Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-27

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secrets from the rebel officer. Something good
might, after all, come out OF Naz .reth The
Lleutenant-Colonel would trust the fellow =
trust him, but pay him nothing, and send him
back to Toronto 10 worm out the whole plan
from the rebel leaders, and 10 gather t ie whole
details Of the projected expedition. Bot the
Ma ajor knew with whom be was dealing. lie
had faith in Uncle Sam, and be was right in
having W Tor truth to tell, If Uncle Sam does
not always pay, he can always be trusted.
IL was not long before the Major reappeared
with bis budget, which ne duly opened to the
Lieutenant Colonel It's contents were interest
ing, and will give them to the reader as the
Unlon Othcer gave them to the General command
log the Northern Department. His communi-
cation is dated August l6. Il says --
" have the honor 10 report that had anoth-
er interview last evening with MAJOR -,
whose disclosures in relation to a rebel plot for
the release of the prisoners at Camp Douglas
gave you IN my letter OF the 8th instant have
CAUSED inquiries to be made in Canada about
Major , aud understand that he does pcsscss
the confidence Of the rebe agent, and that his
statements are entitled to respect
lie now inlorns me that he proceeded to
Toronto, as he stated be would when last saw
hun that about two hundred picked men, Of
the rebel refugees in Canada, are assembled at
that Place, VINO are armed with reYolvers and
supplied with funds and transp0rtatiun-tl tickets
to Chicago; and tha. already one hundred and
hlty have proceeded to Chicago. That he Ma.
JJr - an the balance ol the men are wait
ing Tor Instructions from Captain 1lnes who Is
,he commander ol the expedition that CAY tain
Hines left Toronto last TnursIay Tor Chicago,
aud at this time IL doubtless at Niagara Falls,
making the final Arrangements with the chief
rebel agents.
MsJr -- states that Suuders, IloIbrook,
and Colonel Hicks we're at Toronto while he was
there engaged in making Preparations, etc
The general plan Is to accomplish the release OF
the prisoners at Camp Douglas, and IN dong 20
they will be assisted by an armed organization
at Chicago. After bong released, the prisoners
will be armed, and beiug jllned by the orgaui-
zation in Chicago, viii be mounted and proceed
10 Camp Morton, (4t lndianapolls) and there
accomplish slml ar object IN releasing prison.
ers That Tor months, rebel enssaries have
been travelling through the northwest; that
their arrangements are fully mitured aud that
they expect to receive large accessious Of force
from OHIO, Indlana, and Illinois. They expect
70 destroy the works at lronton.
" NJ Or - says further that he is in hourly
expectation Oh receiving instructions to proceed
to Cnclg0 with the balance 0l the party that
be shall put up al the City Hotel, corner OF
Lake and state Streets, and register hi name
as George --- ana that he will then place
himsell IN communication with Colonel Sweet,
commanding at hlc.go.'
lhe MsjIr did not put W at the corner OF
Lake and State Streets, and ihs. TACT relieved
the Government from the trouble OF estimating
the value Of hls services aud, what Is more to
be dtplOred, rendered Il impossible r the Com
maDdant to recognlr, and arrCs. the rebel lead
ers during the sitting Of the Chicago Convention.
W hat became OF tie Moj1r Is not known lie
may have repented ot his good deeds, or his
treachery may have been detected and he put
Ou, OF the way by bis accompii ies
IL will be noticed how closely the rebel IN
GERS disclosures accorded wita the information
gathered through indirect channels by the astute
Commandlnt. When the report was conveyed
to him, he may have smiled at this proof OF hs
oRu sagacity but he made ~ change IN biz
arrangements Quietly and steadily he went on
streng hening she camp, augmen'ing the garr'-
sou, aud shadowlug tue footsteps Ot all suspl-
cIous newcomers
At last the loyal Democrats came together to
the great Convention AID with them came S,tan
also. Bands of -hyored men, IN bushy halr,
bal Vhskey and seedy hOnespun, staggered
from the railway stations, aud hung about the
stree.-corne =. \ reader OF Dante or Sweden
borg would have taken them Tor delegates from
the lower regions, had not their clothing teen
plainly parishabe, while the devils wear ever
lasting garments They had come, they an
nounced, to make Peace President, but they
brandished bowie knives, and beloved for war
even in the sacred precincts of the Peace Con-
yen'iOn But war or peace, the COmmandant
wa ready for IT,
For d,ys relnforcoments had poured into the
camp, until it actually bfstled With hayonets
% every side It was guarded with can on, and,
day and night, mounted men patrUled the ave-
nues 70 give notice VI he first hostile gathering.
But there was no gathering. The con'praiors
were there, two thousand trnng, with five thou
sand lllini to back them. From every pulnt vi
the compsss from Canada, Missouri, southern
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, aud even
loyal Vermont. bloody minded men had coms to
give the Peace candidate led baptism. But
" discretion is tie better PIT ot yalpt The |
c0nsplrators siw The preparations and sbandcd. /
MOI long aiterwlrd one Of the leaders sNd 10
me, ave had spies in every public pacs, ,-io /
the telegnph-oihce the camp itself, and even
close BY the C1mmandant's headquarters, and |
knew, hourly, all that was passing From the
observatory, opplsie the camp | myself saw
the arrangements for our reception. We cut.
numbered YOU two TO one, bus our force was
ba u, disciplined. Success ~ such circumstances /
a.. a. 81 Ntvl ,N Z h.sH
Convention we announced from headquarters
that an attack at that time was impFacliesble. /
1t would have cost the liyes OF hundreds Of the
prisoners, end perhaps the capture or destruo /
tion OF tue whole OF us. So the storm blew I
over, without the leaden rain, and ite usual ac
compartment Of thunder and lightning
A dead calm followed, du ins which the lili- T
nj skunk back 10 their holes the prisoners took /
to houCs ink the b gus " Butteruuts walkei |
the streets clad like Christians, and the Com
mantnnt wcGt to sleep with only one eye open /
So the world rolled arouud into November.
The Presidential election was near at hand /
the great contest on which hung the late Of the /
Republic, The Cummantan Was convinced OF
this, and wantei to marshal his old constituents |
for tho final struggle between Freedom ana Da.- I
potism. lie obtained iutlough to 20 hone |
and mount the stump Tor the Union. lla was
about to set cut, hs private secretary was ready,
aud the carriage waiting at the gateway, when
an indebDable feeling took possession ol him.
holding him back, and warning hlm OF coming
danger. Ii would not be shaken of, aud re-
luctanty he postponed the jluraey till the NOR
row. Before the morrow iaets were developed /
which made his presence In Chicago essential To
the safety OF the city aud the lives ol the eit-
Iens The snake was scltohed, not killed Il /
was preparing for another aod deadler spring. /
On the second of November, well.kn0wn elt |