U. S. MILITARY PRISON, Alton, Ill., May 11, 1863.
Statement of Mrs. Clara Judd, who has been a prisoner in Alton Military Prison over three months as a spy.
She denies being guilty. Her health is failing very fast (having been in feeble health for several years) from confinement. She wishes to be paroled and go to her parents and little children who are living in Minnesota. She makes a statement here how she came in the south and how she came to be arrested.
"I am the widow of the Rev. B. S. Judd and a native of the State of New York. My parents live in Minnesota where I also resided with my husband seven years prior to going South. We moved to Winchester in November, 1859, on account of my health and on account of there being a chance of educating our children and board them at home and keep them under home influences. We had eight children. Six of them were going to school in 1861, when my husband went to Nashville on business and while there he went to view some statuary at the capitol; accidentally stepped off the parterre and was injured so that he died in just four weeks, leaving me with seven children (one having died in the fall) without money, with a great deal of unfinished business and not a relative or Northern person that I ever saw two years before. My friends in the North wrote to have me come home, but I had taken out letters of administration and had no means and the blockade soon closed all communication.
I struggled on with my children's help who went to work at anything they could get to do until Christmas, 1862. I was censured very much because I did not put my oldest children, being boys, into the army. I could not think it my duty to let them go on either side my health being so poor and I liable to die at any time with heart disease. I thought they ought to preserve their lives to take care of those younger. At Christmas I put two of them into a Government factory to keep them from being conscripted. The factory was removed to Atlanta, Ga., in May. I was here and in the meantime I had sent the next oldest into the same business. I could not hear from them or from the North and I had no means to support my four remaining children but what I could to myself. Winchester was taken possession of five different times by the Federals. I always treated them as brothers; had a house full every time they were there. (I never had a Confederate soldier in my house.) The 1st of August Thomas took possession of the town. Among his troops I had many acquaintances who told me they were going to destroy all of the crops except enough to last six weeks. They advised me to get my little children to my parents in the North. I could not stay to dispose of anything.
I had three cows and seven acres of crops and my household goods and husband's library. I got a protection from provost-marshal for my things and a little boy twelve years old; borrowed money and took my three youngest children out on the second train through from Decherd to Nashville. I was to be gone four weeks. I arrived in Minnesota on the 11th of August. Three days after I got there I had to take my children and flee from the Indians, which detained me three or four weeks instead of two. I then started with money enough as I supposed to take me to Nashville. I intended to go back and dispose of my effects if possible and get my boys out and go to Nevada Territory for two years. I had made arrangements for my sister to take care of my little children for three years, but when I arrived at Louisville they were expecting an attack from Bragg.
"I went to New Albany and was taken sick; was there six weeks. I after incredible trouble succeeded in hiring some money to pay my expenses and take me to Nashville where I was acquainted with the clergy and would get help there. I started but could not get my trunks through farther than Mitchellville. I was very deficient in clothing myself. I thought I would go to [Louisville] and get me some funds and come back to New Albany and pay the borrowed money and get a few clothes for myself and a hand knitting-machine which I had been talking of getting for several years. I accordingly did so. Told the offices at Nashville my whole business and tried to get a pass to go and come back, but could not get one to come back. When I got to Winchester I found everything destroyed except my husband's library and the son I left gone to the same business the others were at and that I could not get my sons out. When I left I supposed Buell would keep the country. I came back and was detained at Murfreesborough three days in trying to get a pass.
When I got one I could not get any conveyance but walked eleven miles after 10 o'clock, the last three miles in my stocking feet, having blistered my feet the first three miles. I got a carriage at La Vergne to take me to where the flag officers were, as there was a flag that day. Just before I got there came a carriage from Murfreesborough bringing a gentleman who was said to be a prisoner of the South. The Federal officers would not let me through until they had been to headquarters. I wrote a statement to Rosecrans. While waiting there the person from Murfreesborough commenced questioning me. He told me he was from Connecticut. My husband and parents were from there. We soon seemed like old acquaintances. He wished to know where I stopped in Nashville. I told. Said he stopped there, and then said he would see Rosecrans about my pass; said he thought he had more power there than Colonel Hepburn. The second day after this the flag officer came out; told me that I could go, but would have to go under guard. I told them I would; I was perfectly willing. I had nothing but some open letters-those I sent to Rosecrans. I walked almost seven miles, my guard mounted.
After giving a statement to headquarters of everything I saw while in the South I went to the same hotel where Mr. Forsythe (that is the name of the prisoner from Murfreesborough) put up. He was not there and the house was full. I went to a private house where I was slightly acquainted. The next morning I went to the provost-marshal's office and got a pass to go to Louisville. I found there was a battle near and that I would either stop in New Albany or go to a god-son's in Illinois and wait until times were settled after the battle, but when the clerk gave me my pass he said I could not go. The next day I wanted to go to Mitchellville on account of getting some clothes. I accordingly sent a note to Mr. Forsythe asking him to call wishing to have him provide me with a private conveyance to Mitchelville, he having informed me while out with the flag that he had been a merchant in Nashville for some time before he went to Murfreesborough.
When he called he said he was going to Louisville the next day but one; wanted to see my pass. I finally told him my hurry to get through was mainly because I had heard about what time Morgan would interrupt that road and that I feared I would be left South which would trouble me very much on account of paying the money I had borrowed by a certain time, as the people had placed confidence in me. He said he was very glad I had told him as he had $30,000 worth of goods on the road or about to start, but wanted to know why I did to come back. I told him that at that time I feared come back told me before he was a widower; said he would like to become better acquainted with me; said Rosecrans had given him a pass to take my pass and have it changed to come back to Gallatin, where I could get to Murfreesborough after awhile. He went to headquarters and came back with the pass changed but laughed about the wording of it. He sid he would go with me in the morning and would be happy to render my any assistance I might need, and would introduce me to a merchant where I could get my things at wholesale.
"After we started in the morning I asked him how he came to have so much influence with Rosecrans. Said they were old neighbors, but after a little told me he was a Southern man as strong as any dared to be. I found I was in a close place. I could turn neither way, for the conductor would not wait for me to take my trunk aboard at Mitchellville, so that I could leave him in Louisville. He finally after we got there told me not to get anything contraband, but I told him there was nothing contraband while in the United States, and if I stopped finally urged me to buy. I told him I had no means; he offered me some money but I refused it. He then urged me to take the money I had brought to pay the debt I had contracted in New Albany. I was in debt in Winchester and thought if I had money it was a great temptation to buy and to stop in Gallatain and if Morgan took that part of the country it would help me out of debt but I did not yield at first.
I went to New Albany and found the lawyer gone from home. Forsythe went with me when he found now things were. He told the gentleman in the office that I had to sacrifice a great deal of my money so that I had not got the clothing I needed and that he would vouch that I would send the money back in two or three weeks through his name to Cahill and Hues, Louisville, and gave his name and theirs in writing. Then as soon as we were in the street told me to buy drugs, and he would send me whatever I wanted in the drug line, and as soon as I could get to Atlanta he would visit me and set me up in a commission store. I supposed it was all understood between him and Rosecrans.
I need not worry about it when I bought my drugs. I traded where I had bought 50 cents worth of goods while I was boarding in town. He did not stop in the store when I traded; I wondered at it. We did not get back to Louisville till 12 at night on Saturday; the ferry-boat detained us. I had agreed to receive my knitting-machine at 7 o'clock that night; I could not get it on Sunday. On Sunday evening he told me he had got a pass to go from Boyle, but he telegraphed to Nashville to see if it was all right; seemed very much elated. I ought to have mentioned before that my drugs were brought from New Albany in a carpet bag. He carried it for me and some little bundles besides. While I lighted the gas he set my things into my room and bid me was not in my room. I called the landlord. He said the guard found it standing on the out door step. I told him he did not for there was a light in the hall; Forsythe preceded me upstairs and that he set it down by my door while I was unlocking it, and that after he bid me good night I looked to see if there was anything left but there was nothing there. The landlord said [he] had it put in the office. The facts were when he bid me good night he took the satchel to the office; had it examined (the key was in it); then telegraphed to Nashville. When to Gallatin without molestation forthwith. My trunk was not opened. I told him on Sunday night I had to stay until Tuesday night on account of my knitting-machine. He said I must go with him and he would leave a line to have it expressed on the next train but I took a carriage and got it before the cars started. The officers from Nashville met us at Bowling Green and arrested me at Mitchellville, fifty miles this side of Gallatin; took me to Nashville where they confiscated everything.
"I was arrested on Monday before Christmas and have never known what evidence there was against me nor on what footing I was here until to-day. He has sworn falsely and misrepresented other things then said jocosely. The officer told me at Nashville that the fact of Gallating being attacked the very night I would have got there made it look like a preconcerted plan, but it was a feint of some of his men while like a preconcerted plan, but it was a feint of some of his men while he attacked Elizabethtown, but I knew nothing whatever more than what I had learned by Morgan's adjutant two weeks before, and I had been delayed and so had he by the Hartsville fight, and it was purely accidental my starting that day. I never spoke with Morgan nor any other officer of the Confederacy higher than a lieutenant-colonel and then only about my pass. Perhaps I ought to except General Polk. He is an old acquaintance, but politics were never mentioned. I never had anything to do with political affairs, neither do I wish to have.
"I am perfectly willing to make oath that this is as near the truth as I can get it from memory.
"MRS. CLARA JUDD. "
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OFFICE CHIEF OF POLICE, FOURTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
Nashville, January 13, 1863.
Captain WILLIAM M. WILES,
Provost-Marshal-General, Fourteenth Army Corps.
SIR: The following is the substance of the testimony elicited in the case of Mrs. Clara Judd, arrested by the army police on charge of attempting to carry through the lines articles contraband of war such as quinine, morphine, nitrate of silver, besides other goods, and one knitting-machine carried as a pattern, which articles, were found and have been purchased by her and brought within these army lines upon a pass obtained under false pretenses.
Mrs. Judd is the widow of an Episcopal clergyman who resides in Winchester, Tenn. He died some two years since leaving a large family of some seven children. Mrs. Judd passed through our lines with permission to take her three youngest children to Minnesota, from whence the family originally came. She took them, leaving them with a sister, she herself returning and passing through our lines to the rebel army. One of her oldest boys had found employment in the rebel establishment at Atlanta, Ga. During her absence her premises were seized on by the Confederates and her children remaining were taken by this young man to Atlanta. In the autumn of 1862 she returned to Winchester, went thence to Atlanta claims to have received some $500 Southern funds of her son, which she exchanged for money current in the North. She also received funds from persons who desired her to purchase articles from the North for them. Having thus provided herself she came through our lines and was, under her representations that she wished to go to her children in Minnesota, granted a pass North. She states that from conversation of officers of the Confederate service whom she met on the cars going from Atlanta to Murfreesborough she learned I was the intention of John Morgan to strike at our railroad communications near Gallating at a certain time.
She found a traveling companion in the person of a Mr. Forsythe northward. She went as far as Louisville and Jeffersonville or New Albany, procuring the goods specified, returned on a pass to Gallatin. She states that her intention was to stop at Gallatin and set up the knitting-machine and manufacture stockings, &c., for a living, her object in doing so being that she would be near her children in Atlanta; that her living would be cheaper than in Nashville; that she supposed it would be lawful for her to hold her goods in expectation that the enemy would occupy the country and that she would then fall into their lines. It appears that she was tolerably well informed because about the time she expected it Morgan did make an attempt on Gallatin and shortly after broke the road above there.
It is respectfully submitted that she is a dangerous person to remain in these lines; that she is probably a spy as well as smuggler; that cases of this kind being of frequent occurrence by females examples should be made, and that as there is at present no proper tribunal for her especial trial or proper place of imprisonment at Nashville, she be committed to the military prison at Alton in the State of Illinois, for trial. It is well to state further that Mrs. Judd represents her son at Atlanta to be a very ingenious mechanic and that it was her intention to furnish him with the knitting-machine for the purpose of manufacturing others from it taken as a pattern.
Very respectfully,
JOHN FITCH,
Provost-Judge.
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Colonel Third Infantry, Commissary-General of Prisoners.
MILITARY PRISON, Alton, Ill., May 15, 1863.
Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners, Washington, D. C.:
COLONEL; I have the honor to forward herewith an application* of the female prisoner, Mrs. Clara Judd, now in confinement in this prison, for a parole to go to her friends in the State of Minnesota. She desires this indulgence on account of her health which for some time past has not been very good. The parole is recommended by her attending physician, Assistant Surgeon Wall, of the Seventy-seventh Ohio Volunteers, the prison physician. I inclose also a copy of the charges against Mrs. Judd. From what I have seen of Mrs. Judd since she has been under my control I am inclined to think if she were permitted to go to Minnesota she would probably remain there and give no further trouble during the war.
I have the honor to be, sir, with much respect, your most obedient servant,
T. HENDRICKSON.
Major Third Infantry, Commanding the Prison.
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ALTON MILITARY PRISON HOSPITAL, Alton, Ill., May 12, 1863.
Major T. HENDRICKSON, Third Infantry, U. S. Army, and Prison Commandant.
MAJOR: I beg leave to respectfully represent to you that the condition of Mrs. Judd's health (a prisoner of war confined in the above-named prison) is such that in my opinion she had better be paroled outside the prison walls. The utter impossibility of having any of her own sex to attend her in sickness makes it impossible for her medical attendants to render her that assistance they could under other circumstances.
Respectfully, yours,
AND. WALL
Surgeon in Charge Military Prison Hospital.
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Commissary-General of Prisoners.
ALTON MILITARY PRISON, Alton, Ill., February 16, 1863.
Colonel W. HOFFMAN, Commissary-General of Prisoners.
COLONEL: On the night of the 23rd of January last a Mrs. Clara Judd, a female prisoner, was brought to this prison in company with several male prisoners, all of whom were easily provided for except the female. I did not know what to do with her as there were no rooms about the building where cooking could be done without a great expense, as I myself with several other officers am boarding at these headquarter buildings and have her boarded at $2 per week. But I do not feel justified to continue such board without General Rosecrans. She has never had any trial but is held in this prison as a spy. Please let me know what I shall do in regard to her board. She resides near Winchester, Tenn.
I ask what can be done for prisoners of war who do not want to be exchanged and return to the reel army and rebel service but say they would positively rather be hung than return to such army and service and continue in such a war? These prisoners are nearly all Union men in feeling and some are anxious to join our ranks. Please instruct me in regard to this class of prisoners.
Colonel F. A. Dick, provost-marshal general at Saint Louis, Mo., has in some instances released prisoners of war other than those he sent to this prison, which by a letter of instructions previously [sent] to him and myself from you allowed him to release those only that he may have sent here. I call your attention to this but feel confident that Colonel Dick does not intend to assume power and improperly exercise it. A word from you on that subject is sufficient. All such prisoners as come under General Orders, Numbers 193, with your instructions added, are released by me as fast as we can satisfy ourselves as to the fact of their or they being entitled to such release. Please answer my three inquiries for instructions and oblige.
Very respectfully submitted.
J. HILDEBRAND,
Colonel, Commanding Post.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Trouble In Researching, Need Stories.
As researchers we some times put are noses in where it’s not wanted. We some time ruffle a part of ones family feathers with out meaning too. When we are asked to look into some ones ancestry we don’t think of trouble, but we should, for even in this day and age there are families that would not like the family skeletons brought out of the closet.
Below is my story on what can happen when one is researching. I would like to hear from others that may have had similar experiences. Be general in terms, no family names, unless you are given the ok. Please do not post them here write to me directly. When I have enough I will be posting them on this site. My address can be found in my profile.
A few years ago I was asked by a gentleman to look into one of his ancestors, who was a old time marshal and out law. Well being interested in the old west, I said I would be glad too. I went into to it head long, looking into books and the web, with out thinking anything about it. Well we corresponded back and forth for over a year, then one day out of the blue he warned me to be careful as there were some family members living in my area and was not taking to kindly in my looking into their ancestor. It seems this family is very religious and would do about any thing to keep their family untarnished. After a year I found I was not getting any where, so I put it a side, but I couldn’t stop thinking about this person and still do too this day.
Then the day came when I decided to have a web site, but what to put on it? Then I thought about that ancestor, who I had over forty pages of info on, it was a great story but was just going to waste. I would title it the ( The Mystery Man.), well I spent three days putting the pages together, when it was done I thought he would be pleased, as my thought was if it got out on the web we might get some answers and new leads. I mush say at this time I had been warned never to put in print anything of the family unless he give the ok. I know I should of asked first but I didn’t think it would hurt as my web site had just started and would not hit the ( main stream ) of the web as I call it for about six months, which is about the time it took.
Well I thought I was save and he would like it and everything would be ok. Well I wrote him and asked what he thought, Well let me tell you If I had stood outside when he saw that page I would have heard him even if I was three States away, to say he was mad is to say the lest. He wrote me back and told me to remove it immediately or I would have more trouble then I could handle and he was thinking of coming up and telling me so face to face. Now I know what your thinking I brought all this on myself and you would be right, but I was new to all this, and I thought all would be ok.
He wrote me the next day and apologize for his out bust, but even so he had lost all trust in me and would not give any more info, and I was still not to give any info on the family.
I have over the years tried to write to him but he will not answer. I learn two good lesson from this, one, always following the guide lines your customer give you and second you never know when your going to ruffle some ones feathers.
Below is my story on what can happen when one is researching. I would like to hear from others that may have had similar experiences. Be general in terms, no family names, unless you are given the ok. Please do not post them here write to me directly. When I have enough I will be posting them on this site. My address can be found in my profile.
