The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-02-25
CAPTAIN BRAIN
/ The Omcer who Captured and Burned the
/ ROanOke-An Amusing Story.

/ ROanOke-An Amusing Story.
! rHOustOn eTsx.) Letter in the GIObs-DemOcrat.I
| Among the arrivals here is Captain
! John @. Brain, the last prisoner of war,
with whom the Globe Democrat cores
pondent had the pleasure of a brief
talk. This is not his first visit to Texas,
having been here several years ago.
Remarking upon his former visit,
( Captain Brain told the following anec-
dote: Having business in the small viii
lage of Harrisburg, six miles from Hous-
ton, on Buffalo bayou, Captain Brain
visited the place. In the course of. his
stay he observed a middle-aged gentle
man, and as it afterWard turned out,
the proprietor of a saw-mill in the vii
Iage, intently and curiously staring at
him. Finally, coming up to the ex-
Confederate commander, the man re-
marked:
II think I've seen you somewhere
before"
" Very likely" answered Brain. 'T've
been in good many parts Of the cOun-
try"
States mail steamship Roanoke, off the
Island of Cuba, in 1864T'
Yes"
That's where saw you. was one
of your prisoners, but ] guess you've
forgotten me-"
ooh, I don't know" replied Brain
looking at his former prisoner closely
"Do you remember when the ship
was taken and you came into the cabin,
and one of the passengers remarked, ,
seeing the Confederate flag, That
looks kinder like rebel fagT"
Captain Brain recalled the incident
with a smile.
81 am the man ard prisoner"
1t wae, indeed, a strange meeting
away off here in the backwoods of Texas
of the rebel naval commander and his
quondam prisoner.
Captain Brain delights to talk over
his exploits, and laughs at some of the
Incidents. According to an account
from his own lips, it was in the early
fall of 1864, when the great war was
drawing to close, that Brain received
orders from the Confederate Navy De-
partment at Richmond to go to Cuba.
Under his command were five officers
and four seamen, disguised as civilians,
of course, and showing none of the in-
sigma of the rebel service. Repairing
to Havana, Captain Brains and his dis
guIsed myrmidons took passage on the
Roanoke. This was ON the 10Th of Sep
TENDER, 1863. Totally unaware of the
class or intention of the passengers he
mad on board, the Captain OF the Roam
Oke steamed out of the harbor into the
gulf, doubtless calculating on a pleasant
voyage. Onward the steamship plOwed
the waves of the gulf, and the rebel
commander and his under officers
quietly awaited the moment of action
and of putting their plans into execu-
ton. At midnight, by sudden coup
PetGt, the rebel crew found themselves
in possession of the ship, and its crew,
consisting of fifty-three men and forty
six passengers, prisoners of Captain
Brain. No resistance was offered except
by the ships carpenter, who was killed.
1t was just after the capture that Cap
tain Brain entered the cabin with the
Confederate colors in his hand, and he
was met by the Harrisburg saw-min
man.
81 kinder guess that's a rebel flag,
amt it, Captain % said he.
"YOU never were more mistaken in
your life, sir; that's a Confederate
Aebr~3 ASPA4SN viz Va RSOA VI G4lC NC0SC1s
The passenger was at the same time
notified that such remarks were not in
particular demand, and so he "shut up"
The rebel commander soon disposed
of the passengers, and then he turned
his attention to the crew. He laid the
case before them, and, after informing
them he was now commander of the
ship, and they his prisoners, Brain gave
them the choice either to wear irons in
the black hole of the ship-its prison
or to keep their places undisturbed, and
get one months pay as soon as they made
port. To this they assented to a man,
saying: "Bejabers we'd joost as soon
wurrack for yez as any man else, as long
as we get the pay" The bargain was
struck, and they resumed their various
duties. Captain Brain relates with great
satisfaction how he ran down to the
Island of Bermuda, his intention being
to coal the Roanoke; but in this he was
mistaken, and found that it could not
be done. 1t was, therefore, resolved to
burn her. Brain gave orders, and the
Roanoke steamed around the island
several times, In full view of the United
States Consul. He then landed his men
and prisoners, and took out of the YES
sci all that was valuable. He got $780,
coo in greenbacks, S1l 900 in Spanish
gold, and over 81, 900 in lottery tickets.
At o'clock on the morning of the 9th
of October, 1864, the rebels set fire to
the Roanoke and watched the vessel
burn to the waters edge. The money
and tickets were divided out among the
men, put none of those tickets ever
drew a cent.
Captain Brain is middle-aged gentle
man, still with an air of command, a
Roman head, a hooked nOse-just the
sort of man for such daring adventures
&c the 90 ntura of the Rnannka