The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1873-06-12
The Lake BuCcaneer.


necessary part of the discipline of war |
Yet, now that years have elapsed and we
can review the past without that terrible |
| personal interest that made our hearts |
| burn within us, there is something worthy
of note in the story of this man, who
young, wealthy and educated, threw HIM
self, as it were. into the Jaws of death
| from sincere though mistaken love for his
native country. John Yates Beall was a
native OF Jefferson County, Virginia He
graduated at the University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, and at the breaking out of
the rebellion owned large plantation in
his native county; his property was est
mated at 81 800, COO and in addition he is
said to be the heir of an estate in England |
| In the earliest days of the war Beal or
| ganzed Company g. Second Virginia In
tantry, and his regiment atterward formed
part of the orig iginal ''Stcnewall Brigade" "
| under Stonewall Jackson. He took part
in many battles. but IT is his piratical ex-
! pedition among the islands OF Lake Erie
which brings him within the range of our
subiect-an expedition which ended in
disaster md death. 1t is we'll remembered
along the Lake shore Buffalo, Detroit
and Cleveland were filled with excite
ment; the citizens patroled the streets bv
night, and visions Of pratical craft sailing
boldly in and firing upon the detenseless
houses filled all eyes. Exhausted Ohio
had sent into the field regiment after regi
ment beyond her quota, but her northern
frontier was entirely exposed, and it
seemed an easy thing to sail across from
Canada and batter down her towns.
| Looking back upon il now it still seems
easy and yet was never done, although
Canada swarmed with consprators, under
the leadership of Jacob Thompson, Secret
Agent Of the Confederate Government.
The United States had hut one war vessel
on the lakes, the Michigan, a paddle
wheel steamer carrying eight guns.
The capture Of this boat would enable
a small body of men to carry destruction
| from one end of the lake to the other In
September, 1864 the Michigan was lying
off Johnson's Island, Sandusky Bay, which
! had been used since 1862 as u depot for
| prisoners OF war here were confined 2 ,4S0
men, all, with the exception of about one
| hundred, officers of the Contederacy,
enough to command an army of 80 900
men. The little island was naturally
uppermost in the thoughts of the rebel
officers in Canada. 1t was near at hand
steamer could run across in the night,
/
| it, for the ice was strong, and nowhere
was there mole than five miles between
| island and island, stretching like stepping
stones across the lake from Point Pelee to
the Ohio mainland. No other prison was
on an exposed frontier like this, and were
it not for the guns of the Michigan,
rescue might be Affected the Michigan,
therefore. must be captured. In the re-
| port of Jacob Thompson, secret agent Of
the Confederacy in Canada, document
belonging to the rebel archives, the whole
plot is related. There Were two parts,
the first being the expedition by water
under Beal, and the second a conspiracy
on shore. by means of which the officers
of the Michigan We're to be thrown off
| their guard, so that upon given signal
Beall could steam rapidly in, surprise
| them and capture the boat. A cannot shot
| sent over JOhnsons Island was to tell the
| prisoners that the hour OF rescue had
come Sanhusky was next to be attacked
| and, after horses had been secured, the
| prisoners were to mount and make tor
| Cleveland, the boats cooperating, and
| from Cleveland strike across Ohio tor
Wheeling and the Virginia border. The
| key to the whole movement was the cap
ture Of the Michigan.
| THE PLOT AND THE rLOTTERs.
The plot on shore was headed by
Confederate officer named Cole Beall
performed his part which entire success;
and had the other head possessed equal
capacity, no doubt the plan would have
been successful, and the whole North
taken by surprise by this daring raid and
rescue upon a hitherto peaceful and un-
noticed border. The two thousand Young
officers riding for their lives through the
| heart of Ohio, where there was no organ
lied force to oppose them, would have
seemed like a phantom band to the aston
| ished inhabitants. Even the famous raid
of John Morgan, we'll remembered in the
| great red brick tarm-houses of the central
| counties, would have been eclipsed by this
| flying troupe, the Hover of the Southern
| army. On the lake Beall would have
| held the whole coast at his mercy and the
| familiar old Michigan, turned into I piratc
| craft, would have carried terror into every
| harbor. But the plot on shore failed. Cole
| spent his money freely in SanduSky, and
managed to procure an introduction to the
! officers Of the Michigan. inviting them to
| supper parties and playing the part of Il
| genial host whose wines are good and
| generously offered. The tedium of the
| daily life upon the ste imer and in the
small town was enivened hy his hospital
| ity, and tor some time all went well, but
| gradually he began to mar his own plot
| by so much incautlousness and such II
want Of dexterity in his movements that
a suspicion was aroused in Sandusky, and
his maneuvers were watched. On the
evening of the 10Th of September Cole had
invited the officers of the Michigan to n
supper party. Every thing was prepared
for them, the wine was dragged and
| when by this means they had been rem
dered helpless, Il signal was to notify
Beall that all was ready for the attack
| But in the meantime suspicion had grown
into certainty, and 1T the very moment of
success Cole was arrested by order Of the
| commander of the Michigan, the signal
was never given, and Beall, on board Of
the Persons, strained his eyes in vain
toward Sandusky and .Johnson's Island
cruising up and down outside the bay,
now talking with his prisoner, the Cap
| tain, and now urging his men to dare all
| and make the attack alone. But the men,
a disof fderly rabble gathered together in
! Canadh refused to enter the bay and at
last, disappointed and dishearted, Beall
gave the signal to turn the boat, and
| iDdnuoueu tue alltlHPl DUCK went tne
Parsons with her pirate crew past keley's
Island. where the alarmed inhabitants were
| burying their valuabes, and looking for
the flames OF burning Sandusky; past
Middle Bass, where the unfortunate pas
sagers, watching on the beach shortly
after midnight. saw her fly by, the fire
pouring out OF her smoke-stacks, and
"making for the Detroit River like Il
scared pickerel." The Captain and those
of the crew who had been retained to
manage the boat were put ashore upon an
uninhabted island, and after reaching the
Canadian shore and scuttling the steamer.
the pirates dsbanded, and Beall, the mas
ter spirit, was left to brood over failure
which had the additional bitterness OF
possible success.
| THE WAY TO DEATH.
In less than four months Beall was cap