One
ofthe crew named JOHN Il. Choak was wound
cd, and the surgeon who gives us this recital,
| dressed his wounds, and then attended to the
rebel who was shot through both walls Of the
abdomen, and his bowels protruded. rs there
was no hope for him, he made a clean breast
| Of It. Be said he was LIST Lieutenant in Capt.
talon. His squad consisted Of Is men-twelye
we're on the island, and the remainder at Cot
tonwood Point, two miles above. He and
his recruits were all conscripts, and forced
into the service, many Of them much against
their will. They were sworn to stop every
boat they could entrap, to plunder her and the
+! passengers, and then burn her. They had
| crossed over on this occasion, in ekiff:, from
the Arkansas shore. When asked what mo-
tives induced the rebel officers to give such
orders, he replied that he did not know
unless 1t were in revenge for the
burning Of Hopefcld,. opposite Memphis,
There we're in the squad some six men who
belonged to Hopc1eid, and Captain Barton
| uecd TO run a ferry boat across the river nt
Memphis. The man died next morning In
great agony.
The Highest credit seems TO be due to the
| Captain Of the steamer, not oulY for his
bravery on board when everybody had lost
their senses, hut for actually saving the boat.
The clerk, J. ". Tschudi, is also well spoken
| Of, for the assistance which be rendered to the
Tnntain.