Today in History:

227 Series I Volume XLIII-II Serial 91 - Shenandoah Valley Campaign Part II

Page 227 Chapter LV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.

after the capture of the steamer had been several days on the island visiting the inhabitants and pretending to be an agent for the sale of sewing machines. He was, doubtless, a spy.

Shortly after leaving Kelly's Island, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and while she was directly on her course for Sandusky, the Philo Parsons was seized by the party who had got on board at Sandwich and malden, and was headed to the eastward for nearly an hour, when she was turned back to Middle Bass Island for gual, the leader of the party having ascertained from the mate and engineer that there was not enough to run her many hours. Soon after reaching Middle Bass Island, and while taking in wood, the steamer Island Queen, which performs daily trips from the Bass Islands to Sundasky and back, came alongside and was immediately seized. The engineer of the Island Queen, without giving any provocation, was shot in the face. The ball entered the cheek and passed out through the ear, fortunately inflicting only a flesh wound. One person was cut in the head with a hatchet, and bled profusely. Several other persons were knocked down, and a large number were struck with the butt end of pistols and with hatchets. The testimony shows that some ten or a dozen shots were fired at different times. The passengers on both boats were landed at Middle Bass, with a part of their luggage. After getting a supply of fuel the Philo Parsons ran out into the lake, towing the Island Queen. At a distance of about five miles, according to one statement, and at a lesser distance according to others, the Island Queen was scuttled, by cutting her supply pipe, and was sent adrift. Before filling she fortunately drifted on a shoal, and was got off a few days afterward without serious injury to the vessel. She had been previously plundered.

The Philo Parsons then stood for Sandusky Harbor. It was between 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening. For some unexplained reason, after approaching the harbor, and after consultation between the leader or the marauders and his men, she was turned about and steered for Malden, where she arrived between 4 and 5 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 20th. A few miles above Malden a yawl-boat load of plunder was sent ashore on the Canadian side of the Detroit River. At Fighting Island, some six miles above, the crews of both steamers were landed. The steamer arrived at Sandwich about 8 o'clock the same morning, and a pianoforte belonging to her, a number of trunks, and the cabin furniture were put ashore at the dock, where a custom-house officer almost immediately appeared. She was then scuttled, by cutting her injection pipes, and cast off. One of the witnesses testifies that the leader of the party intended to burn her, but was forbidden by some person on the dock from burning her there. Combustibles had been prepared, and were exhibited to me on board on Monday, the 26th. The steamer partially filled, but was taken possession of a few hours afterward by the mate, who had come up in a small steamer (the Pearl), from Ecorse, opposite Fighting Island and on our side of the Detroit River, and had her towed to Detroit.

Both steamers were repaired and resumed their trips, the Parsons on Saturday, the 24th, and the Island Queen on Monday, the 26th.

The circumstances above narrated are given more in detail in the affidavits marked B 1 to 7.

The Philo Parsons is a side-wheel steamer of 222 tons, built in 1861, and is worth about $16,00. She is owned principally by Mr. Fox, who resided on North Bass Island. She runs regularly between Detroit and Sandusky, leaving the former place at 8 a. m. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Friday, and the latter at the same hour on Tuesdays, Thursdays,


Page 227 Chapter LV. CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.-UNION.