Philo Parsons Incident Memorial Plaque

THE "PHILO PARSONS" INCIDENT

On September 19, 1864, the American steamer "Philo Parsons"
was seized off Kelly's Island, about 35 miles southeast of
here, by some twenty Confederate sympathizers under John Y.
Beall, a Southern naval officer. The group, whose members had
embarked at Sandwich and Amherstburg, Canada West, intended
to free the Confederate inmates of a prison camp in Sandusky
Bay, Ohio. The plan included the capture of the U.S. gunboat
"Michigan" for use in commerce raiding and attacks on Great
Lakes ports. Arriving off Sandusky Bay the raiders found
the "Michigan" forewarned and called off the operation. They
returned the following morning to Sandwich, abandoned the
steamer and dispersed.

Erected by the Archaeological and Historic Sites Board
Department of Public Records and Archives of Ontario