The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-24
CAPTURE OF WATER WITCH.
NOW THE YANKEE BLOCKADER
WAS SEIZED IN THE NIGHT.

party, Tells of the Thrilling At
4,clx on the Steamer as She Lay in
OssabaVv sound-Tragic Death OF
Lieut.. PeIOt-ShOt by the Light of
81 Flash of IightninG-An Incident
&C WAR Times About Savannah.
= has been thirty-four years since the
water Witch was captured in the waters
IF Ossabaw sound. 1t was as gallant feat
a. anv recorded in the annals of the Con-
fsleracy. By it the Federal navy lost one
of ,ls finest blockading vessel and a new
illustration was furnished the world of the
valor of those fighting for the South.
one of the men who boarded the Water
Witch and fought In the hand to hand
struggle on her deck is stin living in Sa-
vanDah. He is probably the only survivor
Of the expedition in this city. Every Incl
dent is still fresh in the mind of Mr..
charles Cook, and of all the fights in which
he was engaged that which led to the cap
+ure of this vessel affords him the most
"reminiscences. Mr.. Cook is serving on the
notice force of the Plant System, and is
hale and hearty enough to go through an
other war if necessary.
Yesterday" said he last night. 1.-THE Water
Witch was q fine side wheel steamer, brig
rigeed and mounted four guns, two broad
side. a brass pivot and a long Tom for
ward. She was stationed in Ossabaw sound
and it was understood, was generally
alone This gave an opportunity to attack
her with some show of a success. We left
the iron clad Georgia on the last night of
MAY. and it was the third night after that
we made the capture. From the battery
on Vernon river, scouts were sent out
who reported that the Water Witch was
anchored In the Little Ogeechee river near
the Raccoon Key. We were in seven boats,
fifteen officers and III men. We muffied our
oars and on the night of June 2 rowed
down to where the steamer had been re
ported But she was not there, and so We
left Bo'swain Seymour and another man
on the keys as scouts and returned to
Beaulieu battery.
THE next night, the third night we had
been out we returned and picked up the
scouts. Seymour reported that there was
a vessel in Ossabaw sound not far off and
that it was probably the Water Witch.
We rowed down on her with the under
Thomas p. Pelot, who was in command,
should attack from the port side while
the other three under Lieut.. Joseph Price
should come in from the starboard. 1t was
a stormy night. Considerable rain was
falling and there were frequent flashes of
lightning. Just before we reached the
Water Witch the boats separated as agreed
upon. l was in the starboard bow boat
under Mdshipman H. T. Minor, Moses
Dallas a negro, who was plotting us, was
with Lieut.. Pelot. Just before we parted
Dallas SAID, When they challenge us, III
yell eontrabands, and no one else need
say anything
Dallas thought that this would deceive
The men on deck and give time to board
before the crew of the Water Witch could
be aroused. 1t probably would have done
60 but Lieut.. Pelot was too proud-spirited
a man to accept such a subterfuge. Just
as the boat 1 was in passed to the star
board some one on deck called Boat
ahoy.' Dallas jumped and yelled back
'Contrabands,' but before he could take
his seat again, Lieut.. Pelot cried out
Rebels; at them, boys and before their
boat could reach the steamer a rapid dis
charge of small arms was directed at
them. The negro pilot and another man
were Shot down in the boat before the
boarding irons could be used. Lieut. PelOt
was the first to reach the deck from his
BOAT. Heavy rope netting was
hanging from stanchions for a
hight Of about nine feet above
the decks to keep off boarders. With
each boat We had carried ladders and
graphing irons, it was matter of time
to get them in position. Pelot had hardly
gotten over the netting before he was
Ghot down. Steam was up on the Water
Witch and as the alarm was given, the
engines were started and the paddles be-
gan revolving, preventing our boats from
al haf n as a9lp 1at 81
Two of our boats, driven away by some
cause, were lost to us, the crews rowing
one back to Beaueu and the other 10 Isle
OF Hope where they sent word TO Savan-
nah that all the rest of the expedition had
Deen killed or captured.
1t was a wonder that such was not
the case. Every advantage was on the
side of the Federals. But they seemed
uumbfounded by our attack. The officers
ana some of the men put up a stiff fight
but many of them did not show up, and
some are said TO have run below deck The
men below decks forward were kept there
oy me guards we stationed over the
matches. Before we started every man
hHeW what was expected of him after we
got on the steamers deck, and so there
was no confusion once we got a foothold
As soon as Lieut. Pelot fell dead Lieut.
Fflce took charge and carried the plans
out TO perfection. Pelot was shot down
curing a flash Of lightning by Paymaster
bHhngs who saw him engaged with Lieut.
Iendergast, the commander of the Water
witch, and fred just as Pelot had Pender-
CAST practically at his mercy.
one OF our officers ran down in the
engine rooms and the engineers all sur
rendered without making a fight at ALL
One negro, though, who was on the Water
wien, did us considerable damage. AS
we came over the netting he stood by a
rack OF small arms on the deck and fired
'hem as fast as he could, wounding sew
eraI OF our men before we killed him.
lotus, one of our men, was shot by him
ana died afterward. LOTUS hailed from
liverpool and four years ago, thirty years
dI!er the fight in which he was wounded,
tetter was received here from that city
1eshlns for Information about him. I found
ms grave under a large rose bush in the
solIlers LOT in Laurel Grove Cemetery
lom King HAD the honor of forcing
Lieut. Pendergast to surrender. Tom was
an Old English man-of- wars man He