Confederate Pirates on Lake Erie: John Yates Beall and the Capture of the Philo Parsons

By September 1864, the blood bath which was the American Civil war had been raging for over three years. Union General Philip Sheridan was preparing to drive Confederate General Jubel Early out of the Shenandoah Valley. General William T. Sherman was moving on Atlanta. General Ulysses S. Grant’s Army of the Potomac was locked in a death struggle with General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia at Petersburg. The November election of 1864 would be a referendum on continuing the war. If Lincoln won the election the war would go on. If McClellan won the election the south had a chance of a negotiated peace. Anything the south could do to influence the election in McClellan favor was worth trying.

One idea which had been suggested earlier, to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, was a mass escape by Confederate soldiers from Union prisoner camps. At the time, the idea was discarded out of hand as unfeasible. As happens in war, a plan that is considered ridiculous, at first, is reconsidered as feasible as the tides of war change. A mass escape of Confederate soldiers, armed with capture Yankee equipment, would force General Grant to send men north away from Petersburg to deal with the threat. A mass escape from Chicago’s infamous Camp Douglas or Sandusky Ohio’s Johnson’s Island prison camp could succeed. The Confederate Secrete Service in Canada had the money to do the job. They had the men to do the job. They thought they had the loyalties of the all the men involved.

Lieutenant Colonel B.H. Hill, U.S. Army, Artillery, Commander and Acting Assistant Provost Marshall of the Michigan Military District was in his hotel room on Saturday evening, September 17, 1864, relaxing after a long day. A knock on his door interrupted Hill’s quite evening. Hill opened the door and a stranger by way of introduction announced.

“Sir I was a rebel soldier for some time but am know a refugee in Canada.” This stranger went on to say that “some of the officers and men of the U.S. Steamer Michigan had been tampered with… and it was the intention of rebel agents” in the area “with the assistance of the officers and men” of the Michigan “to endeavor to get possession of the Steamer.” (1)

The U.S. Steamer Michigan was an “iron hulled” side-wheel steamer “armed with 14 guns ” Her mission during the Civil War was to make sure any potential threats coming from Canada, by the British, did not succeed. Her other mission was to stand guard off Johnson’s Island to put down any potential mass escape by Confederate prisoners of war. ( 2)

Colonel Hill, most likely checked the hallway to make sure this was not a trap, invited the man into his room. Once inside the room, the stranger continued; “I was approached to join one of the parties, which I agreed to do.”

As acting Provost Marshall, Hill was duty bound to hear the stranger out; and assess the relative danger of the plan. The informer continued “with the possession of the steamer Michigan they would have control of the lakes for months and would levy contribution from all the lake cities.”

The problem Lt. Col Hill had was in the believability of this man. To take control of a U.S. man of war was not an easy task. Hill needed more information to prove a viable threat existed. Hill let the stranger continue. They “had offered very large inducements to the officers and men of that steamer” to allow its capture. (3)

When the stranger finished speaking, Lt. Col. Hill realized he had no choice but to take this man seriously. The “statement and earnestness” of this man “made an impression on” Hill. He pressed for more information, but that was all the information the stranger had to give at that time. The conspirators were scheduled to meet the next day, Sunday morning, to finalize the details of the plan. The stranger promised he would “get full instruction Sunday morning.” I’ll “fail to join the party” and return here “Sunday night.” (4)

After the stranger departed, Lt. Col. Hill immediately sent a telegraph to “Captain J.C. Carter, commanding officer of the steamer Michigan…” (5)

Official Record Vol 43. part 2 p 234

Detroit , September 17, 1864

CAPT. J.C.CARTER:

(Care of the U.S. Steamer Michigan, Sandusky)

It is reported to me that some of your officers and men have been tampered with, and that a party of rebel refugees leaves Windsor to-morrow with expectations of getting possession of your steamer.

B.H. HILL,

Lieutenant- Colonel, U.S. Army, Military Commander

Commander John C. Carter, Captain of the U.S. Michigan was born in Virginia and entered the navy as a midshipman on March 1^st 1825. Commissioned Lieutenant on February 7 1837, he served at various post and on board various ships over the next thirty-five years. Carter was promoted to Commander September 14, 1855, then promoted to Commodore July 16, 1863. He was an experienced naval officer with almost forty years of experience commanding ships and men. (6) It was no surprise that Commodore Carter responded to Colonel Hill’s telegraphed with the terse reply;

Official Record Vol 43. part 2 p 235

U.S. STEAMER MICHIGAN

Off Johnson’s Island, Sandusky, September 17, 1864.

Lieut. Col. B.H. Hill, U.S. ARMY,

Military Commander:

Thanks for your dispatch. All Ready. Cannot be true in relations to

the officers or men.

JNO. C. CARTER

Commander, U.S. Navy.

The telegram might have been short; however, Carter took the threat seriously. He had served the U.S. Navy faithfully for almost forty-years. After years of faithful service, when his years of experience could be put to use, he was “not allowed” to participate in “a more extensive field of operations” other than patrolling Lake Erie and guarding Johnston’s Island. (7) This was Captains Carters chance to do important service for his country. Once Captain Carter had been informed of the plot, Lt. Col. Hill could do nothing more but wait until the following evening.