A few years ago I was asked by a gentleman to look into one of his ancestors, who was a old time marshal and out law. Well being interested in the old west, I said I would be glad too. I went into to it head long, looking into books and the web, with out thinking anything about it. Well we corresponded back and forth for over a year, then one day out of the blue he warned me to be careful as there were some family members living in my area and was not taking to kindly in my looking into their ancestor. It seems this family is very religious and would do about any thing to keep their family untarnished. After a year I found I was not getting any where, so I put it a side, but I couldn’t stop thinking about this person and still do too this day.
Then the day came when I decided to have a web site, but what to put on it? Then I thought about that ancestor, who I had over forty pages of info on, it was a great story but was just going to waste. I would title it the ( The Mystery Man.), well I spent three days putting the pages together, when it was done I thought he would be pleased, as my thought was if it got out on the web we might get some answers and new leads. I mush say at this time I had been warned never to put in print anything of the family unless he give the ok. I know I should of asked first but I didn’t think it would hurt as my web site had just started and would not hit the ( main stream ) of the web as I call it for about six months, which is about the time it took.
Well I thought I was save and he would like it and everything would be ok. Well I wrote him and asked what he thought, Well let me tell you If I had stood outside when he saw that page I would have heard him even if I was three States away, to say he was mad is to say the lest. He wrote me back and told me to remove it immediately or I would have more trouble then I could handle and he was thinking of coming up and telling me so face to face. Now I know what your thinking I brought all this on myself and you would be right, but I was new to all this, and I thought all would be ok.
He wrote me the next day and apologize for his out bust, but even so he had lost all trust in me and would not give any more info, and I was still not to give any info on the family.
I have over the years tried to write to him but he will not answer. I learn two good lesson from this, one, always following the guide lines your customer give you and second you never know when your going to ruffle some ones feathers.
The Men Of The Steamer Philo Parson.
Back ground on the Parson by the Naval Historical Center.
Philo Parsons was a Detroit-Sandusky steamer seized on Lake Erie by Confederate raiders in an attempt to capture USS Michigan, only United States war vessel on the Great Lakes, and liberate Confederate prisoners she was guarding on Johnson's Island, off Sandusky, 0.
The commandos boarded at Maiden, Upper Canada (Ont.), in the guise of passengers, 19 September 1864. Their leader was Acting Master's Mate John Y. Beall, CSN, who had helped Capt. Charles H. Cole, CSA, of Gen. Nathan B. Forrest's command—an escapee from Johnson's I. in July—organize the plot under chief Confederate agent in Canada, Col. Jacob Thompson (v. Georgian supra). Cole also claimed to have a commission as Lieutenant, CSN.
Cole was drinking with officers of Michigan when Beall took over Parsons; the scheme went awry, Cole was arrested and failed to send a messenger, as agreed, to Beall, but the latter proceeded according to plan regardless. Beall, in Parsons, had to stop at Middle Bass Island for wood; Island Queen "with a large number of passengers and 32 soldiers" tied up alongside them with the same intent. The Parsons raiders took them all prisoner, paroled the soldiers and left the civilians on the isle sworn not to leave for 24 hours. Island Queen was towed out to deep water and sunk; Parsons finally headed for Sandusky, but for some reason now unknown the crew all backed out, refusing to attack Michigan.
Nothing was left for it but to retreat: at Sandwich, Ont., the 20th, "after plundering and cutting her pipes to scuttle" her, Philo Parsons was left to founder while, according to Colonel Thompson, "most of" the Confederate conspirators escaped below the Mason-Dixon Line; Acting Master's Mate Bennett G. Burley, CSN, did not: Comdr. John C. Carter, USN, of Michigan telegraphed of Burley, "I have got the principal agent prisoner on board and many accomplices." Canada sought at the Burley trial to force Colonel Thompson's expulsion from the country as the espionage mastermind behind the Parsons, Georgian and other incidents.
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There has been a lot written about the ( Philo Parson ) but little is said about the men on her, and what they saw and heard. The following are statements in their own words on what they saw and heard as the steamer was being taken over and what happen to them after the take over.
Affidavit of James Denison, engineer.
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
County of Wayne,
James Denison, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is twenty-eight years of age, and is engineer of the steam-boat Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on board said vessel on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on the 19th day of September, A. D. 1864; that said steam-boat left the dock at Detroit about 8 o'clock in the morning, with about thirty-five passengers on board. The boat, after stopping at Sandwich and Malden, and taking other passengers, put out into Lake Erie for Sandusky. After we left Kelly's Island, and about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I was in the fireman's room. I heard a noise on the boat and came out on deck. I then heard a man, armed with a revolver, call to Campbell, the wheelman, who was then ascending from the main deck to the upper deck, to stop and go down in the fire-hold. Campbell did not stop, and the man then fired at him, but did not hit him. There were eight or nine others, armed with revolvers, on the main deck, yelling and driving most of the passengers down into the fire-hold. After most of them were driven below they put down the hatches and put a lot of iron on the top.
All the crew of the main deck, except the fireman and myself, were driven below. I was ordered to work the engine just as they wanted me to. The boat was then steered out into the lake in a northeasterly direction. After running about eight or nine miles, they put her about and came back to Middle Bass Island, having previously inquired of me if I had wood enough to run seven or eight hours, to which I replied that I had not. They made fast to the dock at Middle Bass Island. I heard them fire five or six shots, but could not tell what they fired at. They then commenced wording up, with the assistance of some of the crew, whom they had released from the fire-hold. While so engaged the steamer Island Queen came alongside. I heard them firing again shortly after, but did not know till afterward that the engineer was wounded. They then drove all the passengers on to the Parsons, and put them into the fire-hold with the rest.
I heard them then parole some of the passengers and soldiers on board that they would not fight against the Southern Confederacy until exchanged. Besides those they put into the fire-hold, they put a good many, including several ladies, ashore. The Parsons then started out with the Island Queen in tow; and after taking her beyond Ballast Island they scuttled her, and she sank. After leaving her we ran beyond Mardlehead Light about two miles, and then turned back and ran for Detroit River. A little above Malden the life-boat was sent ashore, loaded with stuff taken from the boat. At Fighting Island, all of the passengers and crew, except three of the latter, were sent ashore in two boat-loads. This was about 8 o'clock in the morning. We then ran up to Sandwich and made fast to the dock. They then took a piano, three looking-glasses, and an easy chair out of the boat. They then cut the injection pipes and left her to sink, and all came off the boat. They appeared to be under the command of a man they called captain.
JAMES DENISON.
Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Michael Campbell,
County of Wayne.
Michael Campbell, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is twenty-one years old and wheelman of the steam-boat Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on board said steamer on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday, September 19, 1864, and that the following circumstances took place, as nearly as deponent can recollect: The boat left the dock at Detroit at 8 a. m., with from twenty-five to thirty passengers on board. I saw one man, whom I afterward recognized as the ringleader of the band, come over on the ferry-boat from Windsor about half an hour before the Parsons started with another man, another of the pirates.
He then saw the captain and asked him to stop at Sandwich and Malden, as there were some more men to get aboard there. The boat did not generally stop at Sandwich unless there were passengers there. I saw five others get on board at Sandwich. I heard the man who got on board at Detroit inquire of those who got on board at Sandwich "where the rest of them were." One of them replied that "they did not come." About fifteen more got on at Malden. I observed nothing suspicious until after dinner. One of the men who came on board at Detroit spoke to me twice during the forenoon, asked me some questions about the course I was steering, the distance to the island, and borrowed my glass to look around with. Just after dinner I observed two of them on the pilot-house, two on the wheel-house, and two aft on the hurricane-deck.
About 4 o'clock, and just after we left Kelly's Island, as I was standing in the saloon, I heard a shot, a yell, and then another shot. I then ran onto the main deck, and saw a man run after the fireman with a cocked revolver in his hand, shouting to him to go down the main hatch, or he would shoot him. The fireman escaped, and the man turned to me and made the same order. I hold him to "go to hell," and he shot at me, the ball passing between my legs as I was ascending from the main to the upper deck. On reaching the upper deck I saw five others with revolvers in their hands driving the passengers forward and detaining them. They then ordered them back to the cabin, commanded them to give up their arms, and searched some of them. From the cabin they were driven down to the main deck and down the fire-hold.
I was driven down with them. Soon one whom they called colonel came and inquired up to thrown over the cargo of pig-iron. They then asked me if I could fetch her back the same way she came. I told them I could; went to the wheel-house and turned her back. She had been running during the excitement for perhaps half an hour in the same course she was running when the outbreak occurred. They inquired where I could get wood, and on my replying that it could be obtained at Middle Bass Island, they ordered me to steer there. We reached there about dark and laid alongside the wharf. they fired two or three shots there at the owner of the wood and two other men who were standing on the dock, and refuse to help unpitying wood on board. The captain of the boat, who was on shore at the island that day, came down when he heard the shorts fired, and was seized and put into the cabin.
The steamer Island Queen soon came alongside. They made a rush for her at once. She was seized, and the passengers driven on board the Parsons. The Queen was then taken in tow, and both boats started for Sandusky. About half was between Middle Bass and Kelly's Island they let go of the Queen; told me they scuttled her, and I saw no more of her. When opposite Marblehead Light I told the one who they called colonel that it was dangerous to run into Sandusky Bay by night. He told me if I thought I could not get in then not to try it, as he did not want to get aground. I told him the channel was too narrow. He then called his men forward, conversed with them a few minutes, and then came and told me to head the boat for Malden. They told me that everything they met on the was up they were going to destroy. They established a regular watch on deck, and I turned the boat toward Malden. We saw but one vessel near to us as we went up; they told me to go alongside of her, and then asked what waters she was in. When I told him she was in British waters, they said they would not touch her. We reached Malden between 4 and 5 in the morning. About three miles above that place two of the men took one of the Island Queen's yawl-boats, filled her with plunder, and went ashore.
They told me to keep as near as possible to the British shore. They took all their plunder, piled it aft, sent ashore all the crew and the captain and engineer of the Queen at Fighting Island, and kept on toward Detroit. We stopped at Sandwich; made fast to the dock. The rebels put ashore their plunder, including piano, morrows, chairs, and trunks and bed clothes. Heard one of them say that if no one else would go he would take the boat across the river and burn her. They would not do this; but took the engineer below and made him cut the injection pipes for the purpose of sinking the boat. One of them then told me to come over that evening to Windsor, as they were going to have a great spree there. I said probably I would, but did not go. The colonel then came to me, remarked that I had been faithful to them, and he would make me a present. He handed me a half dozen spoons and eight silver forks. Said he had no money. The engineer and I started for Windsor; some of the party were before and some behind us, each with his load of booty. They were all young men, between twenty and thirty, and all armed with two revolvers and an ax.
MICHAEL CAMPBELL.
Subscribed and sworn to this 23rd day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Sylvester F. Atwood.
County of Wayne.
Sylvester F. Atwood, being duly sworn, saith, that he is fifty-eight years of age, a sailor by occupation, and master of the steamer Philo Parsons; was on board on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday last. Just after we left the dock the clerk informed me there was a man on board who wonted me to stop at Sandwich to take on some of his friends there. I saw this man, and asked him why he did not bring his friends to Detroit. He replied that one was lame, and could not well cross the ferry, and remarked it was not out of my way to stop. I stooped there, saw six or eight persons on the dock, and should judge four or five men came on board. One of them, a young man, walked lame, but soon revolved from it. The man who spoke to me about stopping at Sandwich was a stout, thick-set man, about twenty-five years old, a little under medium height; wore British clothes, and was apparently Scotch or English.
In going down the river he spoke to me about stopping at Malden; said that there would be some men to get on there; that there was a party going to Kelly's Island to fish and have a time. I touched at Malden, and I should think twenty men got on board, all young men except one, who told me afterward he was a surgeon. I could not see whether they brought anything with them or not, as I was on the upper deck. I thought most of them appeared to be Southerners or Northern refugees. Nothing particular occurred to my knowledge going down, except that ten or twelve of them kept constantly on the upper deck. I left the boat at Middle Bass Island, where I reside. I do so as often as once a week. The boat went on, and I saw nothing more of her until a little after 7. I did not see her coming in, but a little boy came running up very much frightened; said that they were shooting there and killing his father; and said the Parsons had come. I immediately started for the dock; saw a number of men running about there; went up and asked them what in hell was up.
Three or four pistols were at once pointed at me, and I was ordered aboard the boat. I refused to go, and replied that I was captain of that boat myself. Two of them shoved me onto the plank, and I walked aboard. They followed me to the cabin, and I saw the crew and passengers sitting there guarded by men with pistols. I asked mr. Ashley, the clerk, what it all meant; and he replied that the boat was seized by the rebels, and there was no use resisting. Pretty soon one of them, the oldest man of the party, invited me to sit down beside him; and on my asking him what it all meant, replied that he could not tell me; that he was a surgeon in the Confederate Army; that it was an unpleasant affair to me, but he had his duty to perform; that I had better take the thing cool, and that I should not be hurt.
I requested permission to go and see my wife, pledging my honor that I would return; but he refused. I then asked to see the captain, and he said he would introduce me to him, and that the captain wished to see me. He said he thought I'd get my boat again. About this time I heard the whistle of the Island Queen. I heard the order, "as many as could be spared from the cabin, come this way." The Queen came alongside, and a rush was made for her. I soon saw the passengers of the Queen passing on to out boat, under the direction of the rebels, and our cabin was soon filed with them. This man who came on board at Detroit stood at the door, ordered the passengers to come out, three at a time, under guard, and to be put into the hold. Most of the men were sent below in this manner; the women and children, and a few of the men were left in the cabin with me. The commander soon came along, and the surgeon introduced me to him. He said he wished to see me alone.
We went forward to my room. He asked me to pledge my word I would not leave the island in twenty-four hours, unless my boat came back; said he wanted me to go ashore and take charge of them; said he did not want me on board. It was then 8 o'clock, and a bright moonlight. I told him I wished to take some of my clothes; but he said I need not, as the room would not be disturbed. I gathered up a coat and a few little articles, and went ashore with the ladies. I took my house full, and made them comfortable. I soon after went toward the dock; saw other passengers coming off the boat; and the boats both left in about half an hour, the Parsons towing the Queen. I watched them till they passed Ballast Island; and about one and a half or two miles beyond there they parted with the Queen. The Queen soon after drifted out of sight. In the conversation with the campaign he said he should probably burn the Queen; and that my boat I should get again. They wanted to get rid of the Queen. I begged that the passengers might be sent ashore. I saw the boat pass up again about 1 o'clock, running very fast. When I next saw the boat she had been nearly stripped of furniture; a portion of it was returned on Saturday night. I should judge there were twenty-five pirates, who came on at Detroit, Sandwich, and Malden. They were most of them armed with two revolvers, and many of them with hand-axes.
S. F. ATWOOD.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
State of Michigan
De Witt C. Nichols,
COUNTY OF WAYNE.
De Witt C. Nichols, of Middle Bass Island, in the State of Ohio, mate or pilot of the steam-boat Philo Parsons, plying between Detroit and Sandusky, maketh oath and saith, that on Monday, the 19th day of September instant, he was on board the said boat, and acting in said capacity, from about 8 a. m. on said day, when said boat started from Detroit for Sandusky, until the capture of said boat, as hereinafter mentioned. Said boat was stopped and took in passengers as follows: At Sandwich, Canada West, four passengers; at Malden, twenty to twenty-five passengers, with luggage, especially one corded pine box, which seemed heavy; at North Bass, a few passengers, who seemed to belong to that island, where the owner of said boat resides; at Put in Bay, some passengers; at Middle BAs, at Kelly's Island, several passengers, leaving said island at 4 p. m. About three-quarters of a mile, and from fifteen to twenty minutes after leaving Kelly's Island (deponent being then at the pilot-house, on the hurricane-deck, and in charge of the ship, the captain having gone ashore for the night at Middle Bass), and the ship being on her straight course for Sandusky, the said Philo Parsons met and passed the Island Queen, passing at about twenty rods distance; passed her in the usual way, and without any communication or signal, private or otherwise, being exchanged to deponent's knowledge.
Immediately after passing her, and deponent being still at the pilot-house, he was accosted by one of the passengers - a man about five feet eight or ten inches high, fair complexion, brown hair, no side whiskers or mustache, wearing Kossuth hat, and apparently thirty years of age, who appeared afterward to be the chief of the party who seized said boat as hereinafter mentioned. He presented himself suddenly before deponent, and asked, "Are you captain of this boat?" To which deponent replied, "No, sir; I am mate." He then asked, "You have charge of her at present, have you not?" Deponent replied, "Yes, sir." He then said, "Will you step back here for a minute? I want to talk to you." Deponent then walked aft with him to near the smokestack, on the hurricane-deck. He then said: "I am a Confederate officer. There are thirty of us, well armed. I seize this boat, and take you as a prisoner. You must pilot the boat as I direct you, and" - pulling a revolver out of his pocket and showing it to deponent - "here are the tools to make you. Run down and lie off the harbor" - meaning the harbor of Sandusky, then about twelve miles distant.
Deponent then sat down on top of the pilot-house, an armed man being placed beside him by the said chief - who seemed to go by the name of Captain Bell - to keep guard over deponent. The said boat was then kept by said Bell's directions a little to the east of the true course for Sandusky, and run so for about eight miles, until a good view into the harbor at about eight miles, until a good view into the harbor at about eight miles distant from the bar, near Cedar Point, was obtained. It was then about 5 p. m., and the U. S. vessel Michigan was plainly visible, and many questions were asked of deponent by said guard in relation to said Michigan and her position within the harbor. After having examined the harbor thus, said Bell ascertained by inquiry from deponent that there was not fuel enough to take the boat very far, and that it was not usual to have more on board than enough to run the boat from the Bass Islands to Sandusky and back. Thereupon, and after some conversation among themselves, they ordered the wheelman to turn back for wood, and they accordingly reached the wording station at Middle Bass between 7 and 8 p. m., and did not transmit orders to the wheelman through deponent after having so put about, but gave him direct orders, permitting deponent to remain in the cabin until after the seizure of the Island Queen, as hereinafter mentioned. About half an hour after reaching said wording station, the Island Queen came alongside to land freight and passengers, and was boarded by said Bell's party, and her passengers, except the women and children, put down into the hold of the Parsons.
