Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-07-22
Mistellanp.
BEAlL, The LAKE ERIE PIRATE

ms young NAStht"h' "h VlAASS4 IA 'tO
Confederate army, was hung Is pirate
and spy on Governors Island. y. Y.
Harbor. February "a. 1865. The sen.
teuce was Just and its execution a neec>'
saIy 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
himself, as il were, into the Jaws OF
death from sincere though mistaken love
for his country.
John Yates Beall was native OF JEFF
ferson County, Virginia. lie graduated
at the University OF Virginia. Charlottes-
Vile, and at the breaking out OF the re-
bellion owned large plantation in his
native country his property was esiima'
ted at 81 500. 900, and in addition he was
said to be the heir of an estate in Eng
land. In the earliest days OF the war
Beall organized Company G, Second
Virginia Infantry, andhis regiment alter
words formed part ofthe original Stone
wall Brigade" under Stonewall Jack
son. lie took part in many battles. but
il is his piraiical expedition among the
Islands OF Lake Erie that brings him
within range of our subject-an expedi-
ton that ended in disaster aud death. II
is well remembered along the lake shore;
Buffalo, Detroit and Cleveland were fill
ed with excitement; the citizens patrol
led the streets by night. and visions OF
piratical craft sailing boldly in and firing
upon the defenceleSs houses. filled all
eyes. Exhausted Ohio had sent into tho
field regiment after regiment beyond her
quota. but her northern frontier was en-
tirely exposed, and it seemed an easy
thing to sail across from Canada and bat
ter down her towns. Looking back up
on Il now. il seems easy still; and yet il
was never done. although Canada
swaimed with cOnSpiratOrs. under the
leadership of Jacob Thompson, secret
agent OF the Confederate government.
The United States had but one war YES
sci upon the lakes. the Michigan. "a pad
die wheel steamer, carrying eighteen
guns. The capture Of this boat would
enable a small body Of men to carry des-
truction from one end Of the lake 10 the
other In September, 1864, the Michi-
gan was lying off Johnson's Island,
Sandusky Bay, which had been used
ever since 1862 rs depot for prisoners
of war; here were confined 24S0 men.
all. with the exception OF about one hun
dred. officers OF the confederacy, enough !
To command an army OF 10000 men.
The little island was naturally enough |
uppermost in the thoughts Of the rebel
officers in Canada. II was near at hand. !
a steamer could run across in the night, |
and in the winter land force could at
tack it. for the ice was strong, and no.
where was there more than five miles lie
tween 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 tor the guns OF
the Michigan, rescue might be effected
the Michigan. therefore, must be captur-
cd.
In the report of Jacob Thompson, Sc
cret agent OF the Confedaracy in Canada,
a document belonging to the rebel A.
chivcs, the whole plot is related There
were two parts. the hrSt being the cN.
pedition by water under Beall. and the
second was conspiracy on shore. by
means of which the officers OF The Mich.
gan were to be thrown OFF their guard.
50 that upon = given signal Beall could
steam rapidly in, surprise them and cap.
ture the boat. \ cannon shot sent over
JohnSon's Island was to tell the prison
ers that the hour of rescne was come
Sandusky was next to be attacked, and
after horses had been secured the officers
were to mount and make for Cleveland,
the boats cooperating, and from Cleye-
land strike across Ohio for Wheeling and
the Virginia border. The key to the
whole movement was the capture of the
Michigan.
The plot on shore was headed by a
Confederate officer named Cole Bea.l
performed his part with entire success,
and had the other head possessed equal
capacity. no doubt the plan wonld have
been enIiIely successful, and the whole
North taken by surprise at this daring
raid upon 4 peaceful aud hitherto unnO-
tieed border The two thousand young
officers riding for their lives through the
heart of OHIO. where there was no or.
gained force to oppose them. would
have seemed like a phantom band to the
astoaished Inhabitants. Even the ia-
nors rpid of John Morgan. well rcmem.
PeredIn the gteat red brick farm houses
81 the centraheSunties, would have been
eclipSed by this flying troupe. the flower
Of the southern army. On the lake,
Beall would have held the whole coast at
his mercy, and the familiar old Michigan.
turned into pirate craft. would have
carried terror into every harbOr.
But the plot on shore failed Cole
sPout his money freely in Sandusky. and