The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-17
THE MAPLE LEAF.
How the Officers Escaped.
(E. City Economist.)

In the spring OF 1866 my Dr0tnef, ID. II I.
McHarney, and myself we're engaged in
blockade running" We stopped at
John Litchfields, at the west end Of
Wash Woods and stayed all night. We
arose early in the morning, and saw a
company of soldiers marching at random
towards us about that time, and we dis
covered that they were dressed in Con-
federate grey, in officers uniform, and
all armed.
In a few minutes they approached us
and told us of the capture of the Maple
Leaf. She was a transport. These
officers We're picked out to be carried to
Fort Warren to be executed. They were
put on the Maple Leaf at Fortress Mon
roe. A short time after the ship was
under way their gallant work COM
menced. She was guarded by one conn
pany of Federal soldiers. The Confed-
crate prisoners picked out Samuel
Simms, son of Admiral Simms, of the
Confederate navy, as their leader and
commander. About the time she reach
ed Cape Henry the crew were at supper.
A tap on the bell was the signal for the
capture, and in a few minutes the Maple
Leaf was in charge of Captain Simms.
He also ranked as a captain of artillery.
He ran down the beach about twenty
miles tol a place known as False Cape.
There they made the captain of the Ma
pie Leaf land them on the beach, and
there they paroled the soldiers and sail
ors and made the captain of the ship
take an oath that he would not report
until he got to Fort Warren, his destina-
ton.
After they told us of the capture and
conditions, we promised to assist them
any we could, as we were perfectly
acquainted with the ways of making
safe trips by water. We were about
ninety-ive miles from the Confederate
lines, and several less by land. After be-
ing transported across Currituck Sound
we gave them the full details of the way
by water and by land, and preceded
them, as they insisted we should assist
them. My brother, b. It. McHarney,
told me to take on board all that | could
carry on a boat at the landing. and sail
for the south end of Knots Island, land
them there, and use all the energy L
could in getting help to transport those
left ON the beach to the island and he
would travel with them down the beach
south of Deals Island, to near point
to south of Knott's Island, and with
the help that we procured we safely
landed them all on the island before
sunset that night.
Henry White, one of KNOTS Islands
best citizens, fed them, and then the
work commenced of transporting them
across Currituck Sound and Coinjock
Bay. We landed them at Soles' landing,
near the mouth of Coinjock Bay, withthe-
assistance of Captain Dempsey Walker,
Gus. Mitchell and others. We took the
last load of them about 4 O'Clock in the
morning from the south end of Knots
Island.
About sunrise in the morning there
was a regiment of Federal cavalry on
the island in search of the Confederate
officers. They burned Mr.. Whites house
and took him and his daughter prisoners.
We had them at Soles' Landing across
Currituck Sound, and about ten miles
from that place. My brother thought
they could probably make land route.
He took them across the Great Swamp
to Indian Ridge. There they found Fed
eral troops so thick that it was almost
impossible to go that way. As the Ma
pie Leaf had reported 10 Fortress Mon
roe about three hours after her release
it gave the Fe6erals plenty of time to
stock Currtuck, Camden and Pasquo-
tank with infantry and cavalry.
Indian Ridge is about four miles from
Solos, Landing We went into the Great
Swamp abreast of James Halls. near
East Creek. James Hall, Billy Wilson
and probably others fed them My
brother went through the swamp, a dis
lance of four miles, to my fathers,
samuel McHarney's,) who lived at
Coinjock. He told my father he wanted
food for the Confederates, and there
was hardly any chance to get it to them,
only by water passage.
There was an old man in the neighbor-
hood named Dempsy Right that we had
once employed in blockade running and
we knew him to be loyal to his country
My father told us to hire him. We put
large stock of loaf bread and hams III
the boat. The distance was about
twelve mileks. We had to go through n
two and half mile cut of Albemarle
and Chesapeake Canal, up Indian Creek,
the point where the officers We're, and it
was in the line of the Yankee gunboats
and transports.
My father tied weights to the sack Of
a Yankee gunboat, to put the provisions
overheard, as that would tell the whole
story. As | was young, only seventeen,
he cautioned me very particularly. Mr..
knight and / started, and made the "trip
all safe. We reached there about p.
m. We had not seen any gunboats
Captain Simms, the commander of the
Confederate officers, met me and told
me to keep the provisions on board, and
he put his coat, gun, bayonet and car
fridge box on board, and another did the
same My brother told me to go back to
landing, known as Captain Joe Griggs'
Landing, near Coinjock cross roads, and
he and the officers would meet me there.
We left them and made our way back
slowly, as it was calm and the boat
heavy. When we got to North river
we could not see any danger. The night
was cloudy and dark and we were soon
in the Albemarle and Chesapeake Canal
We were both rowing, with our coats
off and in light dress. When we got IL
about twenty yards of CoinJock bridge
company of soldiers rushed up ano
halted us, and talked very harshly. They
told us if we moved in the boat they
would shoot us. The night being DARK