The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-11-16
THE PLOT 70 RELEASE THE JOHNSON

THE PLOT no RELEASE THE JoHNs0N's 9
DONE WITH CHICAGO.
The Chicago Tribune gives what it in
sists is full and correct account of the
plot, so recently frustrated, which had for
its object the release of the Johnson s
island prisoners and the capture of
the city of Chicago. 1t says:
A force of about four hundred men-K. G.. CPS,
bushwhackers and guerrilas-were to be assembled
at Chicago and with them an attack was to be made
on Camp Douglas on Monday evening for the pUr-
pose of libersting the rebels confined there. Walsh,
with one hundred and fifty men, was to assault the
east side OF the camp and another man, whose name
may not now furnish, with two hundred was 10
take the west sde the operation to be superintended
by MaTInaduke who TO have the remaining fifty
men as reserve corps, ready to act where wanted.
The programme was to break down the fence and
stampede the twelve hundred prisoners, who were
all ready for the work, having been informed of II
IN some way best known 10 themselves. The prl-
SOneTS We're to be armed rapidly possible, the
garrison overpowered. their arms and artillery se-
cured, and the garrison made prisoners. This, il
was believed, could easily be done If the attack
made as concerted and, indeed, there is little room
to hope that II would have been otherwise than sue
cesstu had il not been nipp-d III the bud by pre-
mature exposure OF the whole scheme. With Mar
maduke at their head, the rebels were to march into
the city and take possession OF the house and
square as the base OF offensive operations. They
were then to take possession of the polls, voting in
each precinct, and preventing the deposition III the
baliot-box OF any other than the Mcclellan ticket.
This being accomplished, and a majority III the
State thus secured, thsy were to proceed at to
the work OF destruction. All the banks were TO be
robbed the stores guttad, and then fire set to the
principal buildings; Iot the purpose OF controlling
this latter phase Of tue In ness the plugs
al been marked and force detailed TO set the water
running, so as TO empty the mains ami exhaust the
water supply. The Telegraph WINS to bs clt
on the fret onset, and then fire set to the railroad
dopotS, the elevator, the shipping, SO. The per-
sons OF the leading Union in theety We're 10 be
seized and they, with the plunder, marched of
southwark.
1t was believed that, with this force of nea thir
teen thousand men, the city could be so quickly
overwhelmed as that effective opposition would be
impossible, and that they could then, under their
leader, Marmaduke, march in any direction with
perfect lmpunity.
The scheme was we'll concocted. 1t lacked only
one essential successful issue. Thank Provi-
dence that it was denied them. They had assem-
bled here, az per programme; and had the arrests
been delayed single day, II would have been too
late-the oft-repeated threat would have been exc
cUted, and rivers of blood would have run III the
streets of Chicago. No one cen doubt that, had
they once commenced active operations, they would
have been Joined BIZ sufficiently large number OF
Chicago disloyalsts TO have made clean sweep OF
the city and reduced it to heap OF ashes.
Walsh is completely unmanned-broken down by
his sudden arrest, the complete exposure of the
reasonable conspiracy into which he has been led,
made the dupe of persons more designing than him.
self, who have manufactured out of him n genuine
cat's-paw He evidently feels that his only chance
of safety is TO make clean breast of the whole mat
ter and expose the villains who have 0ver-per-
suaded him into this net. He now sees the deep
guilt of the whole transaction and the depth Of the
gulf on whose brink he has been lying
Maunaduke has made partial confession, or ra-
ther series of admissions, which, far they go,
fully substantiate Mir. Walsh's statements and
leave doubt that the conspiracy was fully as dia-
bOlcal in its character as is represented above. He
has made these statements TO man who t1rmerly
served under him. and whom he still supposes TO be
il the rebel interest