Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 39.djvu/193

 Stranger Than Fiction.

STRANGER THAN FICTION.

Capture of United States Steamer Maple Leaf, Near Cape Henry, Half a Century ago.

By W. B. BROWNE.

Many persons in this vicinity are perhaps not aware that nearly a half century ago there occurred one of the most thrilling episodes of the Civil War near Cape Henr)^, almost at the gate of the city of Norfolk, distant about fifteen miles as the crow flies. I refer to the capture of the United States transport Alaple Leaf by Confederate prisoners of wat en route from New Orleans to Fort Delaware.

To go back about one year in history will say that early in 1862 the Confederate forts at the mouth of the Mississippi River had been captured, and New Orleans was occupied by quite a large force of Federal troops with one General B. F. Butler, "lavocat general," as dubbed by an admiral of the French navy, in command. On the loth day of May, 1862, Norfolk was evacuated by the Confederates, and a few days after occupied in force by the Federals under the command of General Wool, with Suffolk on the west and Elizabeth City on the South, as outposts. In the early days of June, 1863, the United States transport Maple Leaf left New Orleans with seventy-five or eighty Confederate prisoners of war (all officers) on board. This steamer touched in at Norfolk, and twenty-six additional prisoners (officers) were taken on board at Fort Norfolk and proceeded to sea. A plot appears to have been laid and worked out to the finest detail while coming up the coast to overthrow the guard and crew and capture the steamer and make a bolt for freedom.