Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-11-17
Tup IoHrsON,s ISLAND AFFAIR.

]. 600 Rebel Officers % Have Been Re.
leaseS-Jshnssn's tslaad to Have Been
Takes as . Base q OPerationS-teder
Conn erce On the Lakes to be Destroyed.
The montreal Csmmerc.al Advertiser. which
Is evidently OF secesh proclivities, after trying
70 induce the belief that the Johnson's Island
prisoners were terribly ill.treatsd, says:
ssIn these circumstances the Confederate
Government determined 70 make an attempt
to rescue the doomed officers. ana for this pur.
pose an exped ton was fitted ont consisting Of
thirty.siX officers, under the command OF one
who had distinguished himself In similar en-
terprises, and three hundred men. The officers
embarked at Wilmington in the Confederate
steamer R. e. Lee, and landed At Halifax. The
cotton and tobacco brought by that steamer as
freight were sold to furnish the funds required,
amounting to $4,000. The men came over
land through the States In small parties to tho
general rendezvous.
The intention was to surprise the Federal
garrison on Johnson's Island, liberate the
prisoners, convey them to Canada in vessels
provided for that purpose, and forward them
by Halifax TO Nassau or Rermuda; the greater
part of the funds being specially devoted to
paying their passage to one OF the points.
Any further operations on the Lakes were
left TO the discretion of tho officer in command,
to avoid breach of British neutrality, and to
take care that evrn the semblancs of interna-
tional wrong should be prevented. Had John.
sons Island been taken, it might have formed
commerce on the Lakes; but the real object OF
the expedition was to rescue two thousand
valuable lives from the cruelty which had de-
voted them to slow but certain death, in q
climate and a situation in the last degree inimi-
cal 70 them.
The Detroit Fres Press, under the head of
Startling Reyelations," says:
Wehsve received in formation which appears
authentic, but which seems scarcely credible,
OF daring, gigantic, and dangerous rebel
scheme which has Just been discovered BY the
Government, and which, for it's apparent FEAST
bility and the state of for Wardness to which 1t
is said to have attained, may well cause the
utmost apprehension and alarm in Detroit and
throughout Michigan. The scheme is worthy
the ingenuity and audacity of the rebel leaders,
and, ii it is not fully successful, it will be In
consequence of the vigilance OF the officers of
the Government, assisted by the detectives
whom they have employed in ferreting out and
bringing it to light. the schsme comprehends
no less than the seizure OF Detroit and its occu.
patton during the winter, and the organic iii IN
OF a rebel army to take the field in spring as an
active invading force against Michigan, Ohio,
and Indiana.
The Cleveland Leader Of the 18th says:
On Tuesday evening, Major Pierson, who
com mands the post on JOhnson's Island, re-
ceived dispatch from Secretary Stanton,
stating that information has been received from
Government detectives in Canada that four
propellers had been fitted out at Montreal by
Southern sy mp:ith iZers in that city; that they
were loaded with cannon, musk ets, and num-
tons OF war, and that they passed through the
Welland Canal last 7 tuesday AZ trading vessels
Their intention was supposed to be to attack
the island under cover Of the night, taking the
2nard by surprise, to overcome it, to iiberate
the prisoners, and TO regain the Canadian posts
perhaps first surprising the steamer Michigan,
and playing the duece with our Lake harbors
and shipping.
A dispatch to the same effect was also sent
10 Gov. Tod, who stopped a tram containing
lGn prisoners, bound tor the Island, and or
deTed the men from Camp Cleveland to the
sctn ne OF action, whose departure we have al
ready noted. A battery of six Parrot guns
was also cert from Cincinnati, together with
some guns of beaver caliber for the u S. rev.
enue cutter, me steamer Michigan. Secretary
Welles also sent a dispatch to Commander
Carter, Of the Michigan, directing him 10 guard
against nlght surprise, and TO prepare for the
defence Of the harbor of Sandusky by the
planting of torpedOee in the channel This
was done. The crew OF the Michigan spent
Tuesday night in planting torpedoes. Three
tugs were chartered As picket boats, and sent
up for the double purpose of watching tor the
enemy and warning vessels bound IN against
the torpedoes in the haTbor. Ths island was
also placed in 4 state of defence.
SON Wednesday evening the picket boats
came in, reporting three propeIlers living to.
gstter off Point au Pelee. This, however
may be all in their eye But, after all, it ap-
pears very unlikely that the Government can
be entirely decei as TO the matter. The bad
weather prevalent lately may have helped to
in connection With the Cathcart conspiracy, It
would seem probable that an attempt Of the
sort has at length been plotted"
Happily, the scheme has been exploded, and
who have seen nothing but beauty
in the Rebel Confederacy, and sympathizers of
the North, may now whine over their disap.
pointed hopes.