Late the next evening, Sunday, the informant returned to Lt. Col. Hill’s room with “all the information he could obtain” for the plot to take possession of the Steamer Michigan. (8) During this second meeting the informer stated, “a party of men where to take passage on board the steamer Philo Parsons at Malden and would take possession of her before reaching Sandusky.” The Rebel’s planned to take possession of the Michigan with help from “certain officers and men of the steamer Michigan.” A man by the name Cole along with “a few men would be introduced” on board “under the guise of friends of the officers.” However, there was one officer by the name of Eddy who “could not be bought, and” the plan was to “drug him” along with anyone else who would not cooperate. 9

The meeting with the informant lasted until after Mid-night; Lt. Col. Hill believed he had accurate information; the plot was real. Hill made his way to the Military telegraph office to send the updated information to Carter.

DETRIOT, September 19, 1864

J.C. CARTER U.S. NAVY

U.S. Steamer Michigan, Sandusky, Ohio:

It is said the parties will embark to-day at Malden on board the Philo Parsons, and will seize either that steamer or another running from Kelly’s Island. Since my last dispatch am again assured that officer and men have been bought by a man named Cole; a few men to be introduce on board under the guise of friends of officers; an officer named Eddy to be drugged. Both Commodore Gardner and myself look upon matter as serious.

B.H. HILL

Lieut. Col.; U.S. Army, Acting Assistant Provost- Marshall- General

OR Vol. 43 Pt II p. 235

Lt. Col. Hill had a decision to make. The question he needed to answer was should he put armed men on board the steamer thereby alerting the conspirators, or he could let the plot unfold and capture all the conspirators. Time was running short he had to make a decision.

At six o’clock that morning, Hill went down to the docks to assess the danger of letting the plot unfold. What he saw “was a steamer too small to be any danger if taken by the persons.” Realizing that “these plots” were “always being made…” and he had definite information about this one, Hill’s had a chance to make an example” of these rebel plotters. He would “place Captain Carter on his guard in a way that would make an impression on him, so the whole party could be taken. … After mature consideration,” Hill decided to let the steamer go.”10

Jacob Thompson former congressman from Mississippi -- late Secretary of the Interior under President Buchanan, Governor of the Confederate State of Mississippi- from 1862-1864- now under secrete orders from President Jefferson Davis to set up a mission in Toronto Canada. However, Thompson was cautioned, “Canada’s neutrality was to be respected and every diplomatic means of gaining peace exhausted, but –Davis said- military operation were to be carried out from Canada as a last resort.”11   

The Confederate’s Canadian mission’s responsibilities were to help escaped rebel prisoners return to the Confederacy and to disrupt the northern war effort.   It was also said Thompson … “was at the bottom of a number of schemes, … to destroy northern cities by fire.”12  Out of his Toronto Mission, the fifty-four year old Thompson approved missions, gathered the necessary men and dispersed the money needed to carry out clandestine operations against the North.  There was one problem,  “Thompson was obstinate, easily influenced” and gullible.  He was ripe for any scheme, no matter how outrageous, to damage the northern war effort.   “Thompson desired, from the beginning of his duty in Canada the possession of the” gun boat Michigan. 13

Unbeknownst to Thompson, there were two other men who had the same idea. The first was Captain Charles H. Cole C.S.A. formally a member of Nathan Bedford “Forrest’s command.”  Cole had been registered at the West House in Sandusky, Ohio for a considerable period of time. His mission?  He was to ingratiate himself to the local military official.  “Cole had been lavish with his expenditures feasting and drinking…frequent suppers were given, at which no expense was spared, and all bills were settle in gold.”14   It was during these festive gatherings that Cole had become friendly with the officers of the U.S. Michigan. When Cole was not cultivating his friendships with the officers of the Michigan, he spent time scouting the Great Lakes region gathering intelligence on fortifications, shipping, supplies, and troop strength. As soon as he had enough information, Cole contacted Jacob Thompson.

“HON. JACOB THOMSPSON.

            Sir: I have the honor to ask to be placed in secrete detached service, in undertaking the capture of the gunboat Michigan at Johnson’s Island.  Combination can be made without infringing the neutrality laws of Canada.  I send this by special messenger; An immediate answer requested.

                                                            CHARLES H. COLE

                                                                                    Captain, C.S.A.”

(Confederate Operations in Canada and New York John W. Headley p. 233)

Thompson’s response was enthusiastic and cautionary. “Sir: …specially trusting in your knowledge and skill, you are assigned to the secrete detached service for the purpose mentioned in your letter.” Thompson then cautioned Cole to “carefully abstain from violating any laws or regulations of Canada or British authorities in relation to neutrality.”  To aid Cole with his plan to capture the U.S. Michigan, Thompson needed a man who was dedicated, tenacious, and would put the successful completion of the mission above all else.15

“John Y Beall, born January 1, 1835, …was one of the first to enlist in the Second Virginia regiment…” soon after Virginia seceded from the Union.  “During the” skirmish “at Falling Waters, in October, 1861, Beall led a charge” against the enemy.  He was shot through the chest but survive his wounds. During his “convalescence…”, Beall  “conceived” of a plan “to release Confederate prisoners.  Beall wrote President Jefferson Davis about the feasibility of releasing Confederate Prisoners of war from Johnston’s Island. President Davis referred Beall to Secretary of the Navy Mallory.16

After reviewing Beall’s plan, Mallory appointed Beall a captain in the Confederate Navy. Beall’s plan was “held in abeyance” for the time being.”17  In the mean time Beall began to make a name for himself as a privateer on the Chesapeake Bay.  He and his men became so infamous that the headlines of  “Northern papers…” referred to Beall as “the notorious Captain Beall.” when they were captured by Federal troops.18 After a period of time in Federal confinement, Beall and his men were released under a prisoner exchange agreement.  Shortly thereafter Beall was sent to Canada to meet with Thompson about plans to release the Confederate Prisoners on Johnston’s Island.   John  Beall was to be the leader of the Confederate pirates.