The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-24

GEN EhAL IL.
Former commander Of the Ninth a
Chief of Cavalry, German Minister Of
In War Between the states.
az hospitable as was possible to be,
and We were always cordially well
coined to their homes, not fully realiz-
Ing the vengeance that ould be visited
upon them by the Federals as soon as
II became known that they we,-
friendly TO tho notorious Bearl and
his party of pirates" as Captain Beali
was known and named by the yam
KEGS after the incidents TO be recorded
were known by them.
First Expedition.
on September IS Captain Beall again
set out from Horn Harbor. Mathews
county. His party numbered eighteen.
and were divided, as near as remem-
her. III our two gallant little lifeboats,
both of which were fitted with masts.
sails and d full supply of oars. One
was painted white and named The
Swan" and the other black. 8 and
named The Raven" Captain Beall
commanded 1.-THE swan" and with him
were Mcfarland. Edmondson. Willie
Benli. Robert Amman. Etter. Thomas.
sweeney and ono other name not re-
membered. Lieut.. Ed. MCGUIRE COM
manded The Raven" and with him
were Geo C. Stedman, Il. Nell STRAIT
ton, Severn Churn, Crouch, Rankin, w.
w. Baker. Fitzgerald and another,
whose mama l cannot now recall.
Wo sailed across the Chesapeake
during tho night of the 18th and
reached Devils Ditch, Northampton
county. about the break of day on the
10th. passing and avoiding many yes
sells and steamers on the trip. After
resting all day we again set sail the
night of tho 10th. and proceeded 10
Raccoou Island. near Cape Charles. We
Smiths Island lighthouse about 9
o'clock the next morning. which was
n beautiful bright day. Captain Beall
had visited the island about three
weeks before. and after destroying the
fixtures and also cutting the cable
from Fort Monroe to Washington, had
brought away to Richmond twenty-five
barrels of the best sperm oil. which
was very valuable TO the government
ct that time.
Yankee. Were Prepared.
In consequence of this raid, the
Yankees had placed battery of three
guns on the island to defend II against
any further raids on. the part of cap
tain Beall. Inns We uiu NV fNtAo' -
the time, and had it not been that
Cantatn Beall had other work laid
out, he would again have paid the
lighthouse a visit. We were after
wards Informed by citizens who were
on the island at the time we passed
that they discussed the probability OF
an attack from us. and had about ar
rived at the conclusion that theS
would eyacuate the island on account
of our apparent overwhelming iofce
they thought the eighteen of us We're
about 100. And ever after, when men
toned by the reports sent to WASH
,inrton. although sometimes thereSwere
MT more than sixteen OF US WITH
cantain Beall, and never over elgh-
teen. il was made to appear that his
force consisted of from 40 to lou
men.
After passing Smiths Island we
sailed up the inner channel ana cap
tured the Yankee sloop Mary Anne NM
and two fishing sloops. Beng q ny
Ne "hsh hungry" Captain Beall al
loved us to take as much fishing
tackle as we wanted and all OF US
snent the day in sand shoals, near
Cobb's Island, fishing. After catch
ing as many as we could manage we
returned to the Mary Anne and en-
ioved one of the most elaborate t'sh
suppers that I have ever enjoyed.
Serious Work Begins.
For the next two days and nights
we sailed up the Atlantic. and aboht
night OF September u 1t began ~
blow almost n gale and rained IN 'ol-
rents. About o'clock at night We
sighted, laying at anchor in Wacha-
preasue Inlet, large vessel scnoo ones
rugged. which Captain Beall at once
5caye orders to capture. Captain Bean
arra.ng ed to board the vessel on the
port side and directed Lieutenant NC
Guire to hoard on the starhoard siue'
lieutenant MCGUIRE was standlhs ~
the how OF the boat, and as there WAS
n severe wind blowing us TOWARDS tne
vessel and n heavy sea ruhhihs ..
the time. and as dark as pitch, our
boat (The Raven) was dashed asalns.
the side of the vessel with such rorce
~ ~ ~, sn,ash our tiller, and lieutenant
Mccu,re was thrown headlong into the
saa ne regained the boat, Which was
car,,ed by the rapid current-tten rum
Wing around to the bow OF the vessel
md thrown against the Swan, TO
Which we made fast, and thus both
cantain Beall and l4ieutenant Mcclure
with their men, boarded the vessel
from the port side. The night was SC
dark and stormy that not soul was
found on deck, and Captain Beall d.
rooted Lieutenant Mcclure and ms
tain Beall. with his crew, Went al
10 the cabins.
\ TN to this time we, had no idea O.
the character OF the vessel, not know
| ing whether II WAS a war or merchan
vessel. 1t proved to be the handsome
merchant schooner Alliance, Captail
| David ireland, staten lsland, N, Y