Today in History:

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

Page 244 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.

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,

Notary Public, Wayne County, Mich.

B 7.

SANDUSKY, September 26, 1864.

Henry Haines deposes and says, that he is engineer of the Island Queen, a steamer running regularly from Sandusky to Kelly's Island and the Bass Islands. The boat left Sandusky last Monday at 3 p. m., her usual hour, for Kelly's Island. As we were nearing Kelly's Island we met the Parsons, about a mile from Kelly's Island, and seemingly bound for Sandusky. After passing us she turned to the east, went down the lake, and turned and came back again, and then steered her course for Middle Bass, where she arrived before us, and was lying at the dock. We came alongside of her, and men came on the Island Queen from her. I was in the engine room attending to the working of the engine. I heard some one exclaim, "Shoot the son of a bitch," and was immediately shot, the ball passing my nose and through


Page 244 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter LV.