But before leaving said station, all except the captain, clear, and engineer of the Island Queen, deponent, the wheelman, and some others of the crew of the Parsons, were allowed to go on shore on engaging not to speak of what had occurred for a certain length of time. After leaving Middle Bass the second time, and having the Island Queen in tow, they shaped a course for Sandusky, and when between Ballast Island and Kelly's Island they cut off the Island Queen, and said they had cut her pipes, so that she would sink. Immediately after this, all said persons excepted above, except the engineer and wheelman of the Parsons, were ordered into the hold; and deponent saw nothing more until, after hearing said boat foul something (which deponent afterward learned was the inclosure of a fish-pond off Middle Bass Island), deponent was ordered on deck. On reaching the deck deponent found said vessel off Middle Bass Island, on her second return from off Sandusky harbor; and while below deponent was told by the engineer that they ran about two or three miles beyond marblehead on the straight course to Sandusky; but deponent heard nothing, and can conjecture nothing as to the reason for the said second return form off Sandusky harbor. Deponent was desired to pilot said boat for Detroit River, and did so.
On entering the said river said Bell pointed out certain vessels to deponent, and inquired what waters they were in; and being informed that they were in Canadian waters, remarked that it was a good thing for them that they were, otherwise that they would have boarded them. They there inquired for one Ives, a banker residing at Grosse Isle, and said it it had not been so late they would have robbed him; and desired deponent, as it was so late, to take the boat up the British channel. Deponent piloted said boat accordingly until reaching the head of remained until taken off to Ecorse by a small boat, getting on board the Pearl at Ecorse, and stopping at Sandwich. He there was the Parsons, and took possession of her, and sent word by the captain of the Pearl to Detroit of what had happened. Deponent saith that the second in command of said party was a man of middle stature, apparently about thirty years of age, wore a small mustache, and no other whiskers or beard; fair complexion, sandy-haired; wore a woolen cap, with a net peak; spoke with a Scotch accent, as well as deponent can judge; and appeared to understand the details of the engine fixings. The whole party were young men except one, who called himself a surgeon, and were generally fair-complexioned and rather full-bodied men. Two of said party left the said boat in a small boat belonging to the Island Queen, after having passed Malden, the Patrons being slowed for that purpose; and deponent saw them shape their course for a point about a mile north of Malden, where there is a mile kiln. Deponent was robbed by said party of clothes and other effects which he could not replace for $200.
D. C. NICHOLS.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
James Denison,
County of Wayne.
James Denison, being further duly sworn, saith, that when the Parsons returned to Sandwich there were not more than three persons on the dock; they appeared to be Canadians. I did not stay there more than fifteen minutes. They made me show them the injection pipes below, smashed one of them themselves and I cut the other. As I was going up street I saw ten or fifteen men and boys coming down. They were talking among themselves, but I heard little of what was said. The rebels, I thought, were talking about burning the boat; and one of these Canadians, a grayish-headed man, about forty years old, said they should not do it there. Soon after Campbell and I walked away, and one of the rebels walked with us to the head of the street. I did not see them take the piano from the cabin to the lower deck, but saw them take it on the dock. Did not see them injure the boat there, except to cut her pipes. Saw most of them walk away; some went up to Windsor with us, each with a bundle of plunder in his hands.
JAMES DENISON.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Walter O. Ashley
County of Wayne.
Walter O. Ashley, being duly sworn, saith, that he is twenty-eight years of age, and is clerk and part owner of the steamer Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on said steamer on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday last. On the evening before, about 8 o'clock, a young man, about twenty-five years old -evidently Scotch or English, stout, thick-set, a little below medium height, dressed in English clothes, very light hair, very thin, light-colored beard - with the address of a gentleman, came on board the boat, called me by name; said he and a party of friends were going to take a pleasure trip to Kelly's Island in the morning, and wished the boat to stop at Sandwich and take on his friends, one of them, being lame, did not like to come up. I told him if he would be at Detroit in the morning himself to let me know if the men were going the boat would stop and take them. I told him further that they could take no baggage, as there was no custom-house on Kelly's Island. The steamer Philo Parsons left Detroit on the morning of September 19, at 8 a. m., with about forty passengers.
Immediately after leaving Detroit this same young man, whom I had frequently seen before, came to me, and calling me by name, said there were four passengers who wanted to take the boat at Sandwich, a small town on the Canadian side of the river, some three miles below Detroit. I reported the same to Captain Atwood, and he stopped and took them on. They said when they came on board taht they were taking a little pleasure trip, and intended to stop at Kelly's Island. All the baggage they had was a small hand-satchel. At Malden, twenty miles down the river on the Canada side, where the boat stops regularly, there were about twenty men came on board and took passage for Sandusky. As it had been quite common of late to take on nearly that number of passengers at this pint nearly every trip - most of them being skedaddlers from the State of Ohio, and getting starved out in Canada and returning home I at once set the party down as a lot of skedaddlers returning home. A large old fashioned trunk, tied up with ropes, constituted the baggage of the party. Everything went off quietly during the day.
The boat stopped at a number of the islands, taking on quiet a number of passengers. Captain Atwood stooped off the boat at Middle Bass Island, where he resides. Shortly after leaving Kelly's Island, between the island and Sandusky, I was standing in front of my office, when four of the party came up to me, and drawing revolvers, leveled them, and said if I offered any resistance I was a dead man. At the same time the old black trunk flew open, and in less time than it takes to write it the whole gang of about thirty-five were armed to the teeth with revolvers, hatchets, &c. I then told them that they apparently had the strongest party, and guessed I should have to surrender. They then stationed two men to watch me, the remainder rushing into the cabin and threatening to shoot any one that offered any resistance.
There was a large number of ladies on board, who were very much frightened. The boat was then headed down the lake for about an hour; then turned around and ran to Middle Bass Island. While lying there the steamer Island Queen came alongside and was instantly seized. Quite a number of shots were fired, and a number were struck with hatchets, but I think no one was killed. The passengers of both boats were then put ashore, and a portion of the baggage. After taking what money I had, they requested me to go ashore. They allowed me to take my private property, but none of the books or papers belonging to the boat.
The boats were then started out in the lake, the Parsons towing the Queen a short distance into the lake and then let her go adrift. From observations at Kelly's Island next morning, the Queen was supposed to be seen ashore on Middle Island. After putting off the passengers at Middle Bass Island, the Philo Parsons headed for Sandusky and was gone about four hours. She afterward returned under a full head of steam, and after passing Middle Bass headed for Malden, Canada, and steering in that direction as long as she could be seen.
The crew of both boats were retained and made to do the bidding of the parties in possession. I heard the captain of the gang say that he would place myself and the passengers where we could give no information until morning, and before that time their work would be completed. He said it was their intention to run to the mouth of Sandusky Bay, and if they received the proper signals it was their intention to run in, attack the U. S. steamer Michigan lying off Johnson's Island, and then release their friends imprisoned at that place. The men who got on board at Sandwich appeared to be English gentlemen; all well dressed in English clothes; two wearing kid gloves; inquired about the grapes and wines on the islands, and were sociable with the passengers. Think these four were Southerners dressed in English costume to disguise themselves. The party which came on at malden had nothing to do with those that came on at Sandwich, and did not appear to recognize them. Their clothes were worn, some of them ragged, and all had apparently seen hard service. The trunk was brought on by two of the hardest looking of the crowd. Nearly all paid their fare singly in greenbacks.
On arriving at Kelly's Island I remarked to the Sandwich party that I supposed they were going to get off there. Just then three or four men came to the gangway from the dock, and speaking to the Sankwich party said, "We have concluded to go to Sandusky." One of that party said, "We will go with you," and all came aboard. The Kelly-Island party proved to be a part of the same band. After the seizure the boat was steered down the lake directly away from their course to Sandusky, and in plain sight of Johnson's Island and the steamer Michigan. Some of them seemed to wish to burn the Parsons, others did not. This Scotchman I have spoken of said the boat would burn, or he would die.
He seemed to be a ringleader, and bent upon all the destruction possible. He said he had been lieutenant in the navy, but did not say what navy; others also told me so. He took charge of the deck, and seemed well versed in the business. They said part belonged to John Morgan's band, and one was named Morgan. There were about twenty-five unarmed soldiers on board the Island Queen when she was taken-returned 100-days' men from Ohio, going to Toledo to be mustered out. They were not under command of an officer. The engineer of the Island Queen resisted, and was instantly shot, but not killed. The number of our men, including crew, at the time the Parsons was captured, did not exceed thirty-five. The trunks of passengers were not generally plundered; most of it was sent ashore at Middle Bass Island. The cargo of thirty tons pig-iron, some furniture, and tobacco, was thrown overboard. I saw fire-balls of hemp, which the porter told me he was ordered to make - some to burn the Parsons, and some to burn Mr. Ives' house, on Grosse Isle.
W. O. ASHLEY.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN.
Philo Parsons was a Detroit-Sandusky steamer seized on Lake Erie by Confederate raiders in an attempt to capture USS Michigan, only United States war vessel on the Great Lakes, and liberate Confederate prisoners she was guarding on Johnson's Island, off Sandusky, 0.
The commandos boarded at Maiden, Upper Canada (Ont.), in the guise of passengers, 19 September 1864. Their leader was Acting Master's Mate John Y. Beall, CSN, who had helped Capt. Charles H. Cole, CSA, of Gen. Nathan B. Forrest's command—an escapee from Johnson's I. in July—organize the plot under chief Confederate agent in Canada, Col. Jacob Thompson (v. Georgian supra). Cole also claimed to have a commission as Lieutenant, CSN.
Cole was drinking with officers of Michigan when Beall took over Parsons; the scheme went awry, Cole was arrested and failed to send a messenger, as agreed, to Beall, but the latter proceeded according to plan regardless. Beall, in Parsons, had to stop at Middle Bass Island for wood; Island Queen "with a large number of passengers and 32 soldiers" tied up alongside them with the same intent. The Parsons raiders took them all prisoner, paroled the soldiers and left the civilians on the isle sworn not to leave for 24 hours. Island Queen was towed out to deep water and sunk; Parsons finally headed for Sandusky, but for some reason now unknown the crew all backed out, refusing to attack Michigan.
Nothing was left for it but to retreat: at Sandwich, Ont., the 20th, "after plundering and cutting her pipes to scuttle" her, Philo Parsons was left to founder while, according to Colonel Thompson, "most of" the Confederate conspirators escaped below the Mason-Dixon Line; Acting Master's Mate Bennett G. Burley, CSN, did not: Comdr. John C. Carter, USN, of Michigan telegraphed of Burley, "I have got the principal agent prisoner on board and many accomplices." Canada sought at the Burley trial to force Colonel Thompson's expulsion from the country as the espionage mastermind behind the Parsons, Georgian and other incidents.
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There has been a lot written about the ( Philo Parson ) but little is said about the men on her, and what they saw and heard. The following are statements in their own words on what they saw and heard as the steamer was being taken over and what happen to them after the take over.
Affidavit of James Denison, engineer.
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
County of Wayne,
James Denison, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is twenty-eight years of age, and is engineer of the steam-boat Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on board said vessel on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on the 19th day of September, A. D. 1864; that said steam-boat left the dock at Detroit about 8 o'clock in the morning, with about thirty-five passengers on board. The boat, after stopping at Sandwich and Malden, and taking other passengers, put out into Lake Erie for Sandusky. After we left Kelly's Island, and about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I was in the fireman's room. I heard a noise on the boat and came out on deck. I then heard a man, armed with a revolver, call to Campbell, the wheelman, who was then ascending from the main deck to the upper deck, to stop and go down in the fire-hold. Campbell did not stop, and the man then fired at him, but did not hit him. There were eight or nine others, armed with revolvers, on the main deck, yelling and driving most of the passengers down into the fire-hold. After most of them were driven below they put down the hatches and put a lot of iron on the top.
All the crew of the main deck, except the fireman and myself, were driven below. I was ordered to work the engine just as they wanted me to. The boat was then steered out into the lake in a northeasterly direction. After running about eight or nine miles, they put her about and came back to Middle Bass Island, having previously inquired of me if I had wood enough to run seven or eight hours, to which I replied that I had not. They made fast to the dock at Middle Bass Island. I heard them fire five or six shots, but could not tell what they fired at. They then commenced wording up, with the assistance of some of the crew, whom they had released from the fire-hold. While so engaged the steamer Island Queen came alongside. I heard them firing again shortly after, but did not know till afterward that the engineer was wounded. They then drove all the passengers on to the Parsons, and put them into the fire-hold with the rest.
I heard them then parole some of the passengers and soldiers on board that they would not fight against the Southern Confederacy until exchanged. Besides those they put into the fire-hold, they put a good many, including several ladies, ashore. The Parsons then started out with the Island Queen in tow; and after taking her beyond Ballast Island they scuttled her, and she sank. After leaving her we ran beyond Mardlehead Light about two miles, and then turned back and ran for Detroit River. A little above Malden the life-boat was sent ashore, loaded with stuff taken from the boat. At Fighting Island, all of the passengers and crew, except three of the latter, were sent ashore in two boat-loads. This was about 8 o'clock in the morning. We then ran up to Sandwich and made fast to the dock. They then took a piano, three looking-glasses, and an easy chair out of the boat. They then cut the injection pipes and left her to sink, and all came off the boat. They appeared to be under the command of a man they called captain.
JAMES DENISON.
Subscribed and sworn to this 20th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Michael Campbell,
County of Wayne.
Michael Campbell, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he is twenty-one years old and wheelman of the steam-boat Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on board said steamer on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday, September 19, 1864, and that the following circumstances took place, as nearly as deponent can recollect: The boat left the dock at Detroit at 8 a. m., with from twenty-five to thirty passengers on board. I saw one man, whom I afterward recognized as the ringleader of the band, come over on the ferry-boat from Windsor about half an hour before the Parsons started with another man, another of the pirates.
He then saw the captain and asked him to stop at Sandwich and Malden, as there were some more men to get aboard there. The boat did not generally stop at Sandwich unless there were passengers there. I saw five others get on board at Sandwich. I heard the man who got on board at Detroit inquire of those who got on board at Sandwich "where the rest of them were." One of them replied that "they did not come." About fifteen more got on at Malden. I observed nothing suspicious until after dinner. One of the men who came on board at Detroit spoke to me twice during the forenoon, asked me some questions about the course I was steering, the distance to the island, and borrowed my glass to look around with. Just after dinner I observed two of them on the pilot-house, two on the wheel-house, and two aft on the hurricane-deck.
About 4 o'clock, and just after we left Kelly's Island, as I was standing in the saloon, I heard a shot, a yell, and then another shot. I then ran onto the main deck, and saw a man run after the fireman with a cocked revolver in his hand, shouting to him to go down the main hatch, or he would shoot him. The fireman escaped, and the man turned to me and made the same order. I hold him to "go to hell," and he shot at me, the ball passing between my legs as I was ascending from the main to the upper deck. On reaching the upper deck I saw five others with revolvers in their hands driving the passengers forward and detaining them. They then ordered them back to the cabin, commanded them to give up their arms, and searched some of them. From the cabin they were driven down to the main deck and down the fire-hold.
I was driven down with them. Soon one whom they called colonel came and inquired up to thrown over the cargo of pig-iron. They then asked me if I could fetch her back the same way she came. I told them I could; went to the wheel-house and turned her back. She had been running during the excitement for perhaps half an hour in the same course she was running when the outbreak occurred. They inquired where I could get wood, and on my replying that it could be obtained at Middle Bass Island, they ordered me to steer there. We reached there about dark and laid alongside the wharf. they fired two or three shots there at the owner of the wood and two other men who were standing on the dock, and refuse to help unpitying wood on board. The captain of the boat, who was on shore at the island that day, came down when he heard the shorts fired, and was seized and put into the cabin.
The steamer Island Queen soon came alongside. They made a rush for her at once. She was seized, and the passengers driven on board the Parsons. The Queen was then taken in tow, and both boats started for Sandusky. About half was between Middle Bass and Kelly's Island they let go of the Queen; told me they scuttled her, and I saw no more of her. When opposite Marblehead Light I told the one who they called colonel that it was dangerous to run into Sandusky Bay by night. He told me if I thought I could not get in then not to try it, as he did not want to get aground. I told him the channel was too narrow. He then called his men forward, conversed with them a few minutes, and then came and told me to head the boat for Malden. They told me that everything they met on the was up they were going to destroy. They established a regular watch on deck, and I turned the boat toward Malden. We saw but one vessel near to us as we went up; they told me to go alongside of her, and then asked what waters she was in. When I told him she was in British waters, they said they would not touch her. We reached Malden between 4 and 5 in the morning. About three miles above that place two of the men took one of the Island Queen's yawl-boats, filled her with plunder, and went ashore.
