The Washington herald., 1914-11-08
BeaIps Daring Raid.
November Third.

tive a Canada, following a daring at
tempt TO capture the United States ship
Michigan in Lake Erie and release the
Confederate. war prisoners at Johnsons
Island, near Sandusl<y, Ohio
Bealfs raid, which had been attempted
on September 10. and which had resulted
in a series of dramatic scenes on land
: and water, including the capture Of two
lake steamers By the conspirators, haf
caused the widest excitement in the
States bordering on the Great Lakes
The turmoil had not subsided when CAPT.
Beall sought asylum in Canada. he
feared that he might be arrested and
extradited TO the United States for trial.
His fears were premonitory He was. inI
deed. on the road to the scaffold. He was
hanged az New York February -. 1855. :
Bea1 was the son Of prominent Vtr-
Einia family and a graduate of the Uni
yereig Of Virginia In the class OF lss6
Al the Outbreak Of the war he enlisted as
prtvate under "StonewaII" Jackson
with whom he fought in the skirrnish
At Faitne waters. Va, July 2. 1851 Later
he wss wounded and DISCHARGED from
the service Hs next organized privatser-
ing expedtdons in the Virginia rivers
and aounds. vas captured and was Inn
prison. u Fort McHenry. Baltimore, az
pirata
Releassd from prison. he conceived the
idea q unanning Confederate privateer
on the Greaf Lakes The proposition was
placed before the Confederate authorities
VINO approved 1t, and commissioned BEAN
an acting master in the Confederate
navy. Proceeding to Canada, Beau who
came 70 be commonly called captain, re-
ported 10 Jacob Thompson, the chief
confs6erate agent there. and entered
.lEupoa his chosen work.
BurIey ArranEes Passage.
Matters progressed rapidly. Capt
Beell Joined hands with an old compan-
ion. Bennett G. Buriey a Scot who had
p been with him in his early privateering
adventures, and who. like himself, held
: commission as master in the Confed-
{ crate service. Together they formed a
plan Of operations, on which they
promptly acted.
On September IS, 1854. Burley appeared
on board the small steamer Philo Par
sons, which Piled regularly between De-
trott, Mich, and Sandusly. Ohio, and
entered into conversation with the clerk
and part owner, Walter o. Ashley
Burley requested the latter to stop at
Sandwich, on the Canadian shore of the
Detroit River, just below Detroit, on
his trip the next day, to take aboard
three friends of Burley's. who were to
Join him in trip to SandIsky. The yes
sci regularly stopped at Amherstburg
at the mouth of the river, but did not
as rule call at Sandwich Ashley con-
sented to the arrangement and Burley
left the boat at Detroit.
= On September 19 Burley was on board
; early. He was Joined at Sandwich by his
three friends, who Ieaped on board the
Philo Parsons before she touched the
wharf, thus saving her pilot the trouble
Of making regular landing One of the
three was BeaIl
At Amherstburg sixteen men. roughly
clad. were waiting on the wharf. They
: came aboard unquestioned bringing with
fhaun fha oF,Ir h.err T. a.
rough trunk tied up with rope This was
tumbled down the after-gangway by two
:. Of the men. ,---o~--s- ---' - '.r-
The trip was uneventful. The day was
pleasant and from shortly after 9 O'Clock,
when the boat pulled out from Amherst
burg, until about 4, when she docked at
Kelleys Island, five miles north of San
a dusky' the 100 or m re passengers had an
enjoyable excursion.
-. Two Vessels Seized.
Scarcely had the steamer left the wharf
at Kelley's when Capt BeaII engaged
the mate, who at that time was at the
helm. in conversation. and at a signal
presented revolver at his head and de-
: manded the surrender of the craft in
the name of the Confederate govern
ment
At the same time Burley accosted Mr.
Ashley and locked him up in the wom-
ems cabin. while other members of the
band, most of them escaped prisoners
a Wand all regularly enrolled in the Con-
: federate service, took charge Of the crew
and passengers.
The trunk was brought out its ropes
cut, and graphing hooks, revolvers
axes and pixies were taken out of it.
These were for the proposed work in
capturing the Federal gunboat Michigan
which then was lying about a mile of
Johnsons Island
The PhiIo Parsons was now turned to-
ward Middle Bass Island. about ten
miles from the Ohio shore and equally
distant from Johnsons Island. There
the passengers and most of the crew
/, were landed. and new supply of fire.
wood was taken aboard.
While at the wharf at Middle Bass the
small steamer Island Queen, a screw
propeller in command of Capt. George
W. Orr, plying between SanduslSy and
the island, came up to the landing and
made fast to the Philo Parsons. Instant
ly Capt BeaH and part of his men were
on her deck, revolvers and axes in hand.
demanding the surrender of the ship to
the Confederacy. There was some re-
sistance, but in n short time her passen-
gers were on shore.
Among the passengers were about
thirty Federal soldiers, unarmed, mem
bers of the I30th Ohio Regiment of 100
day men. on their way TO Cleveland, to
be mustered out. They were paroled.
y dumped overheard, to clear the decks.
but no personal property was destroyed
or taken One passenger had $50, 900 with
him, but was allowed to retain It.
To Drug MichiEan's omcers.
II was now night a bright moon
- lighted the lake. The pilot was direct
ed to steer toward Johnsons Island, and
the two vessels, dashed together, moved
z from the wharf. After dve miles had
been covered the Queen was stripped and
scuttled on a reef, and the Philo Parsons
continued until the lights of the Michi-
\ gan came well into view. The plan called
I for the capture Of that vessel, and that
done the signaling to the prisoners on
Johnsons island, who, with aid Of the
Michigan's guns. were to rise and cap
ture their guards.
There was another part to the plot,
which had been intrusted to other hands
than those Of BeaIl. Capt Charles H
Cole, a former member OF N. B. For
rests cavalry, and an escaped prisoner,
had for some days been living at the ex-
pense Of the Confederate government at
the best hotel in Sandusky. Cole had
been instructed to work his way into the
good graces of the officers Of the Mlchi-
gan, and TO take a hand in the capture
Of the vessels.
He posed as a wealthy Philadelphian.
z and by an engaging address and wine