The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-11
THE CHESAPEAKE.
now IA CONFEDERATE OFFICER GAP
TUREEp THAT VESSEL.

now "A CONFEDERATE OFFICER GAP
TURED THAT VESSEL.
mob stnalls and the EsRanfeF-An Idea
THAT This Capture amggested to the
Confederate Government
[Boston Herald
CHICAGO, July 2t, 1870.
The readers Of the Herald are undoubtedly
familiar with 9 good story relating to Bob
Snsalls, "the Hero Of Charleston Harbor."
Bob was negro pilot on board the steamer
Planter, q vessel engaged In the South Caro-
guns upon Fort Sumter. Like all intelligent
negroes In the South at the time he, knew
what the firing meant. and understood fully
the momentous Issue at hand.
early In 1862 he took possession Of the Plan
ter, killed three Of the guards, locked their
families below, and with the assistance OF @
negro crew, got UP steam, ran the vessel out
side and delivered her to the Federal bloekad-
ing fleet.
For this daring act smals was presented
with purse, made captain OF the Planter.
and afterward ran her as tender to the llsBt.
He was the hero OF the hour, and the. colored
people OF the South were particularly oyer
ioyed that "One OF themselves had SO dlstin-
guished himself.
This daring exploit cost the Federal gov
eminent ard the people Of the North great
deal more than II was worth. It suggested to
the rebels the idea Of retaliation, and the Con
federate government acted upon the sugges-
tion almost Immediately.
There now resides Iii Chicago the man who
took, perhaps, the most active part In carry
| ing out the plans of the Confederacy IN this
direction. This man Is Capt. John g. Braine,
ex-commander In the Confederate navy, and
captain Of the expedition TINT captured the
! chesapeake. At present he Is devoting bis at
te1ltion to the business Of the Excelsior Manu-
featuring, Company, Of which he is president,
| bis office being at No. d La Sale street
| According to Instructions, your correspond
ent called upon him today. He was acuuaint-
| ed with all the facts relating to the
ARREST or HENRY A. rARR
| In Boston; denied that Parr WIS guilty Of
| piracy or murder, and maintained that he and
| his companions followed closely the rules Of
| war Id all their transactions while serving
| under the late Confederate government. He
was ready TO be interviewed, If bis statement
| would be of Interest to the public, but it was
his desire now and in the future to keep aloof
as much as possible from notoriety. The war
was over; he had taken an active part In 1t
| while 1t LASTED, but when the South gave up the
| fight that was the end of it, as far as he was
concerned. 4 great many. false statements
had been made, however, that he would like
| to SEQ corrected.
Correspondent The Herald will publish
| your side OF the story with pleasure.
| Capt. Braine-Well, lbs regards the expedi-
| tion against Northern vessels, and all that,
| the story is easily told. After smalls had be-
trayed his trust, aud turned over the Planter
to the Yankees, the Confederate government
ordered me to proceed to the port Of New
| York and capture any vessel | could get hold
| Of / left Richmond in january, 1863, pro-
oeeded to Wilmington, run the blockade to st.
| George In the Bermil1as, and from there took
passage In the Cunnrd steamer Alpha for
| Halifax, taking with me two other officers Of
| the Confederate navy-First Lieut.. Henry A.
Parr and Second Lieut. David Collins.
and returned with D roll Of legal-cap paper,
from which he read the following:
"My orders we're direct from the Hon. s. FL.
Mallory. Secretary Of the Confederates States
Navy, and were to go from Halifax to ST..
John, N. b. and report to the Confederate
government agent at that place, who had
special
ORDERS FROM PRESIDENT DAVIS
| to render me all the assistance In his power.
| The agent at st. John always had on deposit
! from s20O,00 to 100000 In gold, and drew
on him literally.
| Myself and officers passed the summer
| months enlisting and drilling q crew for our
expedition. Twenty two men were enlisted
and drilled thoroughly from. three TO five
| hours Der day in the manual of arms, cutlass
and pistol exercise. The drill-room was over
| an old carriage factory and though the city
swarmed with Federal spies, our men came
and went SO secretly that we were never dis
covered.
In October, 1868, | was ordered to Spring
| field, Mass, to make plans Of Oh improve
| ment In muskets the United States govern
lnent was then making. On reaching Spring
| field I stopped at the Massasoit House, repre-
senting myself as British officer belonging
| to O regiment stationed Mt Montreal. / sOOn
became acquainted with the officers on duty,
and had the entTee Of the arsenal. [ secured
the information needed, made my report to
the Confederate Secretary OF War, and left
for New York. There | stopped at the Wat
son Hotel, on Broadway, and reported to the
federate officers stationed In The city. i
passed two weeks inspecting the shipping IN
the harbor, and, after examining great
many vessels, finally selected the Chesa-
peake, lying at pier No; H. and plying be-
a new screw vessel Of 300 tons burden, first
class engines and barkentine rig, and an Al
vessel In every respect. took passage on
| her to Portland to see Ii she would suit my
purpose. She behaved admirably at sea,
and [
| DETERMINED TO CAPTURE HER.
From Portland / proceeded direct to st.
John and mustered my men, leaving there
with officers and men, seventeen all told, as
| passengers on the steamer New England, for
Boston. On the vessel getting under way, /
found g Federal spy named Smith, pretend,
touched at Portland told Smith was going
to Montreal, and left the vessel and went by
rail to Boston. Smiths suspicious were
lulled and he returned to St John. At Boston
I made arrangements with the Confederate
government agent to transfer my men across
| the city. / waited the arrival Of my men at
| the wharf, and they were transferred to the
| New London depot In the coach Of the Parker
House, being represented as recruits from
the Fourteenth Infantry, then stationed at
| New York.
| This was, probably, the first Confederate
armed forced that ever~invaded the loyal
city OF Boston.
| The men carried out we'll their disguise Of
and
Down with the traitors,
And up with the stars
with such ferver that one loyal citizen on the
train at Worcester, where they stopped ten
minutes for refreshments, treated the whole
crowd.
At New London we went on board the
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