Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-06-12


HnteresttnE Leaf nro.m the History OF
the Rebellion.
From Harper's aGsgazine1
The young virginian, an officer of the
Confederate army, was hung as pirate
and spy on Governor 3 Island, New York
harhor, Feb "a, 1856. The sentence
was just, and its execution necessary
part of the discipline of war. Yet now
that years have elapsed, and we can re-
view the past without that terrible per-
sonal 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
1t were, into the jaws of death from sin
ceret though mistaken love for his native
john Yates Beall was-a native of JEFF
ferson county, Virginia. He graduated
at the University Virginia, Charlottes-
vile, and at the breaking out of the re-
belhon owned large plantation in his
native country his property was esti-
mated at 81, SOC, 600, and In addition he
was said to be the heir of an estate in
England. In the earliest days of the
war Beall organized Company @, Second
VifgiAia infantry, and his Representatives.
ward formed part of the original Stone
wall Brigade, under Stonewau Jackson.
his piratical expedition among the islands
of Lake Erie which brings him within
the range of our subject expedition
which ended in disaster and death. 1t
is-weH re1nenbefed aIong thefake shore !:
buffalo, Detroit, and Cleveland were
filed with excitement; the citizens pa
trolled the streets by night, and visions
of piratical craft sailing boldly in and
firing upon the defenseleas houses filed
all eyes. Exhausted Ohio had sent into
the field regiment after regiment 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 1t NOW, it still seems easy J; and yet
it was never done, although Canada
swarmed with conspirators, under the
leadership of Jacob Thompson, secret
agent of the Confederate Government.
The United States had but one war yes
sci on the lakes, the Michigan, paddle
wheel steamer carrying eighteen gums
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, 1854, the Michigan was
lying off Johnson's Island, Sandusky
Bay which had been used since 1862 as
a depot for prisoners of war; here were
confined 2, 4S0 men, all, with the ex-
eeption of about one hundred, officers
of the Confederacy, enough to command
an army of 0,000 men. The little island
was naturally uppermostin the thoughts
of the rebel officers in Canada. =, It was
near at hand, a steamer could run across
in the night, and IN the winter land
force could attack 1t, for the ice was
strong, and nowhere was there more thnn
five miles between island and island,
stretching like stepping stones ACROSS the
lake from Point Pefee to the Ohio main
land. No other prison was on an exposed
frontier Like this, and were it not for the
guns of the Michigan rescue might be
effected the Michigan, therefore, must
be captured. - ss.5o
On the morning of the 10Th of Sep
tember the steamer Philo Parsons, ply
ing between Detroit, the islands, and
Sand4sky, left Detroit at the usual hom
on her way down the river at.Sandwich
onsthe Canadian side. four men came on
board, and at Maiden party of twenty
more, bringing with them large old
fashioned trunk tied with ropes, As al
this period<th was asconstant stream
of fugitives crossing the border, fleeing
from the draft, or coming back with
empty pockets, this Maiden party excit-
ed no comment, and the steamer went or
her way through Lake Erie, stopping al
the different islands, and taking on 8
number of passengers for Sandusky
After leaving Kelley's Island, the last o.