Yankee Aggression and attempt at Robery in Matthews county, Va.
On Sunday, 29th day of December, 1861, a schooner, about fifty tons burthen, called the
Jordan L. Jonse, belonging to
William H. Hadgins, while being removed from
Cricket Hill to
Queen's Creck as a place of safety, ran aground in the mouth of the creek which was in full view of the blockading steamer lying in the month of the
Rappahannock River, nearly ten miles off. About 11 o'clock A. M., two barges were seen approaching the mouth of Plankitank River.
It being Sunday, nearly all of the inhabitants were at church about two miles off, including
Capt. Robert E. Hudgins's company, which had been stationed near by.
Luckily Wm. H. Hudgins, the owner of the vessel, was at home, and being informed by a servant of the near approach of the two barges, ran immediately to
Capt. Hudgins's camp, and with the day guard, left there, consisting of two men, took one, and immediately ran to the scene of depredation, a distance of over a mile.
In the meantime the barges had grounded on the bar that nearly encompassed the mouth of the creek.
They each contained in United States Marines, dressed in blue flannel shirts and blue caps; two officers in the stern in uniform, with spy-glass in hand, and a man forward holding a staff with a hock on the end.--After grounding, they dispatched one man, clothed in an India rubber suit, and holding two navy revolvers above his head, to fire the vessel as she lay grounded.
Everything indicated her speedy destruction, but on seeing two men with arms in their hands running at full speed, and cheering vociferously, the cowardly robber took to his heels, and but for the second boat's delay in getting off, would have been left on the bar. They made their escape by a rapid flight to their ships, which they attempted to tow in, so that under cover of her guns they might take the vessel.
The news spread like electricity, and in the course of a few hours we had three companies ready for action, and nearly the whole county under arms, wending their way to drive back the ruthless invaders.--The enemy amused themselves the balance of the day rowing backward and forward, sounding the river, and bringing the steamer in as they sounded.
But after working all day until nearly night, and finding the channel of the Plankitank more difficult than they anticipated, contented themselves by coming up to the main entrance, opening their ports, showing their big guns, and retiring.
In the meantime the
Confederates dismantled and scuttled the vessel, rendering her a useless prize, and had a torch ready for a nearer approach to consume her. The vandals have since retired.
