The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-19
PLOT OF CIVIL WAR
READSL|KE FICTION
Capture of U. S, Steamer Maple
Leaf Thrilling Story of
Virginia Waters.
SCENE NEAR CAPE HENRY
Southern Officers Seize Vessel
and Make Way Back to
Richmond.
SCENE NEAR CAPE HENRY

| Many persons in this vicinity are
! perhaps not aware that nearly half
| century ago there occurred one OF the
most thrilling episodes of the civil.
/ War near Cape Henry. almost at the
gate OF tho city OF Norfolk. distant
about fifteen miles as the crow nies.
| refer TO the capture of the United
| States transport Maple Leaf BY Con-
| fedcratc prisoners Of war en- route from
| New Orleans - Fort Delaware.
| To go back about one year in his
! tory VIII say that early in 1862 the
! Confederate forts at the mouth OF the
| mississippi River had been captured
| and New Orleans was occupied by
| quite large force Of Federal troops
with one General r. +. Butler. "ravocat
| general as dubbed by an admiral OF
| the French mary. In command on the
! 10th dag OF May, 1862. Norfolk was
| evacuated by the Confcderates. ana a
| few days after occupied in force by
, Fcdcrals under the command OF Cen
| crai Wool. with Suffolk on the west
and Elizabeth city on the south. az
outoosts. In iii eeariy days OF June.
|! 1868. the United States transport Maple
Leaf lert New Orleans with seventy
! five or eighty Confederate prisoners OF
war tall oflcers) on board. This
| steamer touched in at Norfolk and
twenty-six additional prisoners tof-
| fiCers) were taken on board at Fort
! Norfolk and proceeded TO sea. A plot
out TO the finest detail while coming
| up the coast TO overthrow the guard
and crew and capture the steamer and
make a bolt for freedom. The officers
taken on al Fort Norfolk. not sick or
| incapacitatcd by wounds, were re-
| Quested TO join the plot. TO which they
! readily asscntcd.
PLOT WORItED OUT
IN GREATEST DETAIL.
copy from the diary of Lieutenant
A +. Asbu-y. nov living At Higgins
VILE Mo. and Colonel ]. J. Green. OF
J covirgton, Tenn, who died in 1906. to
whom am indebted for the greater
portion OF this article The plan was
detail OF three men TO be at or near
| each sentinel on duty talking or chaff-
ing with him. Another party under
leader were told 10 be near when the
relief guard had stacked their mus
l.ets and stiIl another to be in readI-
ness TO assemble quickly TO ovcraw-
the crew The signal was the ringing
OF the steamers bell and so quietly
and quickly was the plot executed that
Tcarccly had the sound of the bell died
away before the ConfederaIes were in
possession OF the steamer Colonel
Green SAYS that within one minute the
| capture was effective Lieutenant AS
bury. who was sick and lying down in
the hold OF the steamer. says the first
intrnation Of the melee on the upper
4
among them and stating III uncer-
tain sounds that they had charge of
the ship
A .joiiihcation was held. and such
rebel yell rang over the waters OF the
chesapeake Bay as viii never be heard
again. Captain Fuller. captain OF the
iC. ;. gunboat star Of the West" one
lof the prisoners was placed in com
mand. and council Of war was held.
and the first intention was TO run the
steamer into Nassau. The supply OF
lar. oil
cicnt. and II was finally decided 10
make for the beach somewhere south
OF Cape Henry and take chances. The
landing Was made after nightfall, most
proba oily ten miles south OF Virginia
Beach. When an Of The officers not
Mere s% hs he wu"T tbe
steamer was given back TO her cap
tain. under oath TO care for the sick
and wounded prisoners left on board.
proceeded 10 Fort Delaware and there
report This oath was faithfully kept
90 by stcaminS as rapidly as possible
to Fortress Monroe and there report
Ing the little incident or accident that
had befallen him on his Journey. Ma
ior-Gencral Dix, L. :, in command AT
that the United States transport Maple
Leaf, passing out June 10. 1868. at 80
y. NJ. with rebel prisoners on board.
had returned. the captain stating that
the rebels had oVcrthrown the guard,
captured the steamer and landed some
where south OF Cape Henry. General
DIN says that some thirty prisoners re-
fused TO join in The plot, and had re-
turned on the steamer | much fear
my reader will have to accept the
statement OF the general with few
grains of salt The truth is that every
soul able TO travel landed on the bea ch,
That doughty sailor warrior, Captain
had so recently seen carried TO a most
successful Issue the plans that his
brain had conceived. was compelled by
reason of severe wounds 10 remain on
.
in irons upon arrival a Fort Monroe.
Small courtesy. that. 10 man who pre-
joining his comrades on the beach and
making bold dash for liberty.
'> ~ " coNDiTioN OF MIND.
One can easily read between the
lines and sec that General Dix was in
When G his r report was 'rI pnnne and
doubtless the officer in charge Of the
loverthrown guard enjoyed a most un
called into the presence of the old
general. who requests in his report
that he be summarIly dismissed from
The first business on landing on the
beach. says Colonel Green, was the
Semmes. son of Admiral Raphael
Semmes, of Alabama fame, was chosen
by acciamation, with Captain Holmes,
of "A Louisiana regiment, as second in
command. The next thing was to find
their bearings. Seeing a light In the
distance as showing from a house, a
scout was sent out who quickly re-
turned reporting the house occupied
by lady and children and that her
husband was in the confederate army;
that they were in Princess Anne Coun-
ty, Va, and would he comparatively
safe II they could get to the swamps
of North Carolina, but to do so would
be compelled TO cross Currituck Sound,
and the only boats available were
nearly thirty miles south on the beach.
where some persons had come over
from the mainland to boil salt.
This march was undertaken at night
and at early breakfast the boats were
ut their service. In crossing Curri-
tuck Sound the prisoners stopped at
the south end OF Knotts Island where
supper was given them. had re-
Gently very pleasant visit 10 most
charming matron, now living in Nor
folk. who recalls most WILDLY as
little Eirl-these prisoners being at
her fathers home-that the boats
| were crowded. and after supper he
took many of them in his boat and all