They told me to keep as near as possible to the British shore. They took all their plunder, piled it aft, sent ashore all the crew and the captain and engineer of the Queen at Fighting Island, and kept on toward Detroit. We stopped at Sandwich; made fast to the dock. The rebels put ashore their plunder, including piano, morrows, chairs, and trunks and bed clothes. Heard one of them say that if no one else would go he would take the boat across the river and burn her. They would not do this; but took the engineer below and made him cut the injection pipes for the purpose of sinking the boat. One of them then told me to come over that evening to Windsor, as they were going to have a great spree there. I said probably I would, but did not go. The colonel then came to me, remarked that I had been faithful to them, and he would make me a present. He handed me a half dozen spoons and eight silver forks. Said he had no money. The engineer and I started for Windsor; some of the party were before and some behind us, each with his load of booty. They were all young men, between twenty and thirty, and all armed with two revolvers and an ax.
MICHAEL CAMPBELL.
Subscribed and sworn to this 23rd day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Sylvester F. Atwood.
County of Wayne.
Sylvester F. Atwood, being duly sworn, saith, that he is fifty-eight years of age, a sailor by occupation, and master of the steamer Philo Parsons; was on board on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday last. Just after we left the dock the clerk informed me there was a man on board who wonted me to stop at Sandwich to take on some of his friends there. I saw this man, and asked him why he did not bring his friends to Detroit. He replied that one was lame, and could not well cross the ferry, and remarked it was not out of my way to stop. I stooped there, saw six or eight persons on the dock, and should judge four or five men came on board. One of them, a young man, walked lame, but soon revolved from it. The man who spoke to me about stopping at Sandwich was a stout, thick-set man, about twenty-five years old, a little under medium height; wore British clothes, and was apparently Scotch or English.
In going down the river he spoke to me about stopping at Malden; said that there would be some men to get on there; that there was a party going to Kelly's Island to fish and have a time. I touched at Malden, and I should think twenty men got on board, all young men except one, who told me afterward he was a surgeon. I could not see whether they brought anything with them or not, as I was on the upper deck. I thought most of them appeared to be Southerners or Northern refugees. Nothing particular occurred to my knowledge going down, except that ten or twelve of them kept constantly on the upper deck. I left the boat at Middle Bass Island, where I reside. I do so as often as once a week. The boat went on, and I saw nothing more of her until a little after 7. I did not see her coming in, but a little boy came running up very much frightened; said that they were shooting there and killing his father; and said the Parsons had come. I immediately started for the dock; saw a number of men running about there; went up and asked them what in hell was up.
Three or four pistols were at once pointed at me, and I was ordered aboard the boat. I refused to go, and replied that I was captain of that boat myself. Two of them shoved me onto the plank, and I walked aboard. They followed me to the cabin, and I saw the crew and passengers sitting there guarded by men with pistols. I asked mr. Ashley, the clerk, what it all meant; and he replied that the boat was seized by the rebels, and there was no use resisting. Pretty soon one of them, the oldest man of the party, invited me to sit down beside him; and on my asking him what it all meant, replied that he could not tell me; that he was a surgeon in the Confederate Army; that it was an unpleasant affair to me, but he had his duty to perform; that I had better take the thing cool, and that I should not be hurt.
I requested permission to go and see my wife, pledging my honor that I would return; but he refused. I then asked to see the captain, and he said he would introduce me to him, and that the captain wished to see me. He said he thought I'd get my boat again. About this time I heard the whistle of the Island Queen. I heard the order, "as many as could be spared from the cabin, come this way." The Queen came alongside, and a rush was made for her. I soon saw the passengers of the Queen passing on to out boat, under the direction of the rebels, and our cabin was soon filed with them. This man who came on board at Detroit stood at the door, ordered the passengers to come out, three at a time, under guard, and to be put into the hold. Most of the men were sent below in this manner; the women and children, and a few of the men were left in the cabin with me. The commander soon came along, and the surgeon introduced me to him. He said he wished to see me alone.
We went forward to my room. He asked me to pledge my word I would not leave the island in twenty-four hours, unless my boat came back; said he wanted me to go ashore and take charge of them; said he did not want me on board. It was then 8 o'clock, and a bright moonlight. I told him I wished to take some of my clothes; but he said I need not, as the room would not be disturbed. I gathered up a coat and a few little articles, and went ashore with the ladies. I took my house full, and made them comfortable. I soon after went toward the dock; saw other passengers coming off the boat; and the boats both left in about half an hour, the Parsons towing the Queen. I watched them till they passed Ballast Island; and about one and a half or two miles beyond there they parted with the Queen. The Queen soon after drifted out of sight. In the conversation with the campaign he said he should probably burn the Queen; and that my boat I should get again. They wanted to get rid of the Queen. I begged that the passengers might be sent ashore. I saw the boat pass up again about 1 o'clock, running very fast. When I next saw the boat she had been nearly stripped of furniture; a portion of it was returned on Saturday night. I should judge there were twenty-five pirates, who came on at Detroit, Sandwich, and Malden. They were most of them armed with two revolvers, and many of them with hand-axes.
S. F. ATWOOD.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
State of Michigan
De Witt C. Nichols,
COUNTY OF WAYNE.
De Witt C. Nichols, of Middle Bass Island, in the State of Ohio, mate or pilot of the steam-boat Philo Parsons, plying between Detroit and Sandusky, maketh oath and saith, that on Monday, the 19th day of September instant, he was on board the said boat, and acting in said capacity, from about 8 a. m. on said day, when said boat started from Detroit for Sandusky, until the capture of said boat, as hereinafter mentioned. Said boat was stopped and took in passengers as follows: At Sandwich, Canada West, four passengers; at Malden, twenty to twenty-five passengers, with luggage, especially one corded pine box, which seemed heavy; at North Bass, a few passengers, who seemed to belong to that island, where the owner of said boat resides; at Put in Bay, some passengers; at Middle BAs, at Kelly's Island, several passengers, leaving said island at 4 p. m. About three-quarters of a mile, and from fifteen to twenty minutes after leaving Kelly's Island (deponent being then at the pilot-house, on the hurricane-deck, and in charge of the ship, the captain having gone ashore for the night at Middle Bass), and the ship being on her straight course for Sandusky, the said Philo Parsons met and passed the Island Queen, passing at about twenty rods distance; passed her in the usual way, and without any communication or signal, private or otherwise, being exchanged to deponent's knowledge.
Immediately after passing her, and deponent being still at the pilot-house, he was accosted by one of the passengers - a man about five feet eight or ten inches high, fair complexion, brown hair, no side whiskers or mustache, wearing Kossuth hat, and apparently thirty years of age, who appeared afterward to be the chief of the party who seized said boat as hereinafter mentioned. He presented himself suddenly before deponent, and asked, "Are you captain of this boat?" To which deponent replied, "No, sir; I am mate." He then asked, "You have charge of her at present, have you not?" Deponent replied, "Yes, sir." He then said, "Will you step back here for a minute? I want to talk to you." Deponent then walked aft with him to near the smokestack, on the hurricane-deck. He then said: "I am a Confederate officer. There are thirty of us, well armed. I seize this boat, and take you as a prisoner. You must pilot the boat as I direct you, and" - pulling a revolver out of his pocket and showing it to deponent - "here are the tools to make you. Run down and lie off the harbor" - meaning the harbor of Sandusky, then about twelve miles distant.
Deponent then sat down on top of the pilot-house, an armed man being placed beside him by the said chief - who seemed to go by the name of Captain Bell - to keep guard over deponent. The said boat was then kept by said Bell's directions a little to the east of the true course for Sandusky, and run so for about eight miles, until a good view into the harbor at about eight miles, until a good view into the harbor at about eight miles distant from the bar, near Cedar Point, was obtained. It was then about 5 p. m., and the U. S. vessel Michigan was plainly visible, and many questions were asked of deponent by said guard in relation to said Michigan and her position within the harbor. After having examined the harbor thus, said Bell ascertained by inquiry from deponent that there was not fuel enough to take the boat very far, and that it was not usual to have more on board than enough to run the boat from the Bass Islands to Sandusky and back. Thereupon, and after some conversation among themselves, they ordered the wheelman to turn back for wood, and they accordingly reached the wording station at Middle Bass between 7 and 8 p. m., and did not transmit orders to the wheelman through deponent after having so put about, but gave him direct orders, permitting deponent to remain in the cabin until after the seizure of the Island Queen, as hereinafter mentioned. About half an hour after reaching said wording station, the Island Queen came alongside to land freight and passengers, and was boarded by said Bell's party, and her passengers, except the women and children, put down into the hold of the Parsons.
But before leaving said station, all except the captain, clear, and engineer of the Island Queen, deponent, the wheelman, and some others of the crew of the Parsons, were allowed to go on shore on engaging not to speak of what had occurred for a certain length of time. After leaving Middle Bass the second time, and having the Island Queen in tow, they shaped a course for Sandusky, and when between Ballast Island and Kelly's Island they cut off the Island Queen, and said they had cut her pipes, so that she would sink. Immediately after this, all said persons excepted above, except the engineer and wheelman of the Parsons, were ordered into the hold; and deponent saw nothing more until, after hearing said boat foul something (which deponent afterward learned was the inclosure of a fish-pond off Middle Bass Island), deponent was ordered on deck. On reaching the deck deponent found said vessel off Middle Bass Island, on her second return from off Sandusky harbor; and while below deponent was told by the engineer that they ran about two or three miles beyond marblehead on the straight course to Sandusky; but deponent heard nothing, and can conjecture nothing as to the reason for the said second return form off Sandusky harbor. Deponent was desired to pilot said boat for Detroit River, and did so.
On entering the said river said Bell pointed out certain vessels to deponent, and inquired what waters they were in; and being informed that they were in Canadian waters, remarked that it was a good thing for them that they were, otherwise that they would have boarded them. They there inquired for one Ives, a banker residing at Grosse Isle, and said it it had not been so late they would have robbed him; and desired deponent, as it was so late, to take the boat up the British channel. Deponent piloted said boat accordingly until reaching the head of remained until taken off to Ecorse by a small boat, getting on board the Pearl at Ecorse, and stopping at Sandwich. He there was the Parsons, and took possession of her, and sent word by the captain of the Pearl to Detroit of what had happened. Deponent saith that the second in command of said party was a man of middle stature, apparently about thirty years of age, wore a small mustache, and no other whiskers or beard; fair complexion, sandy-haired; wore a woolen cap, with a net peak; spoke with a Scotch accent, as well as deponent can judge; and appeared to understand the details of the engine fixings. The whole party were young men except one, who called himself a surgeon, and were generally fair-complexioned and rather full-bodied men. Two of said party left the said boat in a small boat belonging to the Island Queen, after having passed Malden, the Patrons being slowed for that purpose; and deponent saw them shape their course for a point about a mile north of Malden, where there is a mile kiln. Deponent was robbed by said party of clothes and other effects which he could not replace for $200.
D. C. NICHOLS.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN,
Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
James Denison,
County of Wayne.
James Denison, being further duly sworn, saith, that when the Parsons returned to Sandwich there were not more than three persons on the dock; they appeared to be Canadians. I did not stay there more than fifteen minutes. They made me show them the injection pipes below, smashed one of them themselves and I cut the other. As I was going up street I saw ten or fifteen men and boys coming down. They were talking among themselves, but I heard little of what was said. The rebels, I thought, were talking about burning the boat; and one of these Canadians, a grayish-headed man, about forty years old, said they should not do it there. Soon after Campbell and I walked away, and one of the rebels walked with us to the head of the street. I did not see them take the piano from the cabin to the lower deck, but saw them take it on the dock. Did not see them injure the boat there, except to cut her pipes. Saw most of them walk away; some went up to Windsor with us, each with a bundle of plunder in his hands.
JAMES DENISON.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN.
STATE OF MICHIGAN.
Walter O. Ashley
County of Wayne.
Walter O. Ashley, being duly sworn, saith, that he is twenty-eight years of age, and is clerk and part owner of the steamer Philo Parsons. Deponent further saith, that he was on said steamer on her trip from Detroit to Sandusky on Monday last. On the evening before, about 8 o'clock, a young man, about twenty-five years old -evidently Scotch or English, stout, thick-set, a little below medium height, dressed in English clothes, very light hair, very thin, light-colored beard - with the address of a gentleman, came on board the boat, called me by name; said he and a party of friends were going to take a pleasure trip to Kelly's Island in the morning, and wished the boat to stop at Sandwich and take on his friends, one of them, being lame, did not like to come up. I told him if he would be at Detroit in the morning himself to let me know if the men were going the boat would stop and take them. I told him further that they could take no baggage, as there was no custom-house on Kelly's Island. The steamer Philo Parsons left Detroit on the morning of September 19, at 8 a. m., with about forty passengers.
Immediately after leaving Detroit this same young man, whom I had frequently seen before, came to me, and calling me by name, said there were four passengers who wanted to take the boat at Sandwich, a small town on the Canadian side of the river, some three miles below Detroit. I reported the same to Captain Atwood, and he stopped and took them on. They said when they came on board taht they were taking a little pleasure trip, and intended to stop at Kelly's Island. All the baggage they had was a small hand-satchel. At Malden, twenty miles down the river on the Canada side, where the boat stops regularly, there were about twenty men came on board and took passage for Sandusky. As it had been quite common of late to take on nearly that number of passengers at this pint nearly every trip - most of them being skedaddlers from the State of Ohio, and getting starved out in Canada and returning home I at once set the party down as a lot of skedaddlers returning home. A large old fashioned trunk, tied up with ropes, constituted the baggage of the party. Everything went off quietly during the day.
The boat stopped at a number of the islands, taking on quiet a number of passengers. Captain Atwood stooped off the boat at Middle Bass Island, where he resides. Shortly after leaving Kelly's Island, between the island and Sandusky, I was standing in front of my office, when four of the party came up to me, and drawing revolvers, leveled them, and said if I offered any resistance I was a dead man. At the same time the old black trunk flew open, and in less time than it takes to write it the whole gang of about thirty-five were armed to the teeth with revolvers, hatchets, &c. I then told them that they apparently had the strongest party, and guessed I should have to surrender. They then stationed two men to watch me, the remainder rushing into the cabin and threatening to shoot any one that offered any resistance.
There was a large number of ladies on board, who were very much frightened. The boat was then headed down the lake for about an hour; then turned around and ran to Middle Bass Island. While lying there the steamer Island Queen came alongside and was instantly seized. Quite a number of shots were fired, and a number were struck with hatchets, but I think no one was killed. The passengers of both boats were then put ashore, and a portion of the baggage. After taking what money I had, they requested me to go ashore. They allowed me to take my private property, but none of the books or papers belonging to the boat.
The boats were then started out in the lake, the Parsons towing the Queen a short distance into the lake and then let her go adrift. From observations at Kelly's Island next morning, the Queen was supposed to be seen ashore on Middle Island. After putting off the passengers at Middle Bass Island, the Philo Parsons headed for Sandusky and was gone about four hours. She afterward returned under a full head of steam, and after passing Middle Bass headed for Malden, Canada, and steering in that direction as long as she could be seen.
The crew of both boats were retained and made to do the bidding of the parties in possession. I heard the captain of the gang say that he would place myself and the passengers where we could give no information until morning, and before that time their work would be completed. He said it was their intention to run to the mouth of Sandusky Bay, and if they received the proper signals it was their intention to run in, attack the U. S. steamer Michigan lying off Johnson's Island, and then release their friends imprisoned at that place. The men who got on board at Sandwich appeared to be English gentlemen; all well dressed in English clothes; two wearing kid gloves; inquired about the grapes and wines on the islands, and were sociable with the passengers. Think these four were Southerners dressed in English costume to disguise themselves. The party which came on at malden had nothing to do with those that came on at Sandwich, and did not appear to recognize them. Their clothes were worn, some of them ragged, and all had apparently seen hard service. The trunk was brought on by two of the hardest looking of the crowd. Nearly all paid their fare singly in greenbacks.
On arriving at Kelly's Island I remarked to the Sandwich party that I supposed they were going to get off there. Just then three or four men came to the gangway from the dock, and speaking to the Sankwich party said, "We have concluded to go to Sandusky." One of that party said, "We will go with you," and all came aboard. The Kelly-Island party proved to be a part of the same band. After the seizure the boat was steered down the lake directly away from their course to Sandusky, and in plain sight of Johnson's Island and the steamer Michigan. Some of them seemed to wish to burn the Parsons, others did not. This Scotchman I have spoken of said the boat would burn, or he would die.
He seemed to be a ringleader, and bent upon all the destruction possible. He said he had been lieutenant in the navy, but did not say what navy; others also told me so. He took charge of the deck, and seemed well versed in the business. They said part belonged to John Morgan's band, and one was named Morgan. There were about twenty-five unarmed soldiers on board the Island Queen when she was taken-returned 100-days' men from Ohio, going to Toledo to be mustered out. They were not under command of an officer. The engineer of the Island Queen resisted, and was instantly shot, but not killed. The number of our men, including crew, at the time the Parsons was captured, did not exceed thirty-five. The trunks of passengers were not generally plundered; most of it was sent ashore at Middle Bass Island. The cargo of thirty tons pig-iron, some furniture, and tobacco, was thrown overboard. I saw fire-balls of hemp, which the porter told me he was ordered to make - some to burn the Parsons, and some to burn Mr. Ives' house, on Grosse Isle.
W. O. ASHLEY.
Subscribed and sworn to this 25th day of September, A. D. 1864, before me.
HENRY B. BROWN.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
They Are-----Years Old.
When researching a ancestor knowing his or her age is a big help, the names on this page are here because of there age. There is no order to these names, I will put then down as I find them. I know some of these names will have additional information on them, so if you see a name of interest, you can write me and I will be glad to take a look. My address can be found in my profile.
Journal of the executive proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America, 1862-1864
WEDNESDAY, February 17, 1864.
