The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-09
THE REBEL YELL.
The Effect Which 1t Always Had on
the FederalS.

From the Greensboro (Ga.) Journal.
In the concluding chapter of President
Davis Rise and Fall of the Confederate
Government" headed Conclusion" he re-
marks that the want OF space has COM
PEELED him to omit notice of many noble
deeds, both of heroic men and women, and
that ITO Others, VINO can say 'cuncta quo
ru n vidi,' must leave the pleasant task of
paving the tribute due"
From this Indictment the mind reverted
to an incident of what should be recorded
history, and which will follow here.
One of the most heroic, daring and fear
less deeds during the last year of the war
be. ween the states, and which came under
my personal knowledge and observation,
and OF which no history has ever made any
record, occurred off Beaulieu, twelve miles
below Savan alb, in Oasabaw sound.
Off tnat portion of the coast there was a
beautiful war ocean steamer, belonging to
the federal navy, mou lting splendid rifle
guns and all the most improved implements
of modern warfare. manned by fine crew
of about one hundred and fifty men. Sire
was named the WA or Witch" At that
time she was doing considerable damage to
the confederate cause in many respects
the one t. at is specially connected with this
narrative was that she was assis ing the
negroes on the rice plantations TO make their
escape to her, when she would sig al in
feriSr craft to come forward and convey
the negroes within the enemy's line to be
converted into fe ierai soldiery.
1t seem ID THAI through some emissary
upon land complete understanding wa ,
kept up between the negroes on the ada
cent plantations and the crew of the Wafer
Witch; and as most, if not all, of the
escapes from the plantations were made at
night, countersign was established be-
tween the parties. That countersign was
'COntrahand," and when the escaped
negroes in open boats in the night ap-
preached the Water Witch, and were
hailed, they would only respond, Contra
band"
This and other detrinients to the confed-
crate cause made the authorities in Savan-
nah determine, if possible, to capture or
destroy tue Water Witch. The service was
co lsidered extremely hazardous, and call
for volunteers was made. Out of the small
naval force i'll Savannah, eighty, count ing
the officers and men. volunteered, They
were placed ia four open bargsS, each one
of the volunteers having sewed TO the
right shoulder of his coat a white piece
of clot They were commanded by
Lieut.. Pelot, first in command, and Turner
second, directed by negro pilot. Each
barge manned twenty men Their readez-
vous was twelve miles below Savannah
The first night they went in search of the
Water Witch they saw her lights and
discerned that she was too far at sea for.
them to reach her before day. TIE second
night they were more, successful, she being
closer in. They reached in hailing distance
about o'clock, and1being challenged re-
piled, "COntraband,s when tn were or
| dered from on board of the Water Witch to
approach. On getting nearer their real char
aeter was ascertained, when "rebels!n was
shouted from the Water Witch and the
barges were fred into. With a vigorous
pull at the oars the rges were sool along
side Of the Water Witch, and the crew
| commenced clambering up the high sides of
an ocean steamer with her MEETINGS up to
meet twice their number with all the ad-
vantages on the latter's side.
The crew of some of the barRes were in
advance of others, or, properly speaking,
one barge, when panic occurred IL
the latter, and they reversed oars and
pulled from the Water Witch with all their
power. This barge reached the rendezvous
reporting that the crews of the other three
barges had all been captured or killed. The
crew of this barge received no other injury
than few wounds in the back The panic
of these twenty men left sixty confederates
TO contend with about twice or three times
their number. They succeeded in reaching
the high deck of the Water Witch from the
waters edge, and clanbering over the net
ting, with revolvers in hand and cutlasses
convenieA IT, 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 we're all killed.
Alb ut IL O'clock a. m. the Water Witch
and her crew, together with the dead and
W unded of botn sides. was steamed to
White Point bluff, the prisoners and the
dead being first put off at Beaulieu.
can never account for the perfect sue
cess Of sixty men over twice or three times
their number, and contsnding against what
| appeared lnsurrnountable barriers, except
| through the influence aud appalling effect
that the confederate yell had upon the
| human nerve.