The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-24
STRANGER THAN FICTION
ny W. II. nRo,NNL::.

ny W. II. BROWNE.
Many persons in this vicinity are
.rh,,ps not aware that nearly i half
sutury ago there occurred one OF the
'ost thrilling episodes Of the civil War
ear cape Henry. almost al the cato
the city Of Norfolk, distant about
ftsen miles as the crow flies. re-
r To tn capture OF ths United States
.ansport Maple Leaf by Confederate
-isoucrs OF war On route from New
rieans to Fort Delaware
To 40 back about one year In history
III say that early in 1862 the Confed-
ate forts at the mouth Of the Mlssis-
PM River had been captured. and New
rlcans was occupied by quite a large
rec Of Federal troops with one Gen
|al H. i. Butler, "lavocat general"
dubbed by an admiral of the French
avg. IN command. on the 10th day Of
lay. 1862. Norfolk was evacuated by
H. confrderates. and a few days after
cupicd in force By the Fcdcrals under
command Of General Wool. with
|lifolk Oh the west and Elizabeth City
L the south, a outposts. In the early
Is Of June, 1863. the United States
lansport Maple Leaf left Nc~ Orleans
III scventy-iive or eighty Confcder-
T. prisoners OF war taii othccrs) on
ara. This steamer touched III at
|,rfo!k. and iwcnty-six additional
|isoncrs Coniccrs) were taken on board
Fort Norfolk and proceeded to sea
plot appears 10 have been laid and
.)rlscd out to the finest detail while
1ninE up the coast 10 overthrow the
ard and crew and capture the steam
and make bolt for freedom. The
GERS taken on at Fort Norfolk, not
i or incapacitatcd by wounds, We're
Tcsted TO join the plot, TO which
| y readily assentcd. copy from
diary Of Lieutenant y. T.. Asbury.
v living at Iiigginsville. Mo. and
lionel j. j. Green. of Coyington. Tenn,
. 70 died in 1906. To whom ] am in
atcd for the greater portion of this
icle. The plan was detail OF three
u TO tie 1T OF near each sentinel on
~ talking OF chaliinG with him
other party under n leader were
~ 10 be near when the relief guard
stacked their muskets. and still
8other 10 be in readiness TO assemble
ckly to overawe the crew. The sig
was the ringing &C the steamers
Il J. and so quickly and quietly was the
executed that scarcely had the
ma of the bell died away before the
:, lfcdcratcs were in possession OF the
Iamcr
olonel Green says within one min
i the capture WAS effective. Lieu
ant Asbury. who was sick and ly-
down in the hold of the steamer
II many others. says the first init
ton Of the melee on the upper
i k was a captain coming among
= IN and stating in no uncertain
nds that they had charge of the
T. y jollifcation was held, and
i rebel yell rang out over the
tcrs Of Chesapeake Bay as will
CT he heard again. Captain Fuller
tian OF the G. S. Gunboat Star Of
West" one OF the prisoners, was
iced in command, and n council OF
run the steamer into Nassau. Tho
- ply of coal, however, was found
be insufficient. and II was finally
idcd to make for the beach some
{ ire south of Cape Henry and take
noes. The landing was made after
htfall, most probably ten miles
TN Of Virginia Beach. When all of
officers not too sick or severely
mded were transferred to the
CHI, the steamer was given back to
captain. under oath to care for
sick md wounded prisoners loft
BOARD. proceed to Fort Delaware and
% report. This onth he faithfully
90 by stenming as rapidly rs
sfblo to Fort Monroe and there re-
ling the little incident or accident
had befallen him on his journey.
or-Gencral Dix, U. s.. In command
'ortress Monroe, in-his report states
tho United States transport Maple
I. passing out Juno 10. 1863, mt 30
NJ. with rebel prisoners on board,