Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1889-11-08
THE WILD REBEL YELL
It's Terrible Eject IIlustratod by tho 10


Ono OF tho most heroic, daring and
fearless deeds during the last year OF
tho war between the States, and which
came under my personal knowledge
and observation, and OF which no his
tory has ever made any record, occur
red off Beaulieu, twelve miles below
Savannah. in Ossabaw sound.
on 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 i'm
proved implements of modern warfare,
manned by fine crew OF about $50
men. She was named the Water
Witch. At that time she was doing
considerable damage to the Confederate
cause in many respects; the one that is
specially connected with this narrative
was that she was assisting the negroes
on the rice plantations to make their
escape to her, when she would signal
inferior crafts to come forward and con-
vey the negroes within the enemy's
line, to be converted into Federal
soldiery
1t seemed that through some emissary
upon land complete understanding
was kept up between the negroes on
the adjacent plantations and the crew
OF the Water Witch, and as most II not
all OF tho escapes from the plantations
were made at night countersign was
established between the parties That
countersign was "Contraband," and
when the escaped negroes in open
boats in the night approached the
Water Witch, and wero hailed, they
would only respond, "Contraband.
This and other detriments to the
Confederate cause mado the authori-
ties in Savannah determine. il possible,
to capture or destroy tho Water Witch.
Tho service was considered extremely
hazardous, and n call for volunteers was
made. Out OF the small naval force in
Savannah eighty, counting the officers
and men, volunteered. They wore
placed in four open barges, each one
OF tho volunteers having scwed to the
right shoulder of his coat white piece
OF cloth. They were commanded by
lieutenant Pelot, first in command, and
Turner second. directed by n negro
pilot. Each barge manned twenty men.
Their rendezvous was twenty miles be-
low Savannah. The first night they
went in search OF tho Water Witch
they saw her lights and discerned that
she was too far at sea for them to
reach her before day. The second night
closer in. They renched in hailing
distance about o clock, and being
challenged replied. 'Contrabaud," when
they were ordered from on board the
Water Witch to approach. On getting
nearer, the real character was ascer-
tanned. when "Rebels!" was shouted
from the Water Witch and the barges
were fired into. With vigorous pull
OF the oars the barges were soon along
side the Water Witch and the crew
commenced clambering up high sides
of an ocean steamer with her nettings
up to meet twice their number with all
the advantages on the the latter side.
The crew OF some OF tho barges were
in advance OF others. Or properly
speaking. one barge. when panic oc-
CURED in the latter, and they reversed
oars and pulled from the Water Witch
with NIL their power. This barge
reached The rendezvous reporting that
The crews OF tho other three barges
hod all haan on nt,,.ad n, lriIIo1 u,l,a
crew of this barge received no other
injury than u few wounds in the back
The panic OF these twenty men left
sixty q Confederates to contend with
about twice or three times their num-
ber They succeeded in reaching the
high deck OF the Water Witch from the
waters edge. and clambering over tho
netting, with rcvolvers In hand and
cutlasses convenient. they drove por-
tlon OF the crew OF tho Water Witch be-
low. when the remainder surrendered
Pelot, Turner and the negro pilot OF
the Confederate forces wero all killed
About eleven O'Clock a. m. the Water
Witch and her crew, together with tho
dead and wounded OF both sides, was
to White Point Bluff. the
prisoners and the dead being first put
of at Beaulieu.
can never account for the success
OF the sixty men. over twice or three
times their number. and contending
against what appeared insurmountable
barriers. except through tho influence
nd In a. that IN faA
erato yell had upon tho human naryA
Gen VgspnsboFQ l0A) JQuFRal