Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1863-07-01
prisoners from the s.Maple Leaf"

Colonel Dougherty, of the. 9Th Missouri
cavalry, and Capt. Seekel, Assistant Pro-
vost Marshal, of Stoddard County, Missouri,
arrived in Richmond. They are the first
arrival of the prisoners who took possession
of the Yankee steamer "Maple Leaf"
while conveying them on their way from
Fort Norfolk to Fort Delaware.
On the morning of Wednesday, the 10th
inst, about IL o'clock, the prisoners, SO
in number, were placed on board the steam
er "Maple Leaf" and took their leave for
Fort Delaware. When they were outside
the Capes and about ten miles from Cape
Henry Lighthouse, they rose and overpow-
cred the guards, and the whole vessel was
in twinkling in the hands Of the Con.
,federates. Persons had been stationed'near'
each sentinel, and some near the stacked
muskets. At a tap Of the bell-the signal
agreed upon-the stacked muskets were
seized and the sentinels pinioned.: No one
was hurt, with the exception OF. one of the
sentinels, who made some resistance and
was knocked down the steps BY one of the
Confederates. After securing the vessel,
they continued on the same course until
within about FIVE miles of Cape Henry
Lighthouse, when they steered for the
point, and went ashore on the life-boat
and yawl As soon as they finished land
ing, they paroled the Lieutenant and his
men, thirteen in number.
The Captain of the boat promised that if
our men would notmolest him or his crew,
he would take the vessel on to Fort Della
ware, as originally intended, and say moth
ing about the matter, and both he and the
Lieutenant, commanding the guards took
an oath to that effect, which they violated
almost Immediately, and returned to Fort
Norfolk. A number Of the prisoners, how.
ever, refused to leave the boat, saying they
Wonld not violate their parole. Those who
left would have burned the boat, but there
were some of our wounded on board, who
could not help themselves; there were no
houses in sight, and our men we're unac.
quainted with the country.
As to the violation of parole, the prison
ers were not, according to our understand.
ing of the matter, under parole atall.
On arrival at Fort Norfolk they were
told that they would not be exchanged,
but would be held as hostages because the
Confederate authorities refused to release
Col. Strait, and his command, on the ground
that they were 'inoiting servile insurrection.
The prisoners were all put in small.
rooms-eightecn officers being shut up in,
a room fifteen feet square, which had but
one little gated window, SO high. as to be
out Of reach. A guard, was placed at the.
door, which was only opened long enough
to hand them their rneanest of fare. They
were all taken out of the rooms and march
ed down under guard to the boat, where
they were still guarded, until they released
themselves.
If this is the Yankee parole, will some
one inform us what is their Imprisonment?
The truth is, that some of those who re-
NAMED on the "Maple Leaf" let the cat
out Of the bag, by saying that they had no
doubt that when it was found out that they
had refused to take part in the affair, they
would be Immediately paroled or exchang-
ed, and thus get home much earlier. One
of the officers, however, told them that the
very thought was cowardly, and the action
was to SO far demeaning themselyesas to beg
for Yankee mercy. s>@a--
The credit of the whole plot of the cap
ture Of the "Maple Leaf is due to Capt
Semmea, son of the noted privateersman;
Judge MCGOWAN, of New Orleans, aud
Capt. Holmes, of South Carolina, who were
on board twenty four hours in advance Of
the majority of the prisoners, and had laid
plans of escape before the boat left Fort
Norfolk
Col. Dougherty and Capt. Seekel are
quiet confident that all of those who left
the boat will get through safely. They
themselves are still weary and foot.sore,
having travelled at least two hundred miles
before they reached the railroad, which
conveyed them to Weldon, N. G., and
thence to Richmond.
1t is there intention to start very shortly
for the Trans Mississippi Department.
Richmond Enquirer.