The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1863-05-08
The Capture of Reid Sanders.

The reader will recollect the capture
of Reid Sanders, bearer of dispatches
from the Confederate Government Tho
capture occurred in the vicinity ofCharles-
ton, and the following is the Northern ac-
count Of the affair:
The Buffalo New York. Express, fur
nishes some particulars respecting the
capture of the important rebel official
dispatches and their bearer, Reid San
ders, which have not before been pub
lshed. Arnold Harris, a native Of Bufia-
10, and now a Lieutenant in the navy,
was the hero of the affair. While in the
navy, some months since, he proposed to
the Department at Washington to under.
take trip into Virginia, as spy, but
his plan was thought too bold. Having
afterwards visited Washington to get
new command, his little vessel, the Island
Belle Of the Potomac flotilla having been
lost, his offer was recollected, and he was
sent to Richmond TO Illustrate the projects
OF Geo n. Sanders, who had just secured
contracts for rebel navy, to be built in
England. Harris accepted the mission
and visited Richmond, without any dis
guise, and succeeded in gaining the con-
tidence of the rebel authorities. His sit
uatioH was dangerous in the extreme, but
by his GOODNESS and adroitness he man
aged TO escape detection. Once he was
arrested and confined in castle Thunder
for seventeen days. Two Marylanders
had recognized his name as that of the
former commander of the Island Belle,
anl ia barc # tho avplpif Of Mnaihsop
Point. When brought TO trial he coolly
acknowledged the correctness Of the iden-
tihcatIon, and claimed to have done the
Confederacy more service while holding
command in the Federal navy than he
could possibly have done by openly join
ing its cause at an earlier day. His au-
dacity trumphed--all suspicion was over
come, and he not only obtained an &C.
quttal but continued to enjoy the conf
dence of the rebel authorities; or, rather
of all but Benjamin, who was suspicious
ofhim throughout
Shortly after his discharge, Geo. San
ders arrived from Europe, and Harris
pretended to heartily embark in his en-
'terprise. Sanders being about to return
10 Europe, Harris managed to have il ar.
ranged that George with his friends should
proceed by way Of Matamoras to Halifax,
while Reid Sanders and he, with the doc.
uments and dispatches to be taken, were
to run the blockade at Charleston, and
get to Halifax by way of Nassau. Mean
time Harris had succeeded in commune
eating with one of the vessels of the out.
side fleet, and putting its commander up
on the watch. The yacht as she ran out
of the harbor was speedily detected, and
sujected TO a cannonade which frighten.
ed Sanders out of his wits and made him
eager TO surrender. The mail bag, heay-
lily weighted with iron, was thrown over.
board, but Harris had previously abstrac.
ed from IL portmanteau containing tho
important dispatches and documents,
substituting in its stead his own, which
happened, as u remarkable coincidence, of
course, TO be its exact counterpart.
NEW ESGLAND AND THE MIssIssIPPI.-A
member Of the Yankee army, which didn't
take Vicksburg, thus writes 10 the Chicago
Tines:
In our humble judgment the Admins.
tration-or perhaps We should say the
party who control the Administrations
do not desire that the Mississippi shall DO
opened this year. The party who control
the Administration are a New England
party, and the interest Of New England
is that the Mississippi shall never he opened.
nay Circuit Court still in session, and
doing heavy busine5s