The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-17
THE REBEL YELL.
The Eject Which it Always had on the
Federals.
Greensboro, Ca, Journal. |

QOtlce OF many 'QODle QeeQS, DOth Ol
heroic men and women," and that "tc
Others who can say 'cuncta quorum
vidi,' must leave the pleasant task ot
paying the tribute due"
From this Indictment the mind re.
verted to an incident Of what should te
recorded history, and which will fol.
low here.
One of the most heroic, daring and
fearless deeds during the last year Of
the war between the States, and which
came under my personal knowledge
and observation, and of which no his.
tory has ever made any record, occurred
off Beaulieu, twelve miles below Savan.
nah, in Ossabaw sound.
Off that portion of the coast there
was beautiful war ocean steamer, be.
longing to the Federal navy, mounting
splendid rifle guns and all the most
improved implements of modern war.
fare, manned by fine crew of about
one hundred and fifty men. She was
named the "Water Witch" At that
time she was doing considerable dam.
age to the Confederate cause in many
respects; the one that is specially con.
nected with this narrative was that she
was assisting the negroes on the rice
plantations to make their escape to her
when she would signal to inferior crafts
to come forward and convey the ne.
groes within the enemy's line to be
converted into Federal soldiery.
1t seemed that through some enissa.
ry upon land complete understanding
was kept up between the negroes on
the adjacent plantations and the crew
of the "Water Witch; and as most, il
tall of the escapes from the planta,
tions were made at night, a counter.
sign was established between the par.
ties. That contersign was Contra.
band," and when the escaped negroes
in open boats in the night approached
the "Water WITCH" and were hailed
they would respond "Contraband."
This and other detriments 70 the Con.
federate cause made the authorities in
Savannah determined, if possible, tc
capture or destroy the "Water Witch
The service was considered EXTREMITY
hazardous, and a call for volunteers
was made. Out of the small nava,
force in Savannah, eighty, counting
the officers and men volunteered. They
were placed in four open barges, each
one OF the volunteers having sewed tc
the right shoulder Of his coat white
piece of cloth. They were commanded
by Lieutenant Pelot, first in command
and Turner, second, directed bya ne.
gro pilot. Each barge manned twenty
men. Their rendezvous was twelve
miles below Savannah. Theirs night
they went in search of tie "Watel
Witch" they saw her lights and dis
cerned that she was too far at sea fol
them to reach her before day. The
second night they were more successful
she being closer in. They reached in
hailing distance about one o'clock, and
being challenged replied, Contra
band," when they We're ordered from
on board tn" "WaterWitch"to approach
On getting nearer their real char
acter was ascertained, when ':rebelsr'
was shouted from the "Water Witch
and the barges were fired into. With
a vigorous pull at the oars the barges
We're soon alongside Of the "Watel
Which," and the crew commenced
clambering up the high sides of an
ocean steamer with her nettings up tc
meet twice their number with all the
advantages on the latter's side.
The crew of some of the barges Were
in advance ofotners, or, properly speak
ing, one barge, when panic occurred
in the latter, and they reversed oars
and pulled from the "Water Witch
with all their power. This barge reach
ed the rendezvous reporting that the
other three barges had all been caV.
tured or killed. The crew Of this bal e
received 10 other injury than a few
wounds in the back. The panic oi
these twenty men left sixty Confed,
crates to contend with about twice OF
three times their number. They sue.
ceeded in reaching the high deck of the
"Water Witch" from the waters edge
and clambering over the netting, with
revolvers in hand and cutlasses con.
venient, they drove a portion of the
crew of the "Water Witch" below
when the remainder surrendered.
Pelot, Turner, and the negro pilot
of the Confederate forces were all killed
About II o'clock a. M. the "Watel
Witch" and her crew, together with
the dead and wounded, of both sides
was steamed to White Point bluff, tht
prisoners and the dead being first pu1
off at Beaulieu.
can never account for the perfect
success Of sixty men over twice Of
three times their number, and contend
ing against whatappeared insurmount
able barriers, except through the in
fiuence and appalling effect that the
Confederate yell had upon the human
nerve.
| KELLY IS ACQUITTED.