UNDER THE CONFEDERACY
47
Beall, John Yates, born at Charlestown,
Jefferson county, Virginia, January i, 1835.
He was a member of a highly respectable
family, and said to be heir apparent to the
English Lord Egelby. He was educated at
the University of Virginia, and trained for
the law, but never practiced. He was the
owner of a large plantation and more than
one hundred slaves. He entered the Con-
federate service in Company G, Second Vir-
ginia Regiment, was wounded in action, and
went to Canada. While there he conceived
a plan for the liberation of the Confederate
prisoners at Johnson's Island, and, return-
ing South, was commissioned acting master
in the navy, but was not assigned to a ves-
sel. On his own initiative he engaged in
privateering operations in Chesapeake Bay
and the Potomac river, and in November,
1863, was captured and put into irons at
Fort McHenry, Baltimore. This led to re-
prisals, and he was exchanged in May of the
following year. Resubmitting to the Con-
federate authorities his plans for the John-
son's Island project, and after meeting with
approval, he returned to Canada, and set
about the undertaking in his own way.
On September 28, 1864. with three chosen
men, he boarded the steamboat Pliilo Far-
sens, on Lake Erie, ostensibly to take a
pleasure trip. In the afternoon, when the
boat had nearly reached Kelly's Island,
about six miles from the Ohio shore, the
men drew revolvers on the officers in charge
of the boat, and, imprisoning them in the
cabins, took possession. They threw freight
overboard, examined the ship's papers, took
the money from the clerk's offices and ran
the boat to Middle Bass Island, where the
passengers were put ashore. Soon after
this, a freight and passenger steamboat, the
Island Queen, came alongside, and was
promptly seized and sunk. As soon as the
news reached the outside world, officers
were sent to arrest Beale and his party. He
escaped capture for a time by taking up his
residence on the American side of the Sus-
pension Bridge, and by disguising his per-
sonal appearance. He made observations
on the defences of the frontiers, and was the
instigator of a foray in St. Albans, Ver-
mont, which was accompanied with incen-
diarism and loss of life. He had many
S3mpathizers in the South, with whom he
was in communication. He was finally ar-
rested on December 16. 1864, at Suspension
Bridge, New York. The charges against
him were violation of the laws of war by
seizing the Philo Parsons and the Island
Queen, for "undertaking to carry on irregu-
lar and unlawful warfare as a guerrilla,
without lawful authority and for unlawful
purposes," and for acting as a spy. Oi
these he was found guilty and was sen-
tenced to be hanged. An eft'ort to save
Beale was made by President Davis, who
issued a proclamation assuming responsi-
bility for the act, and declaring that the
seizure of the vessels had been effected by
his authority. But this could not help one
v;ho had ventured into the enemy's coun-
try and made war while wearing no badge
of service. He was hanged on Governor's
Island, New York, February 24, 1865. His
courageous bearing at his trial and execu-
tion were admired even by his judges and
executioners.
Bledsoe, Albert Taylor, born in Frank- fort, Kentucky, November 9, i8og, son of Moses Bledsoe and Sophia (Taylor) Bled- soe, his wife. He was graduated, 1830,
