Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-10-29

/ formerly private soldier in our army who,
| by the use of uncommon address, though at
| great personal risk, succeeded in establishing
such intimate relations with Bowles, Bullitt,
Dodd, and other leaders of the order in Indi-
ana and Kentucky, as to be appointed grand
secretary of the latter State, a position most
favorable for obtaining information of the
plans of these traitors and warning the gov
eminent of their intentions. 1t is to the rare
| fidelity of this man, who has also been the
| principal witness upon the trial of Dodd, that
the government has been chiefly indebted for
the feosure of the designs of the conspira-
tors in the two states named.
2 Rebel officers and soldiers voluntarily
or involuntarily making disclosures to our
military authorities. The most valuable wit
nesses OF this class are prisoners of war, who,
actuated by laudable motives, have of their
| own accord furnished large amount of in
| formation in regard to the order, especially
as it exists in the South, and of the relations
Of its members with those of the northern
section. Among these, also, are soldiers at
our prison camps, who, without designing it,
have made knownto our officials, by the use
of the signs, &C., of the order, that they were
members.
8. Scouts employed to travel through the
interior of the border states, and also within
| or in the neighborhOod of the enemy's lines.
The fact that some of these were left entire
| ly ignorant of the existence of the order,
upon being so employed, attaches an increas-
ed value to their discoveries in regard to its
| operations.
4. Citizen prisoners, to whom, while in
confinement, disclosures were made relative
to the existence, extent and character of the
order by fellow-prisoners who were leading
members, and who, in some instances. upon
| ;DR; 20 fba
him into one Of the degrees.
5. Members of the order, who, upon full
| acquaintance with its principles, have been
appalled, by its infamous designs, and have
voluntarily abandoned it, freely making
known their experience to our military au-
| thorities. In this class may be placed the
| female witness, Mary Ann Pitman, who,
though in arrest at the period of her disclo-
sures, was yet induced to make them for the
reason that, as she says, sat the last meeting
which attended they passed an order which
considered as utterly atrocious and barba-
rous so told them / would have nothing
more to do with them" This woman was at
| tached to the command of the rebel Forest,
as an officer, under the name of Lieutenant
Rawley;" but, because her sex afforded her
unusual facilities for crossing our lines, she
was often employed in the execution OF inn
Il
as member of the order, was made extern
| sively acquainted with other members both
| of the northern and southern sections. Her
| testimony is thus peculiarly valuable and
1 ing person of unusual intelligence and
| force of character, her statements are sue
cinct, pointed and emphatic. They are also
especially useful as fully corroborating those
of other witnesses regarded as most trust
worthy.
| 6. Officers of the order of high rank, who
have been prompted to present confessions,
more or less detailed, in regard to the order
and their connection with it. The princi-
Piles of these are Hunt, Dunn and Smith,
grand commander, deputy grand commander,
| and grand secretary of the order in Missouri,
to whose statements frequent reference has
| been made. These confessions, though in
some degree guarded and disingenuous, have
| furnished to the government much valuable
| information in regard to the secret opera
tions of the order, especially in Missouri, the
utilization of its leaders with Price, &c. 1t is
| to be noted that Dunn makes the statement
| in common with other witnesses that, in en-
tering the order, he was quite ignorant of its
true purposes. He says: al did not become
member Understandings the initiatory
| step taken in the dark, without refiec-
| ton and without knowledge"
1 a.. DcSefLcfs from our army, WHO, upon De-
| ing apprehended, confessed that they had
| been induced and assisted to desert by men,
| bers of the order. 1t was, indeed, principal
ly from these confessions that the existence
of the secret reasonable of the K. G.. G. was
first discovered in Indiana, in the year 1862.
s. Writers of Anonymous communications,
addressed to heads of departments or provost
marshals, disclosing facts corroborative of
other more important statements
9. The witnesses before the grand jury at
Indianapolis, in 1868, when the order was
formally presented as reasonable organiza
cation, and those whose testimony has been
introduced upon the recent trial of Dodd.
1t need only be added that a most satisfac-
tory test of the credibility and weight of
much of the evidence which has been fur
nished is afforded by the printed testimony
in regard to the character and intention of
the order, which is found in its national and
state constitutions and its ritual. Indeed,
the statements of the various witnesses are
but presentations of the logical and inevita-
BILE consequences and results of the principles
therein set forth.
In concluding this review, it remains only
to state that constant reference has been
made TO the elaborate official reports, in re-
gard to the order, of Brigadier General Car
rington, commanding District of Indiana, and
of Colonel Sanderson, Provost Marshal-Gen-
eral of the Department of Missouri. The
great mass of the testimony upon the subject
of the secret conspiracy has been furnished
by these officers; the latter acting under the
orders of Major-General Roseorans, and the
former cooperating, under the instructions
of the Secretary of War, with Major-General
Burbridge, commanding District of Kentucky,
as well as with Governor Morton, of Indiana,
who, though at one time greatly embarrassed
by legislature strongly tainted with disloy-
atty, in his efforts to repress the domestic
enemy, has at last seen his state relieved from
the danger of civil war.
But, although the treason of the order has
been thoroughly exposed, and although its
capacity for fatal mischief has, by means of
the arrest of its leaders, the seizure of its
arms, and the other vigorous means which
have been pursued, been seriously impaired,
it is still busted with its secret plottings
against the government, and with its perfidi-
Gus designs in aid of the southern rebellion.
1t is reported to have recently issued new
signs and passwords, and its members assert
that foul means will be used to prevent the
success of the administration at the coming
election, and threaten an extended revolt in
the event of the reelection of President
Lincoln.
In the presence of the rebellion and this
secret order-which is but its echo and faith
full ally-we cannot but be amazed at the ut
ter and widespread prohigacy, personal and
political, which these movements against
~. L.