1. Edward C. Gabaudan, of New York, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
2. William S. Muse, of Maryland, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
3. Israel H. Washburn, of Maine, in his 21st year, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
4. Albert B. Young, of Massachusetts, 23 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
5. Frank D. Webster, of New Hampshire, 22 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
6. John W. Haverstick, of Pennsylvania, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
7. James B. Breese, of Illinois, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
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A Slave Owner, September 17, 1779.
Mr. Hugh McCuller to regain one of his 3 fugitive negroes who is on Board of Talbot's Vessel Argo. The Black's name is Thos. He is about 24 years old and eloped from his master about the middle of Sept. 77 when the Enemy was at ( Willmington?)
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1842-1843
WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1843.
The Committee on Revolutionary Pensions be instructed to inquire into the expediency of giving a pension to John Gary, (a free colored man, ) a native of the county of Westmoreland, and State of Virginia, now a resident of this District, who says he was a body servant of General Washington at the time of Braddock's defeat, in 1755, and was present at that battle; and, also, that he was a servant of General Washington's at the surrender of Cornwallis, in 1781, and who is believed to be one hundred and twelve years old.
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1817-1818
MONDAY, January 19, 1818.
A petition of Sarah Daggett, the mother and natural guardian of William Earnest, stating that the said William Earnest is a deaf and dumb boy, about 8 years old, and that his father Charles Earnest was killed in the battle of Bladensburg, and praying that provision may be made for the education and maintenance of the said William.
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1817-1818
FRIDAY, January 16, 1818.
John Anderson, I was born in Scotland. I was brought to the United States by my father when I was three years old. We settled on the Susquehannah river, in the state of Pennsylvania. My father was killed by the Indians in the revolutionary war. All our property was destroyed, and my mother, with four of her young children were carried by the Mohawk Indians into captivity in the British province of Canada. After the revolutionary war I went into Canada in search of my mother, and brothers and sisters, and finally settled at Detroit.
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Civil War.
1863.
The following were killed by order of Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Keith. Most of them were taken at their homes, and none of them made resistance when taken; perhaps some of them ran. After they were taken prisoners the soldiers took them off to a secluded place, made them kneel down, and shot them. They were buried in a trench dug to the purpose. Some two weeks since their bodies were removed to a grave-yard.
Elison King (desperate man).
Jo Woods (desperate man).
Will Shelton, twenty years (of Pifus).
Aronnata Shelton, fourteen years old (was not at Marshall).
James Shelton (old Jim), about fifty-six years old.
James Shelton, jr., seventeen years old.
David Shelton, thirteen years old (was not in the raid).
James Madcap, forty years old.
Rod Shelton (Stob Rod).
David Shelton (brother of Stob Rod).
Joseph Cleandon, fifteen or sixteen years old.
Helen Moore, twenty-five or thirty years old.
Wade Moore, twenty or twenty-five years old.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1861.
1. Henry G. Thurber, Oldham County, Ky., eighteen miles from Louisville; twenty-six years old; carpenter by trade; was going South because (as he says) he feared he would be arrested as he had voted the State Rights ticket. Probably he was going to enlist, because he did not feel safe in Kentucky after the arrest of Governor Morehead. He is now willing to take the oath of allegiance.
2. Frank M. Crow, Oldham County, Ky. ; twenty-four years old; has a wife now in Kentucky; no property and no influence. His case is just the same as Thurber's in all respects. Will take the oath.
3. Joseph W. Griffith, Oldham County, Ky. ; thirty-six years old; no family; journeyman cabinetmaker. Was going to Tennessee because as he says "I was informed that I was to be arrested for having some time before belonged to the State Guard, which was disbanded. " Says he joined the State Guard supposing he would be paid and was to defend Kentucky. When it was disbanded found he was mistaken. Will take the oath.
4. Anderson McDowell, Oldham County, Ky. ; forty-eight years of age; no wife, four children. A farmer, on shares, owning no land or other property. Was going South for the reason as he says that he feared arrest, having voted State Right in the election. His politics are--to go with the people of Kentucky. Will take the oath.
5. John W. Robards, of Harrodsburg, Ky. ; twenty-one years old; is ignorant. Has supported his mother and two sisters as well as he could by working at farm work for wages. When arrested he says he was going to Warren County to get work. Has little intelligence and no politics. In no respects a dangerous man. Will take the oath. Says he always was ready to take it.
6. Stephen H. Wooldridge, Harrodsburg, Ky. ; twenty-nine years old; no family; occupation, overseer of farm work on plantation; no property; works for wages; been some time tout of employment and is destitute. When arrested he was from home, going as he says to see if he could get work. Thinks the old Government better than the new one. This man has more sense than the last, but is a very common man. Never had any objection to taking the oath; has none now.
7. Joseph T. McFeal, of Harrodsburg, Ky. ; thirty-seven years old; has wife and four young children; journeyman cabinetmaker. When arrested was going South because as he says he was informed and believed that all of his political opinions were to be imprisoned. Wished the Union preserved then and now, but agreed with Governor Morehead in thinking that it could only be done any concessions. Left home from fear, and would be glad to take the oath as he would now be safe in Kentucky.
8. Joseph Back, Marion County, Ky. ; forty-four years of age; mill-wright by trade; does jobs and farms a little on hired land; has wife and four children; very poor; no property of any kind. This man is very stupid. Says he when drunk started South with some other men. When he got sober backed out and went home and was arrested at his home. Has not the sense to understand the meaning of the contest. Will take the oath.
9. Lewis S. Holsclaw, or Hetzclaw, or Hodsclaw. He does not know how to spell his name. From near Louisville; thirty-two years old; no family; carpenter by trade; very little property and no intelligence or influence. When arrested says he was going to Hickman to visit friends, but probably was going to Tennessee. Never was in favor
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Jonathan T. Bingham. -By birth a Pennsylvania; resides near Vienna; sixty-four years old; professes entire loyalty. Colonel Cash, of the [Eighth] Regiment South Carolina, testifies strongly in his behalf as to his kindness to his regiment. I see no reason to detain him. Colonel H. W. Thomas also certifles in his favor. Took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States.
2. William Woodworth. -By birth a New Yorker; fifty-seven years old; resides near Lewinsville; owns 100 acres of land; professes entire loyalty; took the oath of allegiance. I see no reason to detain him.
3. Abraham Lydecker. -Forty-eight years old; native of New Jersey; has been a resident at Vienna; is keeping a store; not a prepared to say that he will remain in Virginia or to take the oath of allegiance. He is charged with improper dealing with the enemy. He denies it, but I think he is an alien enemy. He owns some personally but no realty.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1865.
1. James H. Britt, of North Carolina, captured in rebel blockade-runner R. E. Lee November 9, 1863, of which he was steward. Single man, farmer, twenty-seven years old.
2. Samuel Grissam, of North Carolina, twenty-seven years old, single; was pilot on the blockade-runner R. E. Lee; captured November 9, 1863. Claimed to be a British subject, but would not swear to it. Always followed the sea.
W. W. Helm, of Mississippi
3. S. Henderson, captured in the blockade-runner Planter June 15, 1863, of which vessel he was steersman; fifty years old, family in the South. Declined the oath for fear of confiscation of his property; a steam-boat man by occupation; willing to take a neutral oath.
4. H. H. Ingraham, of Florida, was purser of the rebel blockade-runner R. E. Lee; captured November 9, 1863; twenty-four years old; previous business an accountant.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Peter L. Anderson. -Forty years of age; native of Greenbrier County, Va. ; a married man; farmer, with four children; owns 336 acres of land; arrested at his home in Fayette County. No charge; no proof. Professed entire loyalty, and if guilty of anything, it was desertion from the militia under Colonel Beckley.
2. Jesse Fuller and Alexander Fuller. -Brothers; twenty-four and twenty-two years old; native of Montgomery County; were arrested in Fayette, where they reside. Have a wounded brother in the hospital at Charleston, Va., and had been to see him, and were returning home when arrested. They profess entire loyalty. No charge; no proof of anything.
3. Joseph Snapp. - Born in Woodstock. When fourteen years old taken to Augusta County; then to Greenbrier; thence to Monroe; thence he moved to Mercer County, where he was arrested and sent here. He says he was arrested by the Yankee and compelled to take the oath of allegiance. On his return he was trying to get his family out of Mercer to take them to his father's in East Tennessee when he was arrested. Says he is entirely Southern in his feelings and does not regard the forced oath of allegiance to the United States binding. Says he intended to volunteer as soon as his family were placed in safety. Is willing now to volunteer. I have learned from persons I have examined, particularly from Northern soldiers I have examined that the U. S. troops in Western Virginia compel citizens unfriendly to them to take the oath of allegiance, and very often the persons thus compelled to take the oath become the most deadly and dangerous enemies of the Northern army. I recommend he be permitted to volunteer.
4. H. Dane. - Aged sixty-seven. Born in New Hampshire. Staid there til he was twenty-three years old. Lived in New York till he was forty-eight. Now lines in Prince William County, six and a half miles from Occoquan. Famrmer; sells wood to longboatmen. Has sold none since last spring. Trades to Occoquan. Was an acquaintance and political associate of J. C. Underwood. His sentimentals similar to Underwood's. Did not vote at the last election. As to allegiance he says he is inclined to the Government of the United States. Was not able to after his mind when the State went out of the Union. Hoped to keep along and take sides with neither party. Went to look for his cowns. Went up to the pickets and was arrested he believes on the information of A. D. Rowe. Mr. Lynn, delegate from Prince Wiliam, says he cannot say for this prisoner what he said for Holland and Reeves. Sasy prisoner was an ablitionist and of the Underwood party and has given no evidence of change of opinion. I think this man should be held as a prisoner.
5. Henry Stone. - Aged nineteen. Born in New York. His father died when prisoner was four years old. He has lived in Cincinnati. Says he belongs to Second Kentucky Regiment; joined it at Gauley. Was sent by General Cox to find where the militia were in Fayette. Went in citizen's dress; says he had no uniform. Spent first night at Huddleston's. Does not know whether Huddleston is a Union man. Did not disclose his objects. Went next night to McCoy's. Was arrested next day in Fayette. I cannot learn from him by whom he was arrested. He has passed in the prison as a citizen until to-day. I am satisfied this man is a spy, but as there is not now sufficient proof I can only suggest that he be held as a prisoner under suspicion of being a spy.
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Saint Louis, Mo., June 23, 1864.
Major O. D. GREENE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri:
MAJOR: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 169, paragraph 12, dated headquarters Department of the Missouri, June 20, 1864, the following report of facts connected with the shooting of certain prisoners of war confined in Gratiot Street Prison is respectfully submitted; On the morning of the 18th of June, 1864, between the hours of 9 and 10 o'clock a. m., some prisoners permitted to be in the prison yard at that time succeeded in getting an ax from the kitchen, which was used for chopping meat, with which they broke the lock of a gate leading to an alley west of the prison, while some of them had disarmed the guard stationed inside by getting hold of his gun from behind. The alarm was at once given, but some had already succeeded in getting out and had scattered in all directions.
A detail of men from the Tenth Kansas Infantry was immediately sent after them, and another party not on duty at that time, but in camp not far from the prison, upon hearing the alarm, joined in the chase, during which the following men were killed:
James A. Colcheasure, private of Thompson's regiment, C. S. Army, twenty- seven years old, captured in Clay County, Mo.
Lewis Y. Schultz, a citizen of Saint Louis, twenty- four years of age, captured at Saint Louis.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Felix S. O'Dell. -He is a native of Nicholas County, Va. He says that he is twenty-six years of age. Is a farmer owning 200 acres of land. That he went to General Floyd's camp to carry clothes to his father (who had been examined and discharged) when he was arrested. He denies all connection or communication with the enemy; professes entire loyalty and took the oath of allegiance. There is no testimony against him. Think he ought to be discharged.
2. Augustus Tappin. -A native of York County, Va. ; thirty-eight years old; a married man; owns no land; farms upon rented land and gets oyesters. Arrested at his own home on the 13th or 14th of June in Elizabeth City County, where he resided. Professes extreme loyalty and took the oath of allegiance.
3. Thomas Williams. -Native of Ohio; fifty-seven years old; Union man; professes loyalty; arrested in Boone County, Va. ; has resided in Virginia since he was fifteen months old. Boat builder and lumber getter; took the oath of allegiance. No charge; no proof; owns 269 acres of land.
4. David Williams. -Son of Thomas; twenty-two years of age; Union man; cultivates rented land; married man; has a brother serving under General Floyd; took the oath of allegiance.
5. Henry B. Bagby. -A lad seventeen years old; a Virginian, having relations and property here. His relations are highly respectable. His father is a claim agent residing in Alexandria County, about four miles from Washington. He was on a visit to his father when the Federal picket retreated, and he was captured by our picket. I see no reason for detainig him.
6. Henry Kernoll. -Sixty-nine years of age; native of New York; has resided twelve years in Fairfax County; owns 223 acres of land; has a pass from S. S. Tompkins, Army of the Potomac, which I in close. He says that Tompkins is one of our officers. If so, I think he ought to be discharged.
7. Dwight J. Partello. -Native of New Jersey; twenty years of age; was engaged selling newspapers from Richmond at Manassas when he was arrested. His father lives in Maryland, but is, he says, from New Orleans. He has two sisters married and residing in Richmond, one of whom was before me. No charge against him. He was at once time employed in the laboratory here, under-Smith, and honorably discharged. Took the oath of allegiance. I see no reason to detain him.
8. Simon Schermerhorn. -Native of New York; forty-five years of age; a cripple, for aught that appears before me his arrest and confinement were cruel. He was arrested near Yorktown by a guard and never examined. He has some children here and some in New York, and some property there. Prfers to remain in Virginia if he can do so without losing his property at the North.
9. William Belvin. -Native of Virginia; of Gloucester; oysterman, twenty-seven years old; has three brothers in our army at Gloucester Point; a married man; no charge against him. He ought to be discharged.
10. Benjamin Kimball. -Fifty-five years of age; native of Maine; resident of New Market, Elizaberth City County; married and has four children. His wife was a widow with children, and one of her sons, a Virginian, in our army. Belvin married his daughter; an oysterman; took the oath of allegiance; no charge against him. I think he ought to be discharged.
11. Ludwig Hesse. -A German; forty-one years of age; came to America in 1849; naturalized citizen. Took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States. Has been confined six weeks. A resident of Martinsburg, where he has property. I think he is a fair man, and was arrested in part because of a personal quarrel and in part because of the prejudice against foreigners. I think he should be discharged.
12. John Fleming. -A native of Berkeley County, Va. ; thirty-seven years old. There is no specific charge against him, and no proof of any kind.
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Civil War, 1861.
Statement of William Hamilton.
I am an American citizen; was born near Lexington, Ky. ; am fifty-one years of age; left Kentucky when twelve years old; went to Saint Louis, Mo. ; resided there eighteen months, then went to Santa Fe, N. Mex. ; went from there to the city of Mexico; resided in Mexico till October, 1845; went from Mexico to Pensacola; thence to New Orleans; thence to Corpus Christi; thence to Point Isabel, where I joined Captain Walker's company, and served in General Taylor's army for three months; I then followed the army as contractor and interpreter to the close of the war between the United States and Mexico; resided in the frontier of Mexico till 1850; came from there to California, where I arrived in July or August in the same year went to Fort Tejon in April or May, 1855; had a contract there for making adobes for the Government; resided there till October or November of the same year; went from there to Stockton; worked there awhile at my trade (gunsmithing); resided in the neighborhood of Stockton and Mariposa until about two years ago, when I went to Mono, Cal., where I have resided until about two years ago, when I went to Mono, Cal., where I have resided until about the 1st of October of the present year; came from Mono via Fort Tejon on my way to Fort Yuma; when I left Mono I designed going to Los Angeles to work at my trade; at Los Angeles I heard of a party forming to go to Texas; thought of joining it, but abandoned the idea before leaving Los Angeles.
Journal of the executive proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America, 1862-1864
WEDNESDAY, February 17, 1864.
1. Edward C. Gabaudan, of New York, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
2. William S. Muse, of Maryland, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
3. Israel H. Washburn, of Maine, in his 21st year, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
4. Albert B. Young, of Massachusetts, 23 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
5. Frank D. Webster, of New Hampshire, 22 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
6. John W. Haverstick, of Pennsylvania, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
7. James B. Breese, of Illinois, 21 years old, to be a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.
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A Slave Owner, September 17, 1779.
Mr. Hugh McCuller to regain one of his 3 fugitive negroes who is on Board of Talbot's Vessel Argo. The Black's name is Thos. He is about 24 years old and eloped from his master about the middle of Sept. 77 when the Enemy was at ( Willmington?)
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1842-1843
WEDNESDAY, January 18, 1843.
The Committee on Revolutionary Pensions be instructed to inquire into the expediency of giving a pension to John Gary, (a free colored man, ) a native of the county of Westmoreland, and State of Virginia, now a resident of this District, who says he was a body servant of General Washington at the time of Braddock's defeat, in 1755, and was present at that battle; and, also, that he was a servant of General Washington's at the surrender of Cornwallis, in 1781, and who is believed to be one hundred and twelve years old.
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1817-1818
MONDAY, January 19, 1818.
A petition of Sarah Daggett, the mother and natural guardian of William Earnest, stating that the said William Earnest is a deaf and dumb boy, about 8 years old, and that his father Charles Earnest was killed in the battle of Bladensburg, and praying that provision may be made for the education and maintenance of the said William.
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Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1817-1818
FRIDAY, January 16, 1818.
John Anderson, I was born in Scotland. I was brought to the United States by my father when I was three years old. We settled on the Susquehannah river, in the state of Pennsylvania. My father was killed by the Indians in the revolutionary war. All our property was destroyed, and my mother, with four of her young children were carried by the Mohawk Indians into captivity in the British province of Canada. After the revolutionary war I went into Canada in search of my mother, and brothers and sisters, and finally settled at Detroit.
