The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-01
BEALL'S INTREPID BAND WERE
CAPTURED AFTER HOT CHASE
Confederates, Who Escaped From Yankee Drag
Net, Taken in Daylight, When
Coast Was Clear

BY HON. w. w. BAKER,
Member Of Virginia House of Delegates.
continued from last Sundly)
After about ten days rest we again
Set out TO Mathews. having left our
little liteboats hidden in Horn Harbor,
near Mr.. Sand Smiths We remained
in Mathews several days. arranging
Tor an extended raid, in which Captain
lSeall hoped to capture a seaworthy
gunboat. as he had been informed
where one such sometimes stopped to
secure supplies.
Captain Beell's operations now be-
gan to attract attention, and called
down heavy denunciatfons upon him
in the North, and while we were ar
ranging for our next raid Brigadier-
General Wister was sent down TO Ma
thews and neighborlng counties for
the special purpose OF capturing Cap
tain Beall and his party. General
Wister's force for this purpose, was
Informed. consisted of one regiment of
negro infantry, two of white cavalry
three gunboats in North River three
in East River and two in the Pianka
tank River.
Information reached Captain Beal
OF the approach of this overwhelming
land force. Edmondsop was sent up
TO the field in front of Colonel Tabbs
home 10 ascertain IL the report was
true. While waiting he fell asleep
and narrowly escaped being captured.
leaving his coat. upon which he had
lain down to rest. Captain Beall then
arranged for hurried departure on
his boats. After running out short
distance he ascertained that 1t would
be impossible to pass the gunboats,
who were on the lookout on the water,
tttcrnfnya a a nr6preJ tho
and Swan to BIO run up to Mr.. Sand
Smiths, at the extreme end of Horn
Harbor and near Mr.. Smiths lawn.
We all set to work with shove!s and
filled both boats with sand and sunk
them.
Yankees Hot on Bcnlia Trail.
While we were at. this work, infor-
nation was brought that the Yankees
We're resting In force in front of Col
onel Tabb's and that pickets We're
then being stationed at Mr. Thomas
Smiths gate. and all along the roads
between the Mobiack Bay and the Pr
ankatank River, in three impenetrable
lines. We finished filing and sinking
the two boats about sunset. and were
then told by Captain Beail that we
would have to get out of there that
night. Captain Beall then cooliy pro-
ceeded to the homo of Thomas Smith.
about oue-half mile distant and ac-
cepted an invitation extended the
whole party by Miss Lizzie Smith, the
daughter of Thos. Smith, to come In
and partake of supper that she had
prepared for the whole party, although
she knew that at the time the YAM
kee pickets We're stationed at her fa-
Tiers outer gate about one-fourth OF
milo distant.
A Hard Meal to Swallow.
remember that q part of the sup
per consisted OF sweet potatoes, and
shall never forget how hard they We're
to swallow. all the time thinking OF
those Yankees at the gate, After we
had partaken of a hearty supper, and
what to mo appeared an awfully leis-
urely one, Captain Beall asked Nc
Farland, OF tho Richmond Whing-who
had seen service as an Indian scout,
and who had tread as soft as a
kitten-if he, thought he could locate
all the different pickets. Mcfarland
assured him he could We were then
ordered to follow Indian file in the
footsteps Of Mcfarland and not to
whisper or make the slightest noise.
Mcfarland would go a distance In
front and ascertain whore the pickets
were located, and return. and we
would follow after him. crossing tho
picket lines. which were supposed to
be about 100 yards apart
Passing the Picket Line.
Just after we had crossed tho first
limo on the road from Colonel Tabbs
to Thomas Smiht's, Edmondson In
sisted that he be allowed to crawl UP
into the field where the main force OF
the Yankees was encamped and get
his coat that he had left that after
noon.
Captain Beall consenting, we all
laid down about FIVE feet from the road,
by the side of a ditch, and In min
ute or two Yankee relief guard came
tramping by. thought that my heart
would punch a hole in the ground. it
beat so fiercely. as the Yankees moved
up so quietly that 1t was Impossible
for us to move without being seen by
them. We had to stay there and
quietly hope that they would not SEQ
MS. which am very glad to record
they apparently did not. Tn a short
time Edmondson returned with his
coat. and we resumed our silent march.
with Mcfarland always in front locat-
skilful leadership we successfully
cts, and by sunrise We're securely rest
Ing in Dragon swamp.
1t now becomes my painful privilege
to record one of the saddest events of
my connection with the service under.
Captain Beall, After remaining for
two or three days IN Dragon Swamp,
Cantain Reall learned thai "a he large