Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-05-29
.LIeuiennntJ John q. Iirnin.-His

'Licutcnnnt John q. Iirnin.-ui
OFFRNCE AND THE sTORY OF ms
IMPRISONMENT.
Tho New York Tribune Of III
Goth, gives tho following sketch o
Lieutenant John q. Brain, tho las
Of tho imprisoned Conicdcratos,
Ono who had first soon Brain a
tho time Of his examination bciOr,
| U. S. Commissioner Newton, in Sep
tcmbor, 1866, yesterday went il
search oftho prisoner whose condnc
mont has been so unusual. Calling
at the Jail in Raymon street, h,
found the prison van at tho dool
filed with convicta ready to DO con
voyed ,otho pcnitcntiary. Seating
himself on tho box with tho driver
"A cheerful old cove who docs no
look ut all rs if ho had delivered
upon an average, n dozen men pen
day TO tho keeper of Of that institu
tion for full rs many ycars-thc val
bore the entire party along Flatbusl
avcnuo crd through Prospect rarl
to the pcnitentiary. Tho villainoui
smoke and sombre looks within
were in strange contrast to the frcsl
air and cheerful skies without, but
arriving nj tho ponitentiary, all on
tered that Castle OF Delinquency
together. Tho formality OF receiv
ing and disposing of tho convict'
being ended, ho then had an CEpor
tunity to ask for Lieut.. Brain. Aftci
a brief delay, tho epn3cnt OF Brain
to the visit having been first obtain
cd, he was taken for the interview
into the wcll-warmed and Lighted
corridor. Tho prisoner checrfully
reached out ono hand by way o.
friendly welcome, whilo in the Other
he held his pipc and tobacco box
the solacc Of his prison hours. The
formalitics Of the interview being
over, pencil and paper were soon al
work tracing the story which had
been told in the newspapers before
but this time it camc from Brains
own lips, and in his own way. Long
after the heat and passion ofthc war
had passed, and with his proud spirit
mcllowed, if not overcome, by con,
fincment and suffering, it has q new
interest and personal charm.
lie said My name is John C
Brain-not Braino-and l was q
first Lieutenant, commanding in tho
Confederate navy. My commission
and orders wero written on hy-shcct
note paper, and they were either
worn out or lost. Tho archives OF
the Confederate naval department
being destroyed by the FEDERAL for
ces, it is impossible to obtain the
original papers deposited there, but
| have placed aflidavits in the hands
of the Attorney General Of the Uni.
ted States, setting out all the facts
in the case. These affidavits are by
Stephen r. Mallory, tbs Secretary
of the Confederate navy, DR.. Jones',
Auditor, and Mr.. Tidhall, Chief
Clerk of the Naval Department,
Admiral Scmmcs, Captain Maflit,
and others. In June, 1868, | re-
ceivcd orders from the department
at Richmond to 60 North with my
command, consisting Of seventeen
officers and men, and take passage
in 4 steamer with tho purpose OF
capturing it upon tho high seas.
The chesapeake sailed from Now
York for Portland in December, and
| took passage upon her in obedience
to the orders l had previously re
ccivod. After selling the vessel l
was to proceed to Seal Cove, in the
Island Of Grand Manan, off the coast
of Maine for coal, and thcro hand
the vessel over to Captain John
Parker, my superior officer. In
making the capture l detailed Lieut..
David Cowlings and tWo men to
take charge Of tho engine and fire.
room. The engino-room communi-
Gated with the cabin by door on
the port side. After seeing the men
go into tho onginc-room | passed
forward, Lieut.. IL. A. Parr having
charge Of the deck in my absence.
While forward | heard q shot fired
in the engine room, and ut once went
aft through the cabin into the en-
gine-room and thcrcc into tho tiro-
room, where | found the fireman in
irons. Returning TO tho deck |
found no one in the engine-rOom,
but much to my regret, saw the body
OF the second engineer of the Chesa-
pcake lying across the threshold of
the door. Going forward | found
Lieut.. Cowlins, who reported to me
that when he went into the engirc-
room the engineer was below oiling
the machinery but after securing
the fireman he found that officer ut
his post. lie ordered the engineer
10 surrender as prisoner OF war to
the Confederate States of America.
and that officer replied by firing a
shct which maimcd one of the Inon
for life. I did not see the firing
which followed, but after seeing the
man in the doorway, | sent Lieut..
Parr, who was 4 regular physician
TO examine him, Lieut.. Parr pro
nounced the man dead. One Of the
witnesses who testified before Uni
ted States Commissioner Newton,
said lhat lie saw me in my SHIRT
sleeves with 4 knife in my hand
This Is not only untrue, but it Is
very unlikely that it should be trne,
the day being 4 bitter cold day u
December. | had no arms except
Colts Rcvoivers. On arriving at the
7 a