The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-11-10
Capture Of the Steamer KeMrmev.
NJ Clarkxville, Ne.
- SrEANRR KATE KEARxY,(
= QUINCY Nov I 1894

NJ Clarksville, Ne.
: STEAMER KATE KxASxY,(
a QuIScr, Nov. 1854.
EDaroa CouRlEa The steamer Kate Kear.
~ was captured " gusrrillas, & Clarks
We yesterday afternoon. The circumstan.
= may interHss your readers. and present
BEN bs;efys The bod. left C,arksviIle on
Ter up trip at about 4 O'clock p M Monday,
md made preparations Tor landing as usual.
4 number Of citizens were. noticed1on the
evee. but thinking they were Missouri Mill
lia men, no one suspected that an was moi
riEht untsi the beat touched the bank, the in.
slant he,did. about thirty. mounted guerril.
'es dashed down the leyee and eight or ten
Of them rushed aboard with drawn revolver,
snd casbshss. Captain Height and Pilot
Schofeid immediately upon discovering that
we were attacked nv gnerrillas. commenced
hacking the boat into the stream, but soime
Of the rebels ran to the Pilot House, and
Others to the engine room and with cooked
revolvers IN their hands lcompere J. them 10
land the boat or be shot where tltev stood
There were but few passengers on boAsd md
these almsst totally unarmed'so that no enc
cessfhlJ resistanos could hssei been offeted
even'H the boat hadsnotsbeea tslasn 80 cam
pletely by SURPRISE THE gas.rillas now had
entire possession At the boat. md after. order.
ing all the passengers and crew on shore
commenced searching forarms and amuuni.
ton declaring thevs would iniare no one and
only desired 'armsi amMunision, bianietS &c,
The sum totaforsr they toSk Aot, the 1csb.
in Of the boat was twn revGlvers. aqtsusket
and . bag Of shot, d blanket and cavalrry;
saddle They entered the Office snd'opened
the drawefs. but finding no, arms left every
thing undisturhed. though there was quite 1
lot Of clothing IN the drawers. and several
thousand d~lFsrs in gold and greenbacks in
the safe. One o. the gang relieved the sec.
ond mate Of his watch. but upon the mate
informing the leader Of the fact, lie made the
fellow return the watch and even apologised
for the theft. They next took two horses
which were on board ashore. whsk,the una,i.
rauders quickly transformed loyal poniss
INTO bushwhacking steeds.: g. s''As si.'
! The guerrilla leader now inquired how
many Federal officers and soldiers were on
board and ordered all such to come forward.
Col Dufield being the only man IN uniform
made his appearance and was qnesfionpd as
to who he was, where he belonged &c., after
which he wss told to take liisl place in. the
ranks with the balance ofthe passengers, ana
Was treated exactly Is the others were. ei',
By this time the guerrii1as had collected
all the able bodied citizens Of GAINESVILLE in
. crowd on the levee, and together with most
Of the Kearney's crew drew them up in line
on the street and penned them IN with
guard Of bushwhackers armed to the teeth.
1t is natural to suppose. that there was many
. hleached cheek and faint heart in this
crowd Of captives, awaiting their fate, but all
fear was quickly removed, whom the leader
Of the guerrillas ordered all to take off: / heir
hats, hold Up their hands, and swear never
to, bean arms against the Southern Confed
sracy until regularly exchanged Tho oath
was taken and they were informed that they
were at liberty to 60 whseethsy pleased, but
warned them that any resistance would BE
followed by the destruction Of the town.
While in line one OF the band was transfer.
ring some greenbacks from scitizens pocket
TO his own, but the leader saw it and com.
PEELED him to return the money. The bell
now sounded and the Kate Kesrnsy's crew
and passengers csnAe on board the boat, and
she backed out and proceeded on her jour-
ney up the river, with the most joyful set Of
men aboard that ever was on . steamboat !;
eseh ene congsAtulating the other on iescau.
ing So easily. The members Of this band
claimed to befesuisr confederate scouts and
were led bya man 'nsned Penn !; they are
the name gang who fred into thsV Rodolpha
Few days since g But Whatever they may be,
The passengers and crew Of the Kate can
testify that the header and most d his men
seemed very moderats instheir demands and
honorable in their dealings HI comparison
with most Of the guerrillas now intesting tie
country. 1t is not known on this boat how
mnch was taken from the citizens Of Cl.rks.
vile; a number Of the gang, were seen with
clothing, blankets, boots, shoes &C., strapped
to their saddles, but to what sr.-r.
31Wenet the steamers ,Adeli. and Home
lust above and To- sight of Clarksville, and we
warned them Of danger there, and it is sup.
posed that both got past safely. / am re-
minded that Lieutenant, D., Henshaw was
dressed in Federal Uniform and prudently
retired to his state room and donped it for
citizens dress in which to meet the confed.
crate, gentleman and passed through unno.
ticed BY them. Yours y ae truly.
~, 3sa,,.f, Passenger.
Exposure of the sssOns OF Efbertx