The Exploits of Confederate John Yates Beall-- Part 1

From the Nov. 15, 2015, Examiner by Bob O'Connor.

John Brown is the most famous person hanged in Charlestown, Virginia.  But, another Charlestown native was hanged during the Civil War.

When the war began, he enlisted in Company G, Bott's Grays, of the 2nd Virginia Infantry which became part of the famed "Stonewall Brigade."  While fighting for them, Beall was wounded and declared unfit for duty.

But, he still wanted to do his part for the Confederacy so he joined the Confederate Navy and operated a privateer vessel on the Great Lakes.  He came up with a plan to free Confederate prisoners being held at Johnston Island Prison in Sandusky Bay in Ohio.  The prison held mostly Confederate officers including 26 generals who had been captured in battle.

--Old B-Runner