Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-03-09
LETTER FROM ANGUS Mcleod.
kISGsros. u, C.. uth Feb. 1871

ton Chronicle OF yesterday letter signed
'Justice and Peace" on the subject OF the
"Caroline," extracted from your journal,
together with your remarks on the same
subject, both of which have so pleased me,
by their just views Of the case, and the
spirit of candor in which they are written,
that | cannot refrain from laying before
you, and you think proper, before the
public. the following statement of facts.
With the right or policy Of destroying
the ''Caroline," have little or nothing TO
do. On this side of the line, the right is
questioned by few, and have little doubt
the time is not far distant when it will also
be acknowledged by the thinking and i'm
partial amongst your own citizens. Be that
as it may, public opinion on either side is
evidently not the proper tribunal for de-
clslon OF the question:; but from tine singu-
lar position in which my brother is placed
in connexlon with the case, his friends must
take deep and painful interest, and this
must be my excuse for thus intruding upon
you; for although it were folly in me to
suppose can,to any extent influence mems
minds in this matter, yet consider i, my
duty TO give plain, unvarnished statement
in regard to my brothers. alledged par,ici-
patton in the act for which he stands COM
mitted, as far as . arm able, and to correct
certain Measurements which will hereafter
be alluded to.
On the 29th December, 1887, my bro
Their and myself, and thousands besides,
were at Chippewa, for the purpose, and
with the determination of defending our
country against any attack from several
hundreds Of rebels and pirates assembled
on Navy Island. In the course of that day.
small steamboat was seen plying between
Schlosser and the Island, evidently busy in
the cause gifts occupants. She was rightly
conjectured 10 be the "Caroline," which it
was well known had been getting ready for
the purpose, for several days before at Buff
falo. Any patriotic mind can easily con-
ceive the feelings which the sight of this
boat and her occupation engendered in the
minds of our people, and deep and loud
were the imprecations against her; but not
a word of the attempt at capture was made
public, and certain | am my brother was
not Of those to whom it was made known,
or very probably he might have been one
Of the party. But in the evening from the
want of accommodations at Chippewa, he
rode down to Stanford, "a village four miles
from the former place, where he staid at
friends house till the next morning.
| went to the quarters Of some acquaint.
ances, volunteers from this town, where |
laid down Cor the night; but was awoke
about midnight by one Of them, who said,
owe must turn out-there is something
going on" We did so, and proceeded to
the mouth Of the Chippewa, where a ire
was being lighted immediately we OBJ
served on the opposite side a vessel on fire,
partially, at first, but soon in a blaze, ami
moving down the river towards the Falls.
1t was the g Caroline" She had met her
fate. What the full consequences may be,
time must tell. remember we'll, while |
watched her hurrying on to destruction, land
feltthat her fate was)just likewise thought
Of the ill feelings she was likely to occasion
between the two Nations, considering the
cause which ;he American people had es-
pouEed. She barely passed on TO complete
destruction, when her captors landed where
stood, from several boats. Had nv bro.
Their been there, | should have seen him
but confess did not look for him. ne
yer thought of his being here, and there he
was not. He knew nothing Of the burning
of the Caroline until the next morning
and if am not mistaken, he knew it first
from me. The rise Of the rumor Of his
being there, can only account for thus
he was active, and sufficiently daring to
assist in that which in either of our Navies
would be only thought common 'cutting
out affair." and had been round the Island
that day, in boat, along with several who
were really at the destruction Of the boat.
Had he been there, feel certain that no
fear of consequences would have made him
deny it; but to be stigmatised as murderer
on one side, and fooishly lauded by some
as hero on the other, on account of a
transaction in which he had no share can
be any thing but pleasant.
/. has indeed been ascertaned that he
has boasted of being at the burning OF the
boat. To those who know him and the
circumstances, need say nothing. To
those who do not, say it is a gross false
hood.
He has been blamed too, by many, for
laying himself open to an arrest by enter
ing the United States: but what had he in
justice to fear He had been vaguely &C
cused, without cause, of being guilty Of
what we consider no crime, and was this
to prevent British subject from
the United States on his lawful
business 1t is true a ''true bill" has been
found by the Grand jury ofNiagara coun-
sy in the early part Of 'as against one An
gus M'Leod, but he was not that person. |
and though arrested on this Indictment in |
August last, was duly liberated after short
confinement But the perseyering enemies