Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-09-06
THE pRoFL1GACY OF TREASON.

OOSeph LIOH'
The New York Evening Post publishes
new chapter in the history of the great CON
spiracy, embracing variety OF correspond
ence between northern spectators and south
ern traitors, which would be incredible If we
had not been prepared TO believe any degree
of profigacy possible to those who have deter
mined to betray their country Inc CORES
pondence referred to covers the perlou Iroih
the 1st of January till the 1st OF Maya PEE
riod of gloom, uncertainty, and Distress sueh
as the country never suffered before. On or
near the LIST of May, Major Mordecai, who
had been for many years an officer IN The Uni
ted States army, and in command OF the Wa
teryliet arsenal, the most important belonging
to the government, abandoned his post, giving,
however, TO the public, a bold. and, as the re.
suit shows, profigate assurance of past fdel-
ity. There was in the arsenal machine for
manufacturing musket balls, capable of turn
ing out not less than forty eight thousand per
day. Its plan was kept secret, the models
were carefully locked up; and the seciet OF its
construction and use were known only to the
inventor and the commanding officer, Major
Mordecai himself The inventor, Alexander
q. Snyder, was, and is still, master armorer
at the Watervliet arsenal. Through what de.
plorabe official treachery the rebels obtained
models of this machine, and turned it to their
use before the desertion of Major Mordecai,
the following letters will show =
WEST TROY, March 29th, '61.
7 - ali IL I,,,,
the photographs The Major says can get them
at any time By telling Clark e. Holmes that he sent
me for them. Mr.. Cooper came to see the ma.
chine that day he seemed to be pleased with
its working and said it was the best working
machine he ever saw.
Yours in haste, A. G. SNYDER.
WEST Troy, April 2, 1861
Dear Alick II received your letter this
afternoon and send by express the bullets also
l set Photographs. l have not been able to
get any more copys of them from Clark &
Holmes but send you mine on account OF the
hurry. don't forget to secure the patent as
soon as you can. let me hear from you soon.
will send the rest Of the Photographs as soon
as l can get them. Yours &c
A. G. SNYDER.
The above notes are addressed to Alexan
der Hitchcock, dealer in gun carriages, Gals.
sons, Implements and ammunition in New
York. On the 9th of April Hitchcock writes
to his brother in Philadelphia, that he has
contracted for ball machine for S575, to be
finished under the supervision of Mr. Per-
p" who is described as "a tipt top man, -
sentatiy, hose experience Something can be
gress ass He also writes that he has written to
held rider" for sci of castings, for the
st Js az omplele the bills of ladin1 tn hn
''tipt top" man, Perkins, was and is still mas
ter workman in the ammunition department
of the United States arsenal at Frankfort, Pa
On the 9Th of April, six days before the bonn
bardment of Fort Sumter, Hitchcock having
arrived at Richmond, wrote to his brother as
follows -
RICHMOND, April s, 1861.
Dear Harve: haze sold ball machine to
the state to-day, for $1,000 You will therefore
send the castings TO Perkins at once. Perhaps
you had better go up and see that it is all
right, and have them ship as per the card l
sent you Capt. Dimmock has just been made
Col. Of Ord and in day or two, or on my
return, he will be ready to give us some Or
ders for Gun Carriages and other fiXings. |
leave here this afternoon and will be Iatl
Wilmington tomorrow morning, where | ex-
pect to receive the Bills Lading, &C., l wrote
you about. Write me at Montgomery every
day for week to come and keep me posted
hope you will make Large pile'' before
return. Twill try and see what / can do.
Yours truly, A. HITcHcocK.
For many weeks previous to these enter
prises Hitchcock had been in correspondence
with agents of the states which proposed to
secede but had not then struck the blow
furnishing them with cannon, gun.carriages,
and ammunition in large quantities. The
following is one of many letters found with
this precious correspondence =
COLUMBIA. So. Ca, Feb'y 3rd, '61.
Friend Hitchcock Yours was received also
one from Harvey and was glad to see that
they had not levied OH you, Tor a case of guns
knowing from the fact that you are all ocer an
the business. The state is making every prepa
ration to be ready for what is going to take
place l think they are better prepared than
any other Southern state. Frazer or Capt
Frazer has gone up Nth has company and taken
command Of the Arsenal in Charleston. and anu
thing their that is useful aoiH be appropriated 1
am very busy running threw contract of shot
and shell and the Rifling Machine has lust got
hear; say to Mr. Pond that will write to him
in week or ten days but TO hurry up the
sights send the first by Express as shall want
them / will write Mr.. Cocheren in week or
so about rifeliDg cannon il there is anything
new let me know as l have had several inter
views with &c Jome about the matter, Ii l
can be of any service to you let me know
am yours respectfully
GEORGE A. SHIELDS"
The letters of a later date, passing into the
middle of April, show that the castings for the
famous bullet machine could not safely be set
up at Watervlet, and with the photographs
furnished by Major Mordeeai were forwarded
to the "tipt top fellow" Perkins, at Frankfort.
where the several parts were finished and
whence the machine was shipped to Rich.
mond, where it is now in successful operation.
Returning to the month of February, letters
come to light showing that Gov. Ellis of
North Carolina, who was thought to be loyal,
was as deeply dyed in the conspiracy as any
who boosted of their treason. Here is one of
his letters -
EXECUTIVE OFFICE RALEIGH, Feb. I6. 1861.
DT. Sir Your favor of the 18th is duly at
hand. Send the cartridges as soon as you can,
100000 buck and ball. such as are used by the
U. 5. Also, 100000 percussion caps the price
quality TO be approved by Col. Meares of
the firm of Watson & Meares N. Y. who are
my agents. prefer the shipment to Will
mington N. z. but as the risk is yours. you
can select that point or Portsmouth at your