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Civil War.
1863.
The following were killed by order of Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Keith. Most of them were taken at their homes, and none of them made resistance when taken; perhaps some of them ran. After they were taken prisoners the soldiers took them off to a secluded place, made them kneel down, and shot them. They were buried in a trench dug to the purpose. Some two weeks since their bodies were removed to a grave-yard.
Elison King (desperate man).
Jo Woods (desperate man).
Will Shelton, twenty years (of Pifus).
Aronnata Shelton, fourteen years old (was not at Marshall).
James Shelton (old Jim), about fifty-six years old.
James Shelton, jr., seventeen years old.
David Shelton, thirteen years old (was not in the raid).
James Madcap, forty years old.
Rod Shelton (Stob Rod).
David Shelton (brother of Stob Rod).
Joseph Cleandon, fifteen or sixteen years old.
Helen Moore, twenty-five or thirty years old.
Wade Moore, twenty or twenty-five years old.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1861.
1. Henry G. Thurber, Oldham County, Ky., eighteen miles from Louisville; twenty-six years old; carpenter by trade; was going South because (as he says) he feared he would be arrested as he had voted the State Rights ticket. Probably he was going to enlist, because he did not feel safe in Kentucky after the arrest of Governor Morehead. He is now willing to take the oath of allegiance.
2. Frank M. Crow, Oldham County, Ky. ; twenty-four years old; has a wife now in Kentucky; no property and no influence. His case is just the same as Thurber's in all respects. Will take the oath.
3. Joseph W. Griffith, Oldham County, Ky. ; thirty-six years old; no family; journeyman cabinetmaker. Was going to Tennessee because as he says "I was informed that I was to be arrested for having some time before belonged to the State Guard, which was disbanded. " Says he joined the State Guard supposing he would be paid and was to defend Kentucky. When it was disbanded found he was mistaken. Will take the oath.
4. Anderson McDowell, Oldham County, Ky. ; forty-eight years of age; no wife, four children. A farmer, on shares, owning no land or other property. Was going South for the reason as he says that he feared arrest, having voted State Right in the election. His politics are--to go with the people of Kentucky. Will take the oath.
5. John W. Robards, of Harrodsburg, Ky. ; twenty-one years old; is ignorant. Has supported his mother and two sisters as well as he could by working at farm work for wages. When arrested he says he was going to Warren County to get work. Has little intelligence and no politics. In no respects a dangerous man. Will take the oath. Says he always was ready to take it.
6. Stephen H. Wooldridge, Harrodsburg, Ky. ; twenty-nine years old; no family; occupation, overseer of farm work on plantation; no property; works for wages; been some time tout of employment and is destitute. When arrested he was from home, going as he says to see if he could get work. Thinks the old Government better than the new one. This man has more sense than the last, but is a very common man. Never had any objection to taking the oath; has none now.
7. Joseph T. McFeal, of Harrodsburg, Ky. ; thirty-seven years old; has wife and four young children; journeyman cabinetmaker. When arrested was going South because as he says he was informed and believed that all of his political opinions were to be imprisoned. Wished the Union preserved then and now, but agreed with Governor Morehead in thinking that it could only be done any concessions. Left home from fear, and would be glad to take the oath as he would now be safe in Kentucky.
8. Joseph Back, Marion County, Ky. ; forty-four years of age; mill-wright by trade; does jobs and farms a little on hired land; has wife and four children; very poor; no property of any kind. This man is very stupid. Says he when drunk started South with some other men. When he got sober backed out and went home and was arrested at his home. Has not the sense to understand the meaning of the contest. Will take the oath.
9. Lewis S. Holsclaw, or Hetzclaw, or Hodsclaw. He does not know how to spell his name. From near Louisville; thirty-two years old; no family; carpenter by trade; very little property and no intelligence or influence. When arrested says he was going to Hickman to visit friends, but probably was going to Tennessee. Never was in favor
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Jonathan T. Bingham. -By birth a Pennsylvania; resides near Vienna; sixty-four years old; professes entire loyalty. Colonel Cash, of the [Eighth] Regiment South Carolina, testifies strongly in his behalf as to his kindness to his regiment. I see no reason to detain him. Colonel H. W. Thomas also certifles in his favor. Took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States.
2. William Woodworth. -By birth a New Yorker; fifty-seven years old; resides near Lewinsville; owns 100 acres of land; professes entire loyalty; took the oath of allegiance. I see no reason to detain him.
3. Abraham Lydecker. -Forty-eight years old; native of New Jersey; has been a resident at Vienna; is keeping a store; not a prepared to say that he will remain in Virginia or to take the oath of allegiance. He is charged with improper dealing with the enemy. He denies it, but I think he is an alien enemy. He owns some personally but no realty.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1865.
1. James H. Britt, of North Carolina, captured in rebel blockade-runner R. E. Lee November 9, 1863, of which he was steward. Single man, farmer, twenty-seven years old.
2. Samuel Grissam, of North Carolina, twenty-seven years old, single; was pilot on the blockade-runner R. E. Lee; captured November 9, 1863. Claimed to be a British subject, but would not swear to it. Always followed the sea.
W. W. Helm, of Mississippi
3. S. Henderson, captured in the blockade-runner Planter June 15, 1863, of which vessel he was steersman; fifty years old, family in the South. Declined the oath for fear of confiscation of his property; a steam-boat man by occupation; willing to take a neutral oath.
4. H. H. Ingraham, of Florida, was purser of the rebel blockade-runner R. E. Lee; captured November 9, 1863; twenty-four years old; previous business an accountant.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Peter L. Anderson. -Forty years of age; native of Greenbrier County, Va. ; a married man; farmer, with four children; owns 336 acres of land; arrested at his home in Fayette County. No charge; no proof. Professed entire loyalty, and if guilty of anything, it was desertion from the militia under Colonel Beckley.
2. Jesse Fuller and Alexander Fuller. -Brothers; twenty-four and twenty-two years old; native of Montgomery County; were arrested in Fayette, where they reside. Have a wounded brother in the hospital at Charleston, Va., and had been to see him, and were returning home when arrested. They profess entire loyalty. No charge; no proof of anything.
3. Joseph Snapp. - Born in Woodstock. When fourteen years old taken to Augusta County; then to Greenbrier; thence to Monroe; thence he moved to Mercer County, where he was arrested and sent here. He says he was arrested by the Yankee and compelled to take the oath of allegiance. On his return he was trying to get his family out of Mercer to take them to his father's in East Tennessee when he was arrested. Says he is entirely Southern in his feelings and does not regard the forced oath of allegiance to the United States binding. Says he intended to volunteer as soon as his family were placed in safety. Is willing now to volunteer. I have learned from persons I have examined, particularly from Northern soldiers I have examined that the U. S. troops in Western Virginia compel citizens unfriendly to them to take the oath of allegiance, and very often the persons thus compelled to take the oath become the most deadly and dangerous enemies of the Northern army. I recommend he be permitted to volunteer.
4. H. Dane. - Aged sixty-seven. Born in New Hampshire. Staid there til he was twenty-three years old. Lived in New York till he was forty-eight. Now lines in Prince William County, six and a half miles from Occoquan. Famrmer; sells wood to longboatmen. Has sold none since last spring. Trades to Occoquan. Was an acquaintance and political associate of J. C. Underwood. His sentimentals similar to Underwood's. Did not vote at the last election. As to allegiance he says he is inclined to the Government of the United States. Was not able to after his mind when the State went out of the Union. Hoped to keep along and take sides with neither party. Went to look for his cowns. Went up to the pickets and was arrested he believes on the information of A. D. Rowe. Mr. Lynn, delegate from Prince Wiliam, says he cannot say for this prisoner what he said for Holland and Reeves. Sasy prisoner was an ablitionist and of the Underwood party and has given no evidence of change of opinion. I think this man should be held as a prisoner.
5. Henry Stone. - Aged nineteen. Born in New York. His father died when prisoner was four years old. He has lived in Cincinnati. Says he belongs to Second Kentucky Regiment; joined it at Gauley. Was sent by General Cox to find where the militia were in Fayette. Went in citizen's dress; says he had no uniform. Spent first night at Huddleston's. Does not know whether Huddleston is a Union man. Did not disclose his objects. Went next night to McCoy's. Was arrested next day in Fayette. I cannot learn from him by whom he was arrested. He has passed in the prison as a citizen until to-day. I am satisfied this man is a spy, but as there is not now sufficient proof I can only suggest that he be held as a prisoner under suspicion of being a spy.
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Saint Louis, Mo., June 23, 1864.
Major O. D. GREENE,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Missouri:
MAJOR: In compliance with Special Orders, Numbers 169, paragraph 12, dated headquarters Department of the Missouri, June 20, 1864, the following report of facts connected with the shooting of certain prisoners of war confined in Gratiot Street Prison is respectfully submitted; On the morning of the 18th of June, 1864, between the hours of 9 and 10 o'clock a. m., some prisoners permitted to be in the prison yard at that time succeeded in getting an ax from the kitchen, which was used for chopping meat, with which they broke the lock of a gate leading to an alley west of the prison, while some of them had disarmed the guard stationed inside by getting hold of his gun from behind. The alarm was at once given, but some had already succeeded in getting out and had scattered in all directions.
A detail of men from the Tenth Kansas Infantry was immediately sent after them, and another party not on duty at that time, but in camp not far from the prison, upon hearing the alarm, joined in the chase, during which the following men were killed:
James A. Colcheasure, private of Thompson's regiment, C. S. Army, twenty- seven years old, captured in Clay County, Mo.
Lewis Y. Schultz, a citizen of Saint Louis, twenty- four years of age, captured at Saint Louis.
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Civil war, prisoners, 1862.
1. Felix S. O'Dell. -He is a native of Nicholas County, Va. He says that he is twenty-six years of age. Is a farmer owning 200 acres of land. That he went to General Floyd's camp to carry clothes to his father (who had been examined and discharged) when he was arrested. He denies all connection or communication with the enemy; professes entire loyalty and took the oath of allegiance. There is no testimony against him. Think he ought to be discharged.
2. Augustus Tappin. -A native of York County, Va. ; thirty-eight years old; a married man; owns no land; farms upon rented land and gets oyesters. Arrested at his own home on the 13th or 14th of June in Elizabeth City County, where he resided. Professes extreme loyalty and took the oath of allegiance.
3. Thomas Williams. -Native of Ohio; fifty-seven years old; Union man; professes loyalty; arrested in Boone County, Va. ; has resided in Virginia since he was fifteen months old. Boat builder and lumber getter; took the oath of allegiance. No charge; no proof; owns 269 acres of land.
4. David Williams. -Son of Thomas; twenty-two years of age; Union man; cultivates rented land; married man; has a brother serving under General Floyd; took the oath of allegiance.
5. Henry B. Bagby. -A lad seventeen years old; a Virginian, having relations and property here. His relations are highly respectable. His father is a claim agent residing in Alexandria County, about four miles from Washington. He was on a visit to his father when the Federal picket retreated, and he was captured by our picket. I see no reason for detainig him.
6. Henry Kernoll. -Sixty-nine years of age; native of New York; has resided twelve years in Fairfax County; owns 223 acres of land; has a pass from S. S. Tompkins, Army of the Potomac, which I in close. He says that Tompkins is one of our officers. If so, I think he ought to be discharged.
7. Dwight J. Partello. -Native of New Jersey; twenty years of age; was engaged selling newspapers from Richmond at Manassas when he was arrested. His father lives in Maryland, but is, he says, from New Orleans. He has two sisters married and residing in Richmond, one of whom was before me. No charge against him. He was at once time employed in the laboratory here, under-Smith, and honorably discharged. Took the oath of allegiance. I see no reason to detain him.
8. Simon Schermerhorn. -Native of New York; forty-five years of age; a cripple, for aught that appears before me his arrest and confinement were cruel. He was arrested near Yorktown by a guard and never examined. He has some children here and some in New York, and some property there. Prfers to remain in Virginia if he can do so without losing his property at the North.
9. William Belvin. -Native of Virginia; of Gloucester; oysterman, twenty-seven years old; has three brothers in our army at Gloucester Point; a married man; no charge against him. He ought to be discharged.
10. Benjamin Kimball. -Fifty-five years of age; native of Maine; resident of New Market, Elizaberth City County; married and has four children. His wife was a widow with children, and one of her sons, a Virginian, in our army. Belvin married his daughter; an oysterman; took the oath of allegiance; no charge against him. I think he ought to be discharged.
11. Ludwig Hesse. -A German; forty-one years of age; came to America in 1849; naturalized citizen. Took the oath of allegiance to the Confederate States. Has been confined six weeks. A resident of Martinsburg, where he has property. I think he is a fair man, and was arrested in part because of a personal quarrel and in part because of the prejudice against foreigners. I think he should be discharged.
12. John Fleming. -A native of Berkeley County, Va. ; thirty-seven years old. There is no specific charge against him, and no proof of any kind.
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Civil War, 1861.
Statement of William Hamilton.
I am an American citizen; was born near Lexington, Ky. ; am fifty-one years of age; left Kentucky when twelve years old; went to Saint Louis, Mo. ; resided there eighteen months, then went to Santa Fe, N. Mex. ; went from there to the city of Mexico; resided in Mexico till October, 1845; went from Mexico to Pensacola; thence to New Orleans; thence to Corpus Christi; thence to Point Isabel, where I joined Captain Walker's company, and served in General Taylor's army for three months; I then followed the army as contractor and interpreter to the close of the war between the United States and Mexico; resided in the frontier of Mexico till 1850; came from there to California, where I arrived in July or August in the same year went to Fort Tejon in April or May, 1855; had a contract there for making adobes for the Government; resided there till October or November of the same year; went from there to Stockton; worked there awhile at my trade (gunsmithing); resided in the neighborhood of Stockton and Mariposa until about two years ago, when I went to Mono, Cal., where I have resided until about two years ago, when I went to Mono, Cal., where I have resided until about the 1st of October of the present year; came from Mono via Fort Tejon on my way to Fort Yuma; when I left Mono I designed going to Los Angeles to work at my trade; at Los Angeles I heard of a party forming to go to Texas; thought of joining it, but abandoned the idea before leaving Los Angeles.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Memphis Tennessee Riots Of 1866.
About three years ago I did a page on the Memphis Tennessee Riots of 1866, which can be found in my archives under the dates of ( 8-27-06--9-3-06. ) This gives the history on how the riots got started. This new page will be about the men and women that were there and give their statements on what happen to them in the riots, these statements are in their own words. If you had a ancestor in the riots and would like to know if they give a statement you can write to me and I will be glad to take a look. My address can be found in my profile.
B. F. BAKER, late first lieutenant 3d regiment United States heavy artillery, residing in Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you know men from your regiment being killed during the riots which commenced May 1, 1866, in Memphis, Tennessee State their names, and company to which they belonged.
Answer. Private Joseph Lunde, company E, was killed Tuesday evening; was shot through the breast; saw him die. Private Isaac Richardson, company H, was killed by a gunshot wound on Tuesday night, May 1, 1866. Private William Withers, company H. was killed by gunshot wound on Tuesday night., May 1, 1866 ; saw his body Wednesday morning. Private George Cobb, company H, was killed on Tuesday evening by a gunshot wound ; saw his body that night. Private George Black was killed Wednesday morning: the body was found on South street bridge, at second bayou. I also saw the dead body of a colored man named Levi Baker, at the corner of Main street and Butler’s avenue, who was killed Tuesday evening. Baker appears to have met his death from a gunshot wound through the stomach. On Tuesday afternoon, about five o’clock, I was in the southern part of the city and heard firing in the direction of South street, and went to that vicinity.
I ordered all the colored soldiers whom I met to go with me to Fort Pickering. Twenty-five or thirty went with me. There was only one colored soldier who refused to go with me. Not more than twelve other soldiers remained in that part of the town. After going to the fort with the colored soldiers, I again returned to the scene of disturbance. This was after dark. The soldier who refused to go to the fort with me was Sergeant Lewis Hurst, of company H; I saw him on Wednesday morning but he was not engaged in any of the riots. My regiment, including the officers and men, was discharged from the service on the 30th, of April, 1866.
Corporal Lewis Robinson, company K, was killed on Wednesday morning did not see his dead body, but know he was reported on the pay rolls of his company as having been killed on that day. Private Allen Summers, company L, was reported on the pay-rolls of his company as having been killed on Tuesday or Wednesday. Private Alfred Turner, company H, was wounded in the fleshy part of the left arm on Tuesday evening; the wound was from a pistol shot.
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ANDREW MEADOWS, (colored,) at No. 9 Linden street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. State when, where, and by whom you were wounded.
Answer. I formerly resided in a frame house at the corner of Causey and South streets. On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two o’clock, I heard a rapping at my door, and shortly after two men came to the window at the head of my bed; they broke the window, when a white man stuck a pistol in at the window and fired at me; the ball king effect in my left hand. This man and another man then came into my house, and the same man who shot at me struck me on the left side with a sharp instrument. Some one then took my pocket-book, containing twenty-five dollars, ($25.) The two men then broke open my trunk and took four suits of clothing, worth seventy-five dollars, ($75,) and took some clothing belonging to my wife. About one-half hour later, the same white men returned and set fire to my house. There were a large number of white men here at this time, and they burned several other houses besides my own. The man who shot me and struck me is named John Callahan; he kept a drinking saloon at the corner of South and Causey streets, opposite my house; I did not know the other man. I heard Callahan say, just before the house was burned, “God damn him! I know he has got more money than this, and if we can’t find ‘it, we will burn up the house!” At the time of this occurrence I was employed as a fireman on the steamer R. M. Bishop, at forty-five dollars ($45) per month and board.
