The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-06
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE
The Chicago COnspirat0rs...Re.
port Of Gen. j. b. sweet

The Chicago ConspiratOrs..R
port OF Gen. j. b. sweet.
This report, though dated November %
1864, has been withheld to await the result
OF the trail which was published las. Mon.
day. The report Of Gen. SWee. SAYS:
That jacob Thompson, of Mississippi,
secretary OF the Interior, during the ad-
Windsor, Canada, some time in Nav or
June last, under the assumed name OF
Capt. Carson. and having been supplied
oy the rebel Government with large sums
OF money for the purpose, commenced op-
erations to organize in Canada an expedi-
tion to release rebel prisoners of war at
dl1ereht camps in the Northwest, and aid
the 'Sons of Liberty" with money and
arms. 70 raise an insurrection, especially in
the government of the United States.
About the 18th Of August lastan expedi.
tlon was organized at Toronto, Canada,
under the immediate direction Of Captain
Hines, formerly of Morgan's command.
composed Of one hundred and fifty to two
hundred escaped prisoners and rebel SOL
deere. accompanied by Col. G. st. Leger
Grenfel, ut one time Morgan's Chief of
Staff and afterwards Inspector General on
SSe~AA ~ 0NLs OAuS6 SOAOuSl VluC0uG
Marmaduke, of Missouri; Col. Ben. An
derson. of Kentucky; Captains Castleman
and Cantrill, formerly of Morgan's COM
mand, and other rebel officers. This force
was armed with pistols at Toronto, divi-
ded, and it's members, in citizens dress,
came to Chicago by different routes, in the
same trains which brought the thronging
AuguststO attend the Chicago Convention.
and which made it difficult TO detect their
presence.
1t was to have been assisted by large
number of "Sons of Liberty and other
guerrillas, who came armed to that con.
ventiOn, gathered from Kentucky, Missou-
ri, Indiana and Illinois, and were to be
under the immediate command of Briga-
der General Charles Walsh of the .'Sons
OF Liberty" So t.e .1
!, The presence of the officers and men for
that purpose was suspected by the Govern.
tnent, and re-enforcements were made to
the garrison at Camp Douglas, which at
once thwarted the expedition, and its
members dispersed, some of the rebel Of
ficers and soldiers to Canada, others to
Kentucky, and yet others to Southern In
diana and Illinois, and the ''Sons of Lib
erty" and guerrillas to their respective
homes, to await signal for the general
uprising which, 1t was determined, should
soon take place in the States OF Illinois
and Indiana against the Government
The danger supposed to be passed, the
endorsements sent to this garrison were
ordered elsewhere, leaving barely force
enough, with the most rigid economy in
the use of officers and enlisted men, to
guard the prisoners of war, and to per.
form other necessary duties at this post.
About the first of November another ex.
petition Of like character was organized in
Canada. to be commanded by Capt. HIKES,
and composed of the same elements as
that which had failed at the time Of the
Chicago Convention. It was determined
that the attem pt should be made about the
period OF the Presidential election, and the
night of the day was finally designated as
the time when the plot should be exc.
cuied. I
During the canvass which preceded the
election, the ''Sons OF Liberty secret
doubt unknown to the better portion and
majority of the Democratic party, had
caused it to be widely proclaimed and be-
ieved, that there was an intention ON the
part of the Government, and great danger
that such intention would be carried into
effect, to interfere by military force at the
polls against the Democratic party, as an
excuse under which to arm themselves as
and had also obtained and
at different places in this city,
arms and ammunition for themselves and
the rebel prisoners of war when they
should be released.
On the evening Of the 5th day of Novem-
Der, it was reported that large number Of
persons of suspicious character had arriy-
ed in the city from Fayette and Christian
in Illinois. and that. more were
coming.
On Sunday. the 9Th day of November,
late in the afternoon, it became evident
that the city was filling up with suspicious
some of whom were prisoners
OF war and soldiers Of the rebel army.
that Capt. Hines, Col. Grenfel and Col
Marmaduke were here to lead, and that
Brig. Gen. Walsh, of the "Sons of Liber
ty," had ordered large numbers of that
order, from the southern portion of Hi.
n0is, to cooperate with them.
Adopting measures which proved effect.
i've to detect the presence and identity the
persons Of the officers and leaders, and as
certain their plans, it was manifest that
they had the means of gathering q force
larger than the little garri-
son then guarding between eight and nine
prisoners Of war ut Camp Doug
element, and the large number Of persons
who would ordinarily ill the streets on
election night, they intended to make an
attack ON and surprise this camp, release
and arm the prisoners of war, cut the tele..
graph wires, burn the railroad depots.s
SEIZE the banks, and stores containing arms
and ammunition, take possession Of the
city, and commence campaign for the re-
lease Of other prisoners Of warm the states
Of Illinois and Indiana, thus organizing
an army to effect and give success 20 the
general uprising 20 long contemplated BY
tho "Sons Of Liberty" -
The whole number Of troops for duty at
Camp Douglas on that day were - follows:
9Th regiment Veteran Reserve Corps,
Ii. Col. l.. G. Skinner, commahdinep 278
Il. Col. Martin Flood, commanding 81
Total infantry. $40. 800. $50
Path Ohio battery, Lit. James W. Gam
BILE, commanding. .s.....................;;..- rs
Making . total 1900 .... 1000. 79s