Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-24

band Of fishermen gather to-
|, gether Memorial day to revere
the most remarkable secession or the CIVIL
war-a accession against secession. Ever
since the close Of the memorable struggle
between the states these fishermen nave
met Decoration day.
Their memorial is occsSioned by the rec
objection that when Virginia and the
south seeded from the Union Chink-a-
Tink Island seeded from the Confeder-
acy and rejoined the north. The hero OF
these fishermen is not Ulysses s. Grant
or Tecumseh Sherman, but "Capn" Steel
man. who led in the revolt against Vir-
ginia.
Today the island is hunting resort for
wealthy northern men, who like to follow
the birds south; in other days 1t formed
the setting for one of the little dramas
of the war Of the secession.
| MANY q native and a few Of the present
dav visitors to the little fishing colony
will remember "Cap'n" Steelman. the old
| town clerk who played one OF the princl-
/ pal parts in the events OF the war times
| Of 49, to '65. Those who knew the Ola
sea dog intimately will recall the story
he was 50 fond of telling about the STIR
ring times when the township OF Chink-a-
Tink stood out against the whole state OF
Virginia and resolutely refused to leave
! the Union.
\
Al the time when steelman's tale opens
Chink- -Tink, although lying In southern
territory. traded almost entirely with the
nerth. Philadelphia, in particular, fur
nished the group of fishermen on the Is
land with a market for their catches and
with a source of supplies. Thus 1t hap
pened that the sympathies OF the island
ers were with the northerners in the po-
litical controversy. As a matter OF fact.
they troubled themselves very little with
the politics Of the times. but paid close
attention to wrestling hard and frugal
living from the sea.
: But there came a time when they shook
off their indifference. Rumors began to
reach them of trouble between the peo-
pie of the south and the north. These
rumors became more and more and more
frequent until one day there arrived at
the island a message from Richmond
bearing news Of the proposed secession
of the south from the Union and bidding
the men of Chink-a-Tink take vote on
the question and notify the state capital
Of their decision.
Excitement and Indignation ran high
among the fishermen. The same night
they gathered In a body and cast their
votes. "Cap'n" Steelman, who was town
clerk and proprietor OF the only store on
the island in those days, took each mans
name as he voted and recorded his vote
as being for or against secession When
the votes were all in there were not
half dozen supporting the formation Of a
| southern confederacy. Steelman, far
sighted man. filed the records of that
nights meeting away with the archives
OF the town. Then he notified the capital
that under no conditions would the
township of Chink-a-Tink secede.
| When the Anal act OF secession came
| the islanders stood by their guns and
refused to bulge an inch from their
position Of loyalty to the Union. The
situation of the towns people was unique
| in the annals Of the war. Faithful adj
herents Of the north. they were yet liv-
| ing in southern territory. BY reason of
their politics they might expect to be
| invaded by the arms OF the Confederacy;
| by reason of their situation they had
cause to fear the depredatiOns Of some
northern gunboat. whose commander, in
| ignorance OF their loyalty. might shell
| them and ruin them unawares.
Notwithstanding their precarious COM
ditior. they remained unmolested for
months Virginia was too busy to attend
| to them. At last Confederate war ves-
sci bore down upon them one fine morn
| ing. 1t dropped 4echor a short distance
away, and its c1manding officer came
ashore to den1aA0 allegiance to the Con-