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WILLIAM W. WHEEDEN, residing on South street, east of Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you see the origin of the riot on Tuesday, May 1, 1866?
Answer. On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 4 o’clock p. m., I was standing in the door of my store, on South street near the Bayou bridge, when I saw four policemen coming from the direction of Main street, followed by about fifteen negro soldiers, and the same number of negro citizens. When opposite my door I saw one of the negroes push a policeman. The crowd proceeded as far as the bridge, about twenty rods from my store, when the police stopped on the bridge and faced the crowd. I saw two or three negroes seize wood from a wagon in the street and throw at the police ; they also commenced firing their revolvers in the air, and some of them fired at the police, and the others continued to throw wood. The police then drew their revolvers and fired at the negroes. About thirty shots were fired by both parties, and one of the policemen was wounded and fell on the bridge. A few shots were fired after the policeman was wounded. The parties then separated, the negroes going toward Main street, and the policemen took up their wounded comrade and went toward Causey street. During the firing large numbers of negro women and children had come into the street. Some of the negro soldiers were drunk when they passed my store.
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WILLIAM B. HOOD, residing at No. 109 Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you see any persons wounded during the recent riots? If so, state their names, and when and where wounded.
Answer. On the second day of the riots, about 7 o’clock p. m., I was going south on Main street with three colored men in my employ, when I met a party of firemen near the corner of Main and Exchange streets. One of the firemen struck one of my men named George Clapp with a horn, when another firemen said, “Shoot the son of a bitch.” I saw a man aim his revolver at Clapp and fire three shots, two of them taking effect in the thigh. One other colored man named Franklin Gross was shot in the small of the back by the same party who shot Clapp. Gross is severely wounded; Clapp will recover. At the time of this occurrence these colored men were walking quietly along the street, and did not say anything. I tried to protect the negroes, when three of the firemen struck at me with revolvers, and others said: “Shoot him for taking their part.” Neither myself nor the negroes had any weapons. These firemen stopped at the engine-house of company No. 6. The man who had the horn was an Irishman, and the whole party looked like rowdies.
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JULIA YATES, (colored,) resides on South street, east of Main, (a washerwoman by occupation,) after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Saw the beginning of the riot at 4 p. in., Tuesday, May 1, 1866. Saw a large number of colored soldiers drinking on Main street, at Mr. Wadloe’s grocery store. Three policemen stepped up to the crowd and told the soldiers they were not allowed to drink and get drunk. One of the soldiers walked up to the police with a stick and tried to strike him, the rest of the crowd pulled the soldier back; the crowd then went down Main towards South street, the police in advance, the same soldier still trying to strike the police, but held back by the crowd. As soon as the policemen reached the bridge, they stopped and turned towards the crowd, and one of the police fired at the crowd, and two shots were then fired in return, one of which hit a policeman. Two shots were fired by the police, one of which hit a soldier in the neck.
The police then went down South street, leaving the wounded man in a grocery. Soon after a crowd of white men came from Causey street, and killed a colored soldier near a large brick house on South street, near Second bridge. Three men knocked the first negro down, and then shot him four times, and robbed him of his pocket-book and watch. The second negro ran towards Grady’s hill, and several shots were fired at him, one of which hit and killed him. The crowd then came up South street, one having a colored soldier in charge. The man having the negro struck him with a pistol three times. The crowd then moved up South street, and killed a negro woman named Emeline. I saw her dead body the next day in Mr. Kelley’s store. The crowd went up town and returned almost immediately with shot guns, and remained in the road near Smith’s grocery. My husband, Allen Summers, was also wounded. On Wednesday, about 3 o’clock, I saw several houses on Grady’s hill, near the school-house, on fire. I saw some citizens going towards these houses, and soon after the houses were on fire.
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GEORGE ARMON, (colored,) residing at No. 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, between three and four o’clock in the morning, six (6) or eight (8) men came to my house. The names of one of the men was Boyle, who has a grocery store on Poplar, near Fourth street. Another man was called Haggarty, who has a grocery on Poplar street, near Fourth, told me the next day that he was with the party. The party knocked at the door and ordered me to come out Some one in the party remarked that they “could not burn the damned niggers out without burning two white families on east side.” They remained there five or ten minutes and then went away. About the same number of men came to my house the next night about twelve o’clock; two policemen were in my grocery at the same time. The party demanded entrance, and the door was opened ; shortly afterwards the policemen and crowd went away together.
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SARAH ARMON, (colored,) residing at 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Between one and two o’clock a. m., :Wednesday, May 2, 1866, a party of men came to my house and knocked three times at the door; I knew two of the men; one of the men was named Boyle, and one was named Haggarty; I heard some one in the party say, “We can’t burn these damned niggers out without burning the two white families each side of them.” They remained a short time and then went away. The next night Mr. Kline and Mr. Moore, policemen, were in my grocery about 12 o’clock, when a party of men came to the door and knocked; the door was opened, and one man started to come in, when Mr. Moore stopped him ; the man said “ We want that nigger.” Mr. Moore spoke to some one in the crowd and said “Go home, Joe,” there is no negro man here; I did not know the man spoken to; the policemen went away with the crowd.
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JAMES DUNLAP, (colored,) nurse at Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about dark, I saw a squad of twenty or thirty men conic down Main street, and as they passed the Freedmen’s Hospital they fired at the hospital. two of the patients in the hospital were wounded by shots from the crowd ; one of them in the leg and one in the shoulder. Some of the men in the crowd that fired had stars on their breasts, and were policemen. I saw an Irishman with black whiskers shoot a colored man near the hospital. The man is called Pat, and visits at a grocery near the hospital. The colored man was looking at the crowd at the time, and was not doing anything.
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LOUIS BENNETT, (colored,) patient in Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, about sunset, six white men stopped me in front of the Gayoso house, and one of them asked me if I had been a soldier. I told him I had been on a gunboat. He then called me “a damned smoked Yankee,” and struck me on the left arm with a club and broke my arm between the wrist and elbow. One of the other men struck me on the head with a club, and knocked me down. The men then took my watch and pocket-book containing fifty dollars. I laid where I was knocked down till the next morning.
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GEORGE HAGAN, first sergeant company G, second battalion, sixteenth United States infantry, stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Shortly after the riots in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, which commenced May 1, 1866, I heard Mr. Morning Star, proprietor of the National Theatre in this city, say that the “riots were a good thing,” and he “wished every damn nigger was massacred, as they had no business to live among white men,” and other words to the same effect. I have heard conversations of the same kind at his entertainments among the audience.
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JOSEPH TEUFEL, residing on South street, west of Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 3 o’clock p. m., I saw Lieutenant Jericho lead a party of about one hundred and fifty negroes from Morris Cemetery toward South street, and shortly after heard firing in that direction. On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 12 o’clock, several citizens came to my house and searched for Lieutenant Jericho, and said they would hang him to a tree behind the house if they caught him. Lieutenant Jericho was not in the house. I knew several f the party; one was named Hagan and another Harrigan, Harrigan’s stepson, and a. man to me unknown was in the party.
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SAMUEL VAN PELT, (colored,) residing on South street, near Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows :
On Tuesday, May 5, 1866, about 5 o’clock p. m., I was standing on the South street bridge, and saw a white man dressed in uniform coming down Elliott street. Some policemen were going up that street at the same time, and a large crowd of negroes were following them. I heard some of the negroes halloa “stop that son-of-a-bitch,” and saw the man on horseback turn around and fire at a policeman. The policeman fell down. I was about fifty yards distant when the policeman was shot.
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LUCINDA LEE, (colored,) residing on South street, near St. Martin street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two or three hours before day, I saw some policemen set fire to four houses on South street, near the bayou bridge. There were twelve men in the party. In the ruins of one of the houses, on Thursday, I saw the remains of a woman and child who had been burned to death. I also saw one of the men in the party shoot and kill a woman who was going towards one of the houses to get some clothes she had piled outside of the houses. The man who shot the woman was a heavyset man, full face, with light hair and beard. He had on gray clothes, which I saw him pull off, when I saw that he had on a suit of black. I saw the son of the lady who lives next door to Ryan’s house in the party. The man is a Dutchman, about five feet nine inches high, light hair.
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WILLIS JONES, residing corner of Linden and Mulberry streets, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am a blacksmith, and have a shop on Main street. On Tuesday evening, May 1, 1866. shortly after six o’clock, I was about starting home to supper, when I saw a large crowd of policemen coming up Main street, from the direction of South street. The policeman then passed me, but a thick-set man, about five feet ten inches high, in rear of the crowd, aimed his pistol and fired at me, the ball taking effect in my right eye. I walked away from him and he fired at me again.
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DAVID SMITH, (colored,) residing near Mississippi and Tennessee railroad depot, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 9 o’clock, I was at Mrs. Grady’s, in South Memphis, and a party of seven men, with pistols, came to the house. One of them was named Pat Pendergrass, and another man was named Burns. Burns jabbed his pistol against my neck and said, “God damn you, I ought to shoot you.” Pendergrass and Mrs. Grady interfered and saved me.
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JAMES FINN, residing on Winchester street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am a policeman of the day force, city of Memphis, Tennessee. On Tuesday, May I,
1866, about 54 o’clock p. m., John O’Neil, David Carroll, John Stevens, and myself were on Causey street. We heard a great noise in the direction of St. Martin’s street, and we went in that direction Near Morris cemetery I saw a crowd of about fifty or sixty negroes, which increased to a crowd of one hundred or one hundred and fifty, among whom were several negro soldiers. I asked one of them what the trouble was, and he said, “Its none of your God damned business, you damned white-livered son of a bitch; you got no business over here.” This negro was dressed in citizen’s clothes. This man said, “Go for Carroll, that white-livered son of a bitch.” The negroes then formed a half circle around us, and two negro soldiers took hold of Carroll, who finally got away from them. Stevens and myself then commenced going east on South street, and had reached the Bayou bridge, and were about twenty-five yards from the crowd, when I heard pistol shots from the negroes and saw policeman Stevens fall, wounded through the thigh. O’Neil and myself then turned toward the crowd and commenced shooting at them. I fired four shots, and the whole crowd dispersed. I then started up Avry street, and met a white man dressed in citizen’s clothes on horseback, who told me to stop and go with him, saying, “You are my prisoner.”
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P. McMAHON, residing on Robinson street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am captain of the day police of Memphis, Tennessee. James Finn and John Stevens, of the day police, were wounded during the riots which commenced in Memphis, Tennessee, May 1, 1866. John Stevens died soon after he was wounded. There were no others of the day police who were reported to me as wounded during the riots. I had twelve men on duty in the seventh ward of this city on the day of the riot. Four men were on duty in the vicinity of the southern part of the city, where the riot originated. There is no reserve force kept at the station-house, nor any prescribed rules for assembling the police in case of a riot. The four men who were on duty on South street the day of the riot were John Stevens, James Finn, David Carroll, and ,John O’Neil.
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OBADIAH STOCKLY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the 3d of May, 1866, three white men, names unknown to me, came to my house and inquired if I had any arms; I said there was a gun in the house; they ordered me to bring it out; asked me if I had been a soldier; said I had better not own it if I had; they took my pocket-book, containing seventy-one dollars in greenbacks, and a gold watch. They also took my gun and left it with a man by the name of Johny, who lives near Mrs. Jacobie’s, and who knows the names of the parties that robbed me. The men were armed with revolvers, and presented them as they approached the house.
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KIT TEMPLE, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, a mob came to my grocery store and fired through the door, and then broke down the door and came in and went to work carrying out all my goods. They started to set my house on fire, but Mr. Casper (stops at the Delmonico House) got them to stop it. He begged of them not to rob my store, but they would not listen to him. I heard some of the party call three of the men by the names of Mike Colton, Johney Reed, captain fire engine No. 2, and Allen Young. I think Mr. Casper would know some of them. Full amount of loss $1,404.
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COLEMAN DEFAULT, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the evening of the first day of May, 1866, David Roach, policeman, and several other policemen, came to where I was, on South street, and fired the house, shot me twice, beat me on the head with pistols, and robbed me of what money I had and my discharge from the army. David Roach shot me the first time, in the thigh, but could rot tell who shot me the second time. After Roach shot me, I begged of him not to kill me; he said, “Yes, God damn you, I will! You, and all the balance of you.” I think they left me for dead. That night I rented another house from Captain Barns, and a party of men burned it that night. They shot and wounded a man who was trying to stop the fire. Loss will amount to thirty ($30) dollars.
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KELLUM MOON, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the evening of May 1, 1866, as I was coming down Main street, a party of men coming, (one policeman,) meeting me, commenced shooting at me and killed my horse. I ran away and made my escape. They came into ray house, broke open my trunk, and took inst of it thirty-seven dollars in greenbacks and $1.75 in silver, a coat and pair of shoes, worth nineteen dollars ; my horse was worth one hundred and thirty-five dollars.
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ANDREW MINTER, living on South street, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the night of the d of May, 1866, three or four men came to my house and knocked at the door; I did not open it; they then went around to the window and broke it open. There were some buildings burning near by, and by the light of which they saw me lying on the bed. They fired a pistol; the ball went through my left hand. Two of the men then came into the house. I recognized the voice of one of them as Mr. Clanahan, who lives at the corner of Causey and South streets. This man then stabbed me in the side with a small knife. I feigned death so as to be able to make my escape. They broke open my trunk, took my own and wife’s clothing; finally took my pocket-book containing twenty-five dollars, after which they set the house on fire, and swore they would shoot any one that attempted to carry me out. I waited till the fire was well under way, and pulling a quilt over my head, escaped by a back door.
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SALLIE HAWKINS, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, deposes as follows:
On the 3d day of May, 1866, a party of men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Daniel Hawkins, killed him and took from his trunk fifty dollars in money and some clothing to the amount of ten dollars. One of the men is named Mr. Dunn ; he keeps a grocery store on South street, near the bridge, across the bayou.
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MARIA TROTTER, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, four men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Ned Trotter, knocked at the door, but I did not answer. They then set fire to the house, and before I could get out the house was all in a blaze. The house and all we had was lost. There was sixty dollars in money in the house which was lost. Our loss without the money would amount to three hundred dollars. My husband was absent at Little Rock at the time. About half an hour before, I saw them shoot a woman, Rachel, and set fire to her after they had killed her,
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EDWARD JACKSON, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the 2d of May, 1866, while I was at my work in the city, the house I occupied was burned down. I had in my trunk one hundred and ninety-five dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house stated that she saw the man who set fire to the house take the money and some other articles out of my trunk. I was afraid to go home until next day, when I learned the disturbance was there. When I did get there I found all I had gone. I also had two diamond rings taken which had been presented to my dead sister by her mistress. I have often been offered one hundred dollars apiece for the rings. Lost carpenter tools and other articles, besides the money and rings, amounting to eighty dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house has since gone to St. Louis.
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MATHILDA HAWLEY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the 1st of May I saw a colored soldier, named Charlie, walking quietly along, when a policeman walked up and hit him on the head with his revolver, breaking the weapon. Then a white man shot the soldier. This occurred in front of my house. After that I saw a colored man, named George Howard, with four white men; another colored man, named Uncle Dick, who has a house near where I live, was next molested. The white men broke in the door of the house and fired into it twice. The next morning I went into the house and saw the dead body of Uncle Dick with a bullet hole through his breast. After they fired into Uncle Dick’s house they passed around the corner and I heard one of them say, “Let us go and burn up these damned nigger shanties;” another said, “No, we promised the widow (a white woman) that we would not disturb her, and the houses might burn.” Then George Howard said, “Let’s go and kill them while they are asleep.” One of the white men said, “No, let’s wait until they come back.” Then Howard said, “It’s a good time now while they are asleep.” I was close to them, hiding. The next day I met George in the street, and as he met a white man be said, “So you are thinning them out, are you, God damn them.”
B. F. BAKER, late first lieutenant 3d regiment United States heavy artillery, residing in Fort Pickering, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you know men from your regiment being killed during the riots which commenced May 1, 1866, in Memphis, Tennessee State their names, and company to which they belonged.
Answer. Private Joseph Lunde, company E, was killed Tuesday evening; was shot through the breast; saw him die. Private Isaac Richardson, company H, was killed by a gunshot wound on Tuesday night, May 1, 1866. Private William Withers, company H. was killed by gunshot wound on Tuesday night., May 1, 1866 ; saw his body Wednesday morning. Private George Cobb, company H, was killed on Tuesday evening by a gunshot wound ; saw his body that night. Private George Black was killed Wednesday morning: the body was found on South street bridge, at second bayou. I also saw the dead body of a colored man named Levi Baker, at the corner of Main street and Butler’s avenue, who was killed Tuesday evening. Baker appears to have met his death from a gunshot wound through the stomach. On Tuesday afternoon, about five o’clock, I was in the southern part of the city and heard firing in the direction of South street, and went to that vicinity.
I ordered all the colored soldiers whom I met to go with me to Fort Pickering. Twenty-five or thirty went with me. There was only one colored soldier who refused to go with me. Not more than twelve other soldiers remained in that part of the town. After going to the fort with the colored soldiers, I again returned to the scene of disturbance. This was after dark. The soldier who refused to go to the fort with me was Sergeant Lewis Hurst, of company H; I saw him on Wednesday morning but he was not engaged in any of the riots. My regiment, including the officers and men, was discharged from the service on the 30th, of April, 1866.
