The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-03-30
The Coufession Of Capt. Robert Cobb
Kennedy.

FORT LAfAlEIIE, MiIcu %-p' u -. VI
Major General Dir. Headquarters Depart
neRt OF the East, Near York:
SIR:-I have the honor Ia report that,
last night, about half-past ten o'clock, |
visited Kennedy, taking with me Mr..
Howard, of the New York Times. After
some conversation relative TO the matter
for which he has been sentenced, he
made the following confession He re-
auested that would make no use of the
confession to his detriment in case 4
respite or reprieve should be received.
have the honor To remain, respectfully,
your obedient servant,
MARTIN BURKE,
Lieut. Colonel Commanding.
CONFESSION OF ROBERT c. KENNEDY.
After NV escape from JOhnston's Is
land | went to Canada, where | met u
number of Confederates. They asked
me if | was willing TO go ON an expedi.
ton. Irepled, YES; if it is in the ser
vice of nv country" They said, It's
all right" but gave no intimation of its
nature, nor did ask for any. Twas then
sent to New York, where stayed some
time. There were eight men in our par
ty, of whom two fled to Canada After
we had been in New York three weeks
we were told that the object of the expe-
dition was To retaliate on the North for
the atrocities in the Shenandoah Valley
Ii was designed To set fire TO the city on
the night of the Presidential election;
but the phosphorus was not ready, and
il was put Oft until the 25th of Novem-
ber | was stopping 1T the Belmont
House. but moved into Prince street. |
set fire to four places-Barnum's Museum,
Loveioy's Hotel, Tammany Hotel and
the New England House. The others
only started fires in the house where's
each was lodging, and then ran of Had
they all done as | did we wonld have
had thirty-two fires and played huge
Joke on the Fire Department. | know
that am te be hung for setting fire to
Barnum's Museum, but that was only a
Joke | had 10 idea of doing il. | had
been drinking and went i'll there with a
friend, and, just to scare the people, !
emptied "A bottle of phosphorus on the
floor We knew it wouldn't set fire to
the wood, for we had tried it before, and
at one time had concluded to give the
whole thing mp
There was no fendishness about it
After setting fire To my four places
walked the streets all night, and went to
the Exchange Hotel early i'll the morn
ING. We all met there that morning and
the next night My friend and had
rooms there, but we sat in the office near
IL all the time, reading the papers, while
we were watched 10y the detectives, OF
whom the hotel was full. | expected to
die thai. and if had il would have been
t.sfrsht, hal now il sssHs rather hard
| 3cRpedDto Canada, and was glad
enough when | crossed the bridge IN
safety
desired, however, TO return TO my
command. and started with my friend
for the Confederacy. via Detroit. Just
before entering the city he received an IN
timation that the detectives were en the
lookout for us and. giving me signal.
he jumped from the cars. | didn't notice
the signal. but kept on. and was arrested
in the depot
wish to say that killing women and
children was the last thing thought ot.
We wanted to let the people of the North
understand that there are two sides to
this war, and that they can't be rolling
in wealth and comfort while we at the
South are bearing all the hardships and
privations.
In retaliation for Sheridan'- atrocities
in tne Shenandoah Valley. we desired to
destroy property, not the lives of women
and children. although that would OF
course have followed in its train
Done in the presence Of Lieutenant
Colonel Martin Burke
March u 1890 p VI