The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-02-21
A VETERANS STORY
How n. A. Melsod, Formerly Of M
rion County, Helped q High Con-
Tolerate Official to Escape
(Tampa Times. 20thD

(Tampa Times. 20th)
Among the Confederate veterans at
tending the reunion in Tampa this
week vas II. A. Mcleod, of Palmetto
Mr.. Mcleod was With the fourth Flor
ida regiment and was member of
Capt John T. Lesley's company. He
was born in Georgia in 1885. but came
to Florida when he was only six years
old. his family settling in Marion
county. He was in Cuba engaged in
the fishing business at the outbreak
Of the civil war. and az soon az he
heard the news came home and en-
listed in the service for his beloved
southland. DESPITE his advanced years,
Mr. Mcleod is well preserved and in
full possession Of all his faculties. He
makes his home with his nephew,
Capt. +. :. Harilce at Palmetto.
Mr.. Mcleod was q prominent par
ticirant in a very exciting incident at
the close of the civil war. sHe is the
man who transported Judah p. Ben
jamin. the Confederate secretary of
state. from the mouth Of the Manatee
river TO Nassau. He called at the
Times office this morning and gave
very interesting account of the
event:
"Captain John T. LeSley's father
brought Mr.. Benjamin to the old Gam
BILE mansion at Manatee." said Mr..
Mcleod, land remained there for
some time while we were searching
l>;x
across to Nassau. We finally bought
small open sailbOat at Cedar Keys,
and in this MI njamin, Capt. w. B.
Tresca and myself started on the
voyage. ParSOn GlOZier brought Mr..
Benjamin to Sarasota bay in his mule
cart and we took him aboard there, as
the federals were watching the mouth
Of the Manatee' river to prevent his
escape. They knew he was in this
section and had several gunbOatS on
the coast endeavoring to catch him.
We ran down to Charlotte HarbOr the
! first day, and when off GaSparilla we
sighted a federal gunbOat. We ran in
there. took the mast down, ran her in
under the island and covered the boat
with limbs. The gunboat lowered a
cutter and a searching party was sent
in to look for us. they having seen our
sail. They passed us twice so close
that we could distinctly hear them
talking. l heard a lieutenant say, I
know those ID rebels are in here
swered. no. lieutenant. l think their
boat was further up the bay and they
passed on. / think that fellow was
anxious to get away from the mosqui-
toes. They were fierce and were
Furnishing us severely, but We did not
dare to raise a hand to brush them
away. The gunboat laid off the pass
until the next morning at 10 o'clock
and we remained there until that night
From that point we went to Indian
Key, where we traded our boat fol-
one a, little larger but which was also
an open boat, and in this we crossed
the Gulf We learned that there were
two federal gunboats in the vicinity
and as they were liable to pick us w
at any time. on my advice Mr.. Benja-
min chartered a British schooner which
came near us, to take him to Nassau
The carpetbaggers harassed me great
ly, the story Of my part in the escape
of Mr.. Benjamin having become pub
lie, and I went to Texas. l engaged in
business there and prOspered. / haC
accumulated valuable property anC
, was preparing to sell out when thu
great flood Of 1900 destroyed all my
property in Galveston. l was too ole
to make a new start, and on the invi
tation of my nephew and niece at Pal
metto came home to spend my declin.
ing days with them.