Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-17
BEAM,
The Last of the Confederate Prisoners
A Thrilling Narrative of Adventure
hv1 Rraua EaiInr

The Last of the Confederate Prisoners
A Thrilling Narrative of Adventure
by Brave Sailor.
Notwithstanding the inclement state OF
the weather last evening, Masonic Hall was
filed with large and most respectable au-
dience, assembled to hear Capt. Brains
narrative of the services performed by the
Confederate navy during the civil war. The
War-wern sailors appearance on the stage
was greeted with cheers. Capt. Brain is
vet a comparatively young man, with hair
unsilvered with gray, but long imprison-
ment and hard treatment have shattered
his iron constitution, and left him a Grip
pied wreck. to bobble through life. His
unassuming department and frank, straight
forward manner won for him the sym
pathy of his hearers at once. He de-
scribed the thrilling scenes through which he
took such a prominent part himself, in
plain unvarnished style, which carried com
viction with il. No one who heard him
could for a moment doubt the truth of his
statement. Every incident connected with
the capture of a vessel was detailed with
minute accuracy. In fact, bis extreme care
to prevent miscOnception Of his remarks,
betrays him into fault almost as great as
inaccUracy. At times he becomes prOliX to
the verge of tediousneSs. 1t is a mistake,
however, which most Of his hearers can
overlook, and which his own good sense
will doubtless lead him to avoid in future.
The lecture, occupying nearly two hours in
delivery, was listened to with undated in
terest from the beginning to the close, and
was frequently interrupted by applause.
The lecture consisted principally Of an
account of his own services in the late
Confederate States Navy. He described
first the capture of the Chesapeake in New
York harbor in 1868, and the final DISPOSE
ton of the vessel. He next recounted the
gallant capture of the steamship Roanoke
off Havana, in September, 1864. The Roa-
noke was a vessel of 1900 tons, with
crew Of 80 men and having on board at the
time Of capture As passengers. Through
the treachery of the Confederate States Ie-
preventative at Havana, the Captain of the
vessel had been forewarned that an
attempt would be made to capture it.
Before leaving port, the Captain
procured arms for his men, determined to
defend the vessel to the last. Capt. Brain
with ten men took passage on the steamer,
and the same night that it left Havana, sur
prlsed the crew and took possession Of the
vessel. AT Bermudas he was unable to OBJ
tain coal, and was forced to destroy his
prize. The lecturer then described the
CAPTURE of the schooner st. Mary, forty
miles from Baltimore, in Chesapeake Bay,
and the subsequent capture and destruc-
ton of a number of Federal vessels
in the Gulf of Mexico, up to the close of
the war. When he learned that the South
ern armies had surrendered, he destroyed
the St. Mary, took his men to Liverpool
and paid them Off He then proceeded to
New York, and afterwards to Savannah,
Ga. He afterwards was away from the
country for six months. He returned to
New York in 1866, and was arrested on
the 18th of September of that year, for
piracy on the high seas. A bogus
examination was held in Brooklyn. A doZ-
en- or more witnesses were heard against
him, but he was not allowed time to obtain
a solitary witness to show that he had acted
under orders in Selling Northern vessels.
He was imprisoned and kept in close con-
fnement till March 1, 1869, when he was
released by order of President johnson, on
the ground that he had been COM
miSsiOned officer Of the sO-called
Confederate States, and that his acts
were, therefore, not piratical. When be
entered prison he weighed $50 pounds and
was hearty, vigorous man; when he left
it he weighed 81 pounds, and walked with
a crutch. He concluded by paying a
tribute of respect to Lieut.. Henry A. Parr,
of Nashville, who, he said, was "as brave a
man as ever stepped ships deck; one who
will always be an honor to his family and
his country" ,......-
The lecturer retired amid a storm of
cheers.