Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-09-12
Vallandigham a Rebel Agent.

Captain Francis Johns, commander of the
steamer Harriet Pinckney, in which Vallan-
digham ran the blockade after he was sent
south for dsloyalty, has made an affidavit in
which he states that Vallandigham, whom the
Ohio democrats have just nominated for Con-
grcss, was party to confederate plot to
make diversion at the north in favor of Gen.
Lees army. Capt John says:
81 was hurriedly dispatch by Major
Norman S. Walker, the confederate a.
gent there, on to Halifax, to convey Il
certain number of confederates then at
Bermuda, some % or 81 in all, most of
them officers of various ranks, among
whom remember the aforementioned !:
c. l.. VallandigAam, Colonel Thorburn,
Colonel Prinzle, Colonel Black, Colonel
Sweeney, Capt. Hartstein, Capt. Styles.
The names OF others | am at present un-
able to state, as there was no list of pas
sengers made or allowed to be made.-
Before setting out had several CONVEX
sations with Major Walker, relative to
this expedition. lie stated definitely
and positively that it was secret mis-
sion organized at Richmond, which Val
landigham was ct the head of /; that they
were to have mob meetings in the cities
of Boston and New York to create a di-
version in favor of Gen. Lee, and the
southern army then about to invade the
north. l was expressly directed by Ma
.jor Walker to proceed without mo-
ment's delay, as Mr. Vallandigham and
the. others were bound to be in Boston
and New York before the Fourth of Ju-
ly the day on which the mob meetings
were to take place in those cities. So
hurriedly was [ dispatched that / was
obliged to take on with me to Halifax
two-thirds of my cargo, consisting of
rifles, saltpetre, and various munitions of
war, which had no time to discharge
During the passage the objects of the
expedition were constantly aud freely
canvassed, and plans laid for carrying
out the same. Their purpose was to i'll
cite mobs in the cities to raise a revolu-
tion in the north, if possible, and there
by create diversion in favor of Gen.
Lee and the southern army. Vallandig-
ham 'cas the acknowledged head, or chief,
and all the arrangements were made un-
der his immediate supervision. He ar
ranged everything and ordered every
thing, and was clearly the moving lever
in the whole affair, having come direct
from Richmond, by way Of Wilmington,
for the express purpose of conducting it.
1 had also several private chats with him
in regard to the expedition. He said it
was one of vital Importance to the con-
federacy, and was undertaken under the
sanction and by authority Of the Rich
mond government that he, himself was
at the head of it. / Irecotlect particular
ly conversation had with him sitting
together on the bridge on the morning
of the twenty-eight of June two days
before we reached Halifax. He spoke of
the dangers attending the enterprise. but
said that oncein Boston he should be
safe, for he would then be among friends
that he knew. He then showed
me his letter of authority under which
he was acting, and which gave him the
supervision of the whole affair. 1t was
addressed to C. L. Vallandigham, and
signed by Mr.. Mallory.