The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-08-10


o port, in relation to the supposed organic,
;, tlon at Toronto, Canada, which was t
: come here in squads, and combine, an
attempt to rescue the prisoners of war Q
Camp Douglas, that there is an armed OF
: ganization in this city of 5000 men, an
that the rescue of our prisoners would b
r the signal for a general insurrectIon ii
, Indiana and Illinois.
"There is little, if any doubt that a,
organization hostile to the Government
and secret in its workings and character
exists in the States of Indiana and Illinois
and that this organization is strong i,
numbers. 1t would be easy, perhaps, a
any crisis in public affairs, to push thi.
organization into acts of open disloyalty
If its leaders should SO will !
Except in cases of considerable emer
gency, [ shall make all communications
to your headquarters on this subject by
mall"
These extracts show that seventeen
days before the assembling of the Chicago
/ Convention, the Commandant had become
convinced that mail-bags were safer vehi.
cles of communication than telegra p-wires;
that 5000 armed traitors were then
domiciled in Chicago that they expecte d
to be joined by body of the rebels from
Canada that the object of the combina-
ton was the rescue Of the prisoners at
Camp Douglas, and that success in that
enterprise would be the signal for gen.
eral uprising throughout Indiana and
Illinois. Certainly, this was no little
knowledge to gain by two months bur-
rowing in the dark. But the conspira-
tors were not fools. They had necks
which they valued. They would not
plunge into open disloyalty until some
"crisis in public affairs" should engage the
attention of the authorities, and afford a
fair chance of success. Would the as
sembling of the Convention be such a
crisis was now the question.
This question was answered. About
this time Lieut.. Col. B. Ii. Hill, command :
ing the Military district of Michigan re-
ceived a missive from person in Canada
who represented himself to be Major in
the Confederate service. He expressed
readiness to disclose a dangerous plot
against the Government, provided he
were allowed to take the oath of allegi-
ance, and rewarded according to the
value of his information. The Lieuteant-
Colonel read the letter, tossed it aside,
and went about his business. No good,
he had heard, ever came out Of Nazareth.
Soon another missive of the same pur-
port, and from the same person, came to
him. He tossed this aside also, and went
again about his business. But the Major
was Southern Yankee.-the "custest"
sort of Yankee. He had something to
sell, and was bound to sell it even if he
had to throw his neck into the bargain.
Taking his life in his hand, he crossed
the frontier and so it came about, that,
late one night, tall man, in a slouched
hat, rusty regimentals, and immense jack
boots, was ushered into the private apart
ment of the Lieutenant Colonelat Detroit
1t was the Major. He had brought his
wares with him. They had cost him
nothing, except some small sacrifice of
such trivial matters as honor, fraternal
feeling, and good faith towards brother
conspirators, whom they might send to
the gallows; but they were of immense
value-would save millions of money
and rivers of loyal blood. So the Major
said, and so the Lieut. Colonel thought,
as coolly, with his cigar in his mouth,
and his legs over the arm of his chair,
he drew the important secrets from the
rebel officer. Something good, might
come, after all out of Nazareth. The Lieut.
Colonel would trust the fellow-trust him,
but pay him nothing, and send him back
to Toronto to worm out the whole plan from
the rebel leaders, and to gather the whole
details of the projected expedition. But
the Major knew with whom he was deal.
ing. He had faith in Uncle Sam, and
he was right in having it; for, truth to
tell, if Uncle Sam does not always pay,
he can always be trus ted.
1t was not long before the Major reap.
pearcd with his budget, which he duly O.
pened to the Lieutenant Colonel. Its
contents were interesting, and L will
: give tHClD W LuC DC ehO Onioh Vi
fcer gave them to the General command
ing the Northern Department His com
munication is dated August 10th. Il
says:
81 have the honor to report that hae
another interview last evening with Ma
ior--, whose disclosures in relation
to rebel plot for the release of the pris
oners at Camp Douglas gave you in my
letter of the 9Th inst. have caused in
ouiries to be made in Canada about Ma
for, and understand that he doe
possess the confidence of the rebel agents
and that his statements are entitled to re
spect.
"He now informs me that he proceeded
to Toronto, as he stated he would wher
] last saw him that about 200 plcke'
men. of the rebel refugees in Canada, arr
assembled in that place, who are arme'
with revolyers, and supplied with fund
and transportation tickets to Chicago
and that already $50 have proceeded t
Chicago. That he (Major- an
the balance of the man are waiting 10