Morgan's Raiders had already appropriated a small packet named John T. McCombs and used her as a decoy to hail down and capture the Alice Dean. After using the two boats for their purposes, Morgan's men  burned the Alice Dean. The McCombs was spared because its owner/captain was a friend of Morgan's second-in-command, Basil W. Duke.
Morgan's Raiders had already commandeered a small vessel called John T. McCombs and utilized it as a ruse to entice the capture of the Alice Dean. After utilizing both boats for their objectives, Morgan's men set the Alice Dean ablaze. The McCombs was spared because its owner/captain was a friend of Basil W. Duke, Morgan's second-in-command.