Corporal Lewis Robinson, company K, was killed on Wednesday morning did not see his dead body, but know he was reported on the pay rolls of his company as having been killed on that day. Private Allen Summers, company L, was reported on the pay-rolls of his company as having been killed on Tuesday or Wednesday. Private Alfred Turner, company H, was wounded in the fleshy part of the left arm on Tuesday evening; the wound was from a pistol shot.
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ANDREW MEADOWS, (colored,) at No. 9 Linden street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. State when, where, and by whom you were wounded.
Answer. I formerly resided in a frame house at the corner of Causey and South streets. On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two o’clock, I heard a rapping at my door, and shortly after two men came to the window at the head of my bed; they broke the window, when a white man stuck a pistol in at the window and fired at me; the ball king effect in my left hand. This man and another man then came into my house, and the same man who shot at me struck me on the left side with a sharp instrument. Some one then took my pocket-book, containing twenty-five dollars, ($25.) The two men then broke open my trunk and took four suits of clothing, worth seventy-five dollars, ($75,) and took some clothing belonging to my wife. About one-half hour later, the same white men returned and set fire to my house. There were a large number of white men here at this time, and they burned several other houses besides my own. The man who shot me and struck me is named John Callahan; he kept a drinking saloon at the corner of South and Causey streets, opposite my house; I did not know the other man. I heard Callahan say, just before the house was burned, “God damn him! I know he has got more money than this, and if we can’t find ‘it, we will burn up the house!” At the time of this occurrence I was employed as a fireman on the steamer R. M. Bishop, at forty-five dollars ($45) per month and board.
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WILLIAM W. WHEEDEN, residing on South street, east of Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you see the origin of the riot on Tuesday, May 1, 1866?
Answer. On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 4 o’clock p. m., I was standing in the door of my store, on South street near the Bayou bridge, when I saw four policemen coming from the direction of Main street, followed by about fifteen negro soldiers, and the same number of negro citizens. When opposite my door I saw one of the negroes push a policeman. The crowd proceeded as far as the bridge, about twenty rods from my store, when the police stopped on the bridge and faced the crowd. I saw two or three negroes seize wood from a wagon in the street and throw at the police ; they also commenced firing their revolvers in the air, and some of them fired at the police, and the others continued to throw wood. The police then drew their revolvers and fired at the negroes. About thirty shots were fired by both parties, and one of the policemen was wounded and fell on the bridge. A few shots were fired after the policeman was wounded. The parties then separated, the negroes going toward Main street, and the policemen took up their wounded comrade and went toward Causey street. During the firing large numbers of negro women and children had come into the street. Some of the negro soldiers were drunk when they passed my store.
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WILLIAM B. HOOD, residing at No. 109 Main street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Question. Did you see any persons wounded during the recent riots? If so, state their names, and when and where wounded.
Answer. On the second day of the riots, about 7 o’clock p. m., I was going south on Main street with three colored men in my employ, when I met a party of firemen near the corner of Main and Exchange streets. One of the firemen struck one of my men named George Clapp with a horn, when another firemen said, “Shoot the son of a bitch.” I saw a man aim his revolver at Clapp and fire three shots, two of them taking effect in the thigh. One other colored man named Franklin Gross was shot in the small of the back by the same party who shot Clapp. Gross is severely wounded; Clapp will recover. At the time of this occurrence these colored men were walking quietly along the street, and did not say anything. I tried to protect the negroes, when three of the firemen struck at me with revolvers, and others said: “Shoot him for taking their part.” Neither myself nor the negroes had any weapons. These firemen stopped at the engine-house of company No. 6. The man who had the horn was an Irishman, and the whole party looked like rowdies.
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JULIA YATES, (colored,) resides on South street, east of Main, (a washerwoman by occupation,) after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Saw the beginning of the riot at 4 p. in., Tuesday, May 1, 1866. Saw a large number of colored soldiers drinking on Main street, at Mr. Wadloe’s grocery store. Three policemen stepped up to the crowd and told the soldiers they were not allowed to drink and get drunk. One of the soldiers walked up to the police with a stick and tried to strike him, the rest of the crowd pulled the soldier back; the crowd then went down Main towards South street, the police in advance, the same soldier still trying to strike the police, but held back by the crowd. As soon as the policemen reached the bridge, they stopped and turned towards the crowd, and one of the police fired at the crowd, and two shots were then fired in return, one of which hit a policeman. Two shots were fired by the police, one of which hit a soldier in the neck.
The police then went down South street, leaving the wounded man in a grocery. Soon after a crowd of white men came from Causey street, and killed a colored soldier near a large brick house on South street, near Second bridge. Three men knocked the first negro down, and then shot him four times, and robbed him of his pocket-book and watch. The second negro ran towards Grady’s hill, and several shots were fired at him, one of which hit and killed him. The crowd then came up South street, one having a colored soldier in charge. The man having the negro struck him with a pistol three times. The crowd then moved up South street, and killed a negro woman named Emeline. I saw her dead body the next day in Mr. Kelley’s store. The crowd went up town and returned almost immediately with shot guns, and remained in the road near Smith’s grocery. My husband, Allen Summers, was also wounded. On Wednesday, about 3 o’clock, I saw several houses on Grady’s hill, near the school-house, on fire. I saw some citizens going towards these houses, and soon after the houses were on fire.
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GEORGE ARMON, (colored,) residing at No. 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, between three and four o’clock in the morning, six (6) or eight (8) men came to my house. The names of one of the men was Boyle, who has a grocery store on Poplar, near Fourth street. Another man was called Haggarty, who has a grocery on Poplar street, near Fourth, told me the next day that he was with the party. The party knocked at the door and ordered me to come out Some one in the party remarked that they “could not burn the damned niggers out without burning two white families on east side.” They remained there five or ten minutes and then went away. About the same number of men came to my house the next night about twelve o’clock; two policemen were in my grocery at the same time. The party demanded entrance, and the door was opened ; shortly afterwards the policemen and crowd went away together.
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SARAH ARMON, (colored,) residing at 108 Fourth street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Between one and two o’clock a. m., :Wednesday, May 2, 1866, a party of men came to my house and knocked three times at the door; I knew two of the men; one of the men was named Boyle, and one was named Haggarty; I heard some one in the party say, “We can’t burn these damned niggers out without burning the two white families each side of them.” They remained a short time and then went away. The next night Mr. Kline and Mr. Moore, policemen, were in my grocery about 12 o’clock, when a party of men came to the door and knocked; the door was opened, and one man started to come in, when Mr. Moore stopped him ; the man said “ We want that nigger.” Mr. Moore spoke to some one in the crowd and said “Go home, Joe,” there is no negro man here; I did not know the man spoken to; the policemen went away with the crowd.
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JAMES DUNLAP, (colored,) nurse at Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about dark, I saw a squad of twenty or thirty men conic down Main street, and as they passed the Freedmen’s Hospital they fired at the hospital. two of the patients in the hospital were wounded by shots from the crowd ; one of them in the leg and one in the shoulder. Some of the men in the crowd that fired had stars on their breasts, and were policemen. I saw an Irishman with black whiskers shoot a colored man near the hospital. The man is called Pat, and visits at a grocery near the hospital. The colored man was looking at the crowd at the time, and was not doing anything.
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LOUIS BENNETT, (colored,) patient in Freedmen’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Wednesday, May 2, 1866, about sunset, six white men stopped me in front of the Gayoso house, and one of them asked me if I had been a soldier. I told him I had been on a gunboat. He then called me “a damned smoked Yankee,” and struck me on the left arm with a club and broke my arm between the wrist and elbow. One of the other men struck me on the head with a club, and knocked me down. The men then took my watch and pocket-book containing fifty dollars. I laid where I was knocked down till the next morning.
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GEORGE HAGAN, first sergeant company G, second battalion, sixteenth United States infantry, stationed at Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
Shortly after the riots in the city of Memphis, Tennessee, which commenced May 1, 1866, I heard Mr. Morning Star, proprietor of the National Theatre in this city, say that the “riots were a good thing,” and he “wished every damn nigger was massacred, as they had no business to live among white men,” and other words to the same effect. I have heard conversations of the same kind at his entertainments among the audience.
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JOSEPH TEUFEL, residing on South street, west of Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday, May 1, 1866, about 3 o’clock p. m., I saw Lieutenant Jericho lead a party of about one hundred and fifty negroes from Morris Cemetery toward South street, and shortly after heard firing in that direction. On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 12 o’clock, several citizens came to my house and searched for Lieutenant Jericho, and said they would hang him to a tree behind the house if they caught him. Lieutenant Jericho was not in the house. I knew several f the party; one was named Hagan and another Harrigan, Harrigan’s stepson, and a. man to me unknown was in the party.
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SAMUEL VAN PELT, (colored,) residing on South street, near Hernando, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows :
On Tuesday, May 5, 1866, about 5 o’clock p. m., I was standing on the South street bridge, and saw a white man dressed in uniform coming down Elliott street. Some policemen were going up that street at the same time, and a large crowd of negroes were following them. I heard some of the negroes halloa “stop that son-of-a-bitch,” and saw the man on horseback turn around and fire at a policeman. The policeman fell down. I was about fifty yards distant when the policeman was shot.
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LUCINDA LEE, (colored,) residing on South street, near St. Martin street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Thursday morning, May 3, 1866, about two or three hours before day, I saw some policemen set fire to four houses on South street, near the bayou bridge. There were twelve men in the party. In the ruins of one of the houses, on Thursday, I saw the remains of a woman and child who had been burned to death. I also saw one of the men in the party shoot and kill a woman who was going towards one of the houses to get some clothes she had piled outside of the houses. The man who shot the woman was a heavyset man, full face, with light hair and beard. He had on gray clothes, which I saw him pull off, when I saw that he had on a suit of black. I saw the son of the lady who lives next door to Ryan’s house in the party. The man is a Dutchman, about five feet nine inches high, light hair.
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WILLIS JONES, residing corner of Linden and Mulberry streets, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am a blacksmith, and have a shop on Main street. On Tuesday evening, May 1, 1866. shortly after six o’clock, I was about starting home to supper, when I saw a large crowd of policemen coming up Main street, from the direction of South street. The policeman then passed me, but a thick-set man, about five feet ten inches high, in rear of the crowd, aimed his pistol and fired at me, the ball taking effect in my right eye. I walked away from him and he fired at me again.
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DAVID SMITH, (colored,) residing near Mississippi and Tennessee railroad depot, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On Tuesday night, May 1, 1866, about 9 o’clock, I was at Mrs. Grady’s, in South Memphis, and a party of seven men, with pistols, came to the house. One of them was named Pat Pendergrass, and another man was named Burns. Burns jabbed his pistol against my neck and said, “God damn you, I ought to shoot you.” Pendergrass and Mrs. Grady interfered and saved me.
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JAMES FINN, residing on Winchester street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am a policeman of the day force, city of Memphis, Tennessee. On Tuesday, May I,
1866, about 54 o’clock p. m., John O’Neil, David Carroll, John Stevens, and myself were on Causey street. We heard a great noise in the direction of St. Martin’s street, and we went in that direction Near Morris cemetery I saw a crowd of about fifty or sixty negroes, which increased to a crowd of one hundred or one hundred and fifty, among whom were several negro soldiers. I asked one of them what the trouble was, and he said, “Its none of your God damned business, you damned white-livered son of a bitch; you got no business over here.” This negro was dressed in citizen’s clothes. This man said, “Go for Carroll, that white-livered son of a bitch.” The negroes then formed a half circle around us, and two negro soldiers took hold of Carroll, who finally got away from them. Stevens and myself then commenced going east on South street, and had reached the Bayou bridge, and were about twenty-five yards from the crowd, when I heard pistol shots from the negroes and saw policeman Stevens fall, wounded through the thigh. O’Neil and myself then turned toward the crowd and commenced shooting at them. I fired four shots, and the whole crowd dispersed. I then started up Avry street, and met a white man dressed in citizen’s clothes on horseback, who told me to stop and go with him, saying, “You are my prisoner.”
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P. McMAHON, residing on Robinson street, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
I am captain of the day police of Memphis, Tennessee. James Finn and John Stevens, of the day police, were wounded during the riots which commenced in Memphis, Tennessee, May 1, 1866. John Stevens died soon after he was wounded. There were no others of the day police who were reported to me as wounded during the riots. I had twelve men on duty in the seventh ward of this city on the day of the riot. Four men were on duty in the vicinity of the southern part of the city, where the riot originated. There is no reserve force kept at the station-house, nor any prescribed rules for assembling the police in case of a riot. The four men who were on duty on South street the day of the riot were John Stevens, James Finn, David Carroll, and ,John O’Neil.
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OBADIAH STOCKLY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the 3d of May, 1866, three white men, names unknown to me, came to my house and inquired if I had any arms; I said there was a gun in the house; they ordered me to bring it out; asked me if I had been a soldier; said I had better not own it if I had; they took my pocket-book, containing seventy-one dollars in greenbacks, and a gold watch. They also took my gun and left it with a man by the name of Johny, who lives near Mrs. Jacobie’s, and who knows the names of the parties that robbed me. The men were armed with revolvers, and presented them as they approached the house.
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KIT TEMPLE, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, a mob came to my grocery store and fired through the door, and then broke down the door and came in and went to work carrying out all my goods. They started to set my house on fire, but Mr. Casper (stops at the Delmonico House) got them to stop it. He begged of them not to rob my store, but they would not listen to him. I heard some of the party call three of the men by the names of Mike Colton, Johney Reed, captain fire engine No. 2, and Allen Young. I think Mr. Casper would know some of them. Full amount of loss $1,404.
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COLEMAN DEFAULT, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the evening of the first day of May, 1866, David Roach, policeman, and several other policemen, came to where I was, on South street, and fired the house, shot me twice, beat me on the head with pistols, and robbed me of what money I had and my discharge from the army. David Roach shot me the first time, in the thigh, but could rot tell who shot me the second time. After Roach shot me, I begged of him not to kill me; he said, “Yes, God damn you, I will! You, and all the balance of you.” I think they left me for dead. That night I rented another house from Captain Barns, and a party of men burned it that night. They shot and wounded a man who was trying to stop the fire. Loss will amount to thirty ($30) dollars.
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KELLUM MOON, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testified as follows:
On the evening of May 1, 1866, as I was coming down Main street, a party of men coming, (one policeman,) meeting me, commenced shooting at me and killed my horse. I ran away and made my escape. They came into ray house, broke open my trunk, and took inst of it thirty-seven dollars in greenbacks and $1.75 in silver, a coat and pair of shoes, worth nineteen dollars ; my horse was worth one hundred and thirty-five dollars.
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ANDREW MINTER, living on South street, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the night of the d of May, 1866, three or four men came to my house and knocked at the door; I did not open it; they then went around to the window and broke it open. There were some buildings burning near by, and by the light of which they saw me lying on the bed. They fired a pistol; the ball went through my left hand. Two of the men then came into the house. I recognized the voice of one of them as Mr. Clanahan, who lives at the corner of Causey and South streets. This man then stabbed me in the side with a small knife. I feigned death so as to be able to make my escape. They broke open my trunk, took my own and wife’s clothing; finally took my pocket-book containing twenty-five dollars, after which they set the house on fire, and swore they would shoot any one that attempted to carry me out. I waited till the fire was well under way, and pulling a quilt over my head, escaped by a back door.
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SALLIE HAWKINS, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, deposes as follows:
On the 3d day of May, 1866, a party of men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Daniel Hawkins, killed him and took from his trunk fifty dollars in money and some clothing to the amount of ten dollars. One of the men is named Mr. Dunn ; he keeps a grocery store on South street, near the bridge, across the bayou.
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MARIA TROTTER, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the night of the 2d of May, 1866, four men came to the house occupied by myself and husband, Ned Trotter, knocked at the door, but I did not answer. They then set fire to the house, and before I could get out the house was all in a blaze. The house and all we had was lost. There was sixty dollars in money in the house which was lost. Our loss without the money would amount to three hundred dollars. My husband was absent at Little Rock at the time. About half an hour before, I saw them shoot a woman, Rachel, and set fire to her after they had killed her,
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EDWARD JACKSON, Memphis, Tennessee, being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the 2d of May, 1866, while I was at my work in the city, the house I occupied was burned down. I had in my trunk one hundred and ninety-five dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house stated that she saw the man who set fire to the house take the money and some other articles out of my trunk. I was afraid to go home until next day, when I learned the disturbance was there. When I did get there I found all I had gone. I also had two diamond rings taken which had been presented to my dead sister by her mistress. I have often been offered one hundred dollars apiece for the rings. Lost carpenter tools and other articles, besides the money and rings, amounting to eighty dollars. The woman who occupied part of the house has since gone to St. Louis.
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MATHILDA HAWLEY, Memphis, Tennessee, after being duly sworn, testifies as follows:
On the 1st of May I saw a colored soldier, named Charlie, walking quietly along, when a policeman walked up and hit him on the head with his revolver, breaking the weapon. Then a white man shot the soldier. This occurred in front of my house. After that I saw a colored man, named George Howard, with four white men; another colored man, named Uncle Dick, who has a house near where I live, was next molested. The white men broke in the door of the house and fired into it twice. The next morning I went into the house and saw the dead body of Uncle Dick with a bullet hole through his breast. After they fired into Uncle Dick’s house they passed around the corner and I heard one of them say, “Let us go and burn up these damned nigger shanties;” another said, “No, we promised the widow (a white woman) that we would not disturb her, and the houses might burn.” Then George Howard said, “Let’s go and kill them while they are asleep.” One of the white men said, “No, let’s wait until they come back.” Then Howard said, “It’s a good time now while they are asleep.” I was close to them, hiding. The next day I met George in the street, and as he met a white man be said, “So you are thinning them out, are you, God damn them.”
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