The Opelousas courier., 1895-12-14
Commander Brains Lee ture.

Commander John G. Brain, Of the Con-
federate States Navy, delivered lee
ture at the Opera House in this place on
Friday evening, Dec. 9Th. The notice
given of the geEtlemau's lecture had
not been sufficient to secure u large at
tendance, and he lectured to a small
house.
At S:15 p. m. he was introduced to the
audience by Judge E. North Cullom ia
a few appropriate remarks. He entered
at once upon his subject ; spoke of the
trick played on the Confederates at Fort
Sumpter by IA negro. This negro was in
charge of a steam boat that piled in and
out OF the barbOr, and was never the OBJ
ject of much attention when passing un-
der the guns of the fort, and one night
deliberately ran out and placed herself
under the flag Of the United States,
which waved from the masts of the U.
S. gunboats. Commander Brain, under
authority given him by the Confederate
government, evidenced by credentials
properly issued anu authenticated by
Stephen r. Mallory, Secretary of the c.
S. Navy, set ont to show the Federals
how such tricks could be played on
them in the harbor of New York city.
He gave IL graphic narrative of his
doings as subject of Great Britain,
under which gnise he appeared; pnt up
always at the favorite resorts of the
Federal officers joined IN all tie ana
themas pronounced against the COnfed-
crates, until he had made preparations
to leave the port on the steamship Ches-
apeake on the 5th of December, 1868.
He described how he aud his brave CO.
adjutors captured her, after she had
gotten out to sea, at the wee hours OF
the first night; then told how he, with
small nj tho RnnnnEa
on the Goth Of September, 1864, off the
island of Cuba. In this adventure he
had but five associates, but they were
men of nerve and courage, all OF whom
were prompt in precOncerted action.
He then told of the projected scheme
to capture sea-going vessels on the Pa
cific Coast, hoping thereby to obtain
large shipments of gold. This expedi-
ton left Richmond, Va, Feb. 81, 1865. 1t
never reached the California coast, nor
did the brave men who set out for that
destination. But his exnedition fell in
with the St. Mary's off Pautxen River,
Chesapeake Bay, April 1st, 1865. Of
course they took her in, and pursued
their voyage until the island of Jamaica
was reached, when owing to their neces-
stiles they applied 0minute fuse to
her magazine, abandoned and blew her
up. 1t was not long after, they fell IN
with another Federal merchant ship,
threw six-inch hawser across her, and
having captured her learned with sur
prise that the armies of the Confederacy
had surrendered aud that the war was
ended. He thereupon gave up his ad-
ventures, being the very last man to
surrender.
The narrative was instructive and in
terestiDg. He spoke for two hours. The
matters he spoke of do not flourish in
the histories Of the times, but are never
theless thrilling and truthful. The pro-
ceeds of Commander Brains lectures
go, after paying necessary expenses, to
aid in the erection of an appropriate
monument to Jefferson Davis, at the
city of Richmond, Va.
We have had a multiplicity of histo
ties of the most important occurrences
of the late war, all Of which are tineed
by partial views, and some SO mnch SO
as to distort their substantial verify.
We believe that if the thousands of mi.
nor details of that terrible conflict could
be given with simplicity as to the style
Of narrative, drama would be the re-
suit that would be read by posterity
with ever increasing interest.