Wilhelm: John Brown Jr. called to action to defend islands from Confederates
Last week’s column, based on a book “Sketches and Stories of the Lake Erie Islands” written by Lydia J. Ryall and published in 1913, talked about John Brown Jr., the son of the famous abolitionist, and his life at Put-in-Bay.
He had headed to the island in Lake Erie after involvement with his father’s anti-slavery efforts including the Harper’s Ferry action. Thing is: He found himself briefly involved in the horrors of conflict again.
Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass played role in rebel plot
According to the book, when it was learned that two ships docked at Middle Bass Island had been captured by Confederate sympathizers, “A military company was hastily organized, and Capt. John Brown, Jr. … who resided on the Island, was chosen its commander and every available man was enrolled within its ranks.”
The organization of the brigade was a somewhat frantic response to John Yates Beall and a crew of Southern sympathizers who were taking military action on Lake Erie.
Picture this: ”The usual crowd of interested parties and dock loungers” were gathered at the Put-in-Bay” dock awaiting the arrival of the steamer Philo Parsons which had landed on Middle Bass Island instead of heading to Put-in-Bay. Later in the day, the steamer Island Queen was next to Philo Parsons in the dock.
Those people at Put-in-Bay were in wonder about what was going on.
Steamers captured and taken to Middle Bass
They found out later that night. Both steamers had been captured by the Southern sympathizers as part of a plot to capture the United States gunboat Michigan and use that to help free Rebel prisoners on Johnson’s Island. That night, in the cover of darkness, Capt. George Magle, who was a passenger on the Island Queen, crossed from Middle Bass to Put-in-Bay and spread the alarm.
A cannon used by Oliver Perry in his Lake Erie victory over the British in the War of 1812 was put in position to help protect wharves. Also, wagons full of needed goods rushed them into the woods along the west shore and hidden there. Valuables were hidden in tree stumps and some people fled to caves to hide. News of the events was sent to Johnson’s Island.
The book’s author painted this picture: “To the inhabitants of Put-in-Bay the night which followed the first news of the plot was fraught with all the tragedy of war. The air was filled with flying and exaggerated rumors; the suspense was painful, women grew nervous with apprehension and no thought of sleep was entertained.”
There were two serious alarms during the night, but the boats which prompted them were found to be non-threatening.
Rescue plot fell apart, Rebels sailed to Windsor, later caught
Meanwhile, Beall was moving ahead with his plans which included capturing the U.S. gunboat. However, according to Wikipedia, at this point the crew refused to proceed further without outside assistance. Beall reluctantly agreed, and together they sailed back to Sandwich (the former name of and now a neighborhood of Windsor, Ontario).
Finally, definite news of the plot’s failure was delivered to Put-in-Bay by a tug which arrived from Sandusky.
Beall then decided to free some captured Confederate officers by derailing a passenger train, but he and a companion, George S. Anderson, were arrested in Niagara, New York, and Beall was executed.
Roy Wilhelm started a 40-year career at The News-Messenger in 1965 as a reporter. Now retired, he writes a column for both The News-Messenger and News Herald.
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Wilhelm: John Brown Jr. rallied military force to stop Rebel pirates
