The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-03-13

AUtlOuS, t0TOu&0 the SeCI0C8<y OF 6t0Se, 70
the Ministers of the United States in for
eign countries, that the declaration and
protest herein set fourth may be commu-
nicated by them to the governments to
which they are accredited. TN. o.E
ATTACK ON {" BELLE MEMPHIS"
Heroism Of a Mississippi Steambo
Captain.
From the St. Louis Union. .su.Ds...la
From gentleman who came passenger
on the Belle Memphis, on her last trip
from Memphis, we gather the following
facts concerning the attack on that boat
by Capt. Burton's band of guerillas, on the
night of the 23d instant: , .-.o4ii.1'
The boat had landed at Island No. "a,
about fifteen miles from Memphis, for the
purpose of putting off a passenger, when
Captain Sousley was hailed by man on
shore with the remark that he wanted to
ship about fifty bales Of cotton. The cap
tain ordered the mate to make the boat
fast, which was done in an instant. No
sooner, however, was that done than
party of ten or twelve men, armed with
double barreled shot-guns and revolvers,
rushed from wooden shanty near by, and
boarding the boat, proceeded at once to the
pilot house. In possession of that place,
two of them descended to the engine room.
Captain Sousley, as soon as he saw the
guerillas board the boat, made an effort
to back the engines, and for that purpose
had gone into the engine room. The en-
gineer was not at his post, and the Cap
tain reversed the engines himself While
thus engaged the two guerillas last men
toned came up to him, and asked him
for the whereabouts of the Captain, at the
same time presenting their guns to his
breast, and threatening to shoot in case
he did not tell them at once. The Captain
replied: ~ L-..-il -'.'-
"I don't know where he is. I want the
boat landed. I'm only passenger, and l
want the boat landed so can get off. The
engineer is gone, and don't know what
The rrfians told him to go and search
for the engineer, and tell him to land the
boat or they would kill him. -.
Capt. Sousley, pretending to 60 on this
mission, left the rufians in the engine
room while he went up to the texas of the
boat and procured four or five shot-guns,
which he loaded and brought down to the
cabin, and appealed to the passengers to
assist him. After considerable effort, two
men followed him to the hurricane roof
by one stairway, while two more took
noocA Sa;on Of tho othor -- e. ...t.....-....
While these things were going on,
brave and intelligent deck-hand, fully alive
to the danger the boat and passengers were
in, slipped on shore and unloosed the ca
BILE from the stump which held the boat
The Captains presence of mind in rushing
to the engine-rOOm and reversing the en-
gines, had thrown the boat out into the
stream. The bells in the engine room
were being excitedly rung by the pilot, in
the wheel-house, who was Obeying the die
tation of the ruffians. The boat got further
away from the guerrillas' base of opera
tons, and they began to manifest the Wild
est excitement. Just at this time one of
the engineers re-appeared at the engines,
and very soon after the engineer and pilot,
each surrounded by the guerrillas, were
acting in harmony, and the boat rapidly
approached the shore.
But the scoundrels were now only anx-
ious to escape, for the quick reports of shot
guns and revolvers assured them that here
were fighting men aboard, be they few or
many, and fight was not what they came
for. AS they were leaving the pilot house
with the pilot as their prisoner, a ball from
the carbine of Captain Sousley killed their
first lieutenant, and some buck shot, care
lessly thrown from guns in the hands of
one or two passengers, were not without
effect, as blood marks on the pilot house
fully approve. The ruffians from the shore,
when they had evacuated the boat, and
she was again drifting into the channel,
discharged volley at the pilot-house,
which completely riddled it, but Captain
Sousley escaped unhurt, being saved by a
large sheet iron protection.
The Waterman of the boat was severely
wounded while bravely doing his duty in
assisting Capt. Sousley to save the boat.
The passengers have since made up purse
of eighty dollars, to which Capt. Sousley
added twenty dollars, which was presented
to the wounded man by Mr.. Lowenstein,
of St. Louis. $500.
But no measure of praise can be too ex-
travagant when awarded to Capt. Sousley.
Nothing but his extraordinary presence Of
mind and great bravery saved the boat from
being completely destroyed and many of
the passengers killed. The boat was
very crowded but it was with the utmost
difficulty that men enough cenld be coax
ed into using the guns Captain Sousley
had to offer them. Officers with Captains
shoulder-straps pleaded sickness when
brother officer called upon them to raj
ly around the heroic Captain Sousley.
The deck hand who cast off the rope when
the guerillas boarded the boat deserves
the gratitude of all on board. The inge-
NOUS manner of Captain Soulsley in de-
luding the ruffans, his judgment in
throwing the boat out into the stream be-
fore attacking them-his promptness in
searching and loading the few guns that
were on the boat-his determined bravery
in driving them from the vessel with the
slight assistance offered him by any one
are subjects Of unqualified eulogy. l1.
The tories of England are delighted
with our calamities, and do not pretend to
oonooo1 thoir SafiSfactiO Pocont1v Die