The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-05-13
LETTER FROM SERGEANT BATES,
INDIANAPOIIS. March o. 49,

. report OF the Senate Committee OF
: March 10, on political outrages, they
: assert, in regard to the Union League
} at the South, that ''its purposes We're
, publicly avowed, that it held public
meetings and PROFESSIONS, in which
its members appeared and no violence
f was either directed or countenanced
by the League"
Allow me to give you some facts in
relation 10 the Union League South,
i'll connection with my tour with the
I. 5. flag through the late Con-
federacy. Not wishing to trouble you
with a very long communication, l
will he as brief as possible.
After l had commenced the march
from Ehksbnrg and before getting out
of Mississippi, | made the discovery
that l was being followed by a respec-
table and very Intelligent looking
negro. 1t would extend this commu-
nication too much to explain how /
made the discovery that he was a spy
and a tool of the Union League, and
was to follow and act under instruc-
tons from the League in regard to me
he was to do ME no harm, but if nv
object in going through the South
was what the directors of the League
asserted it to be, | to be aSsassiuat-
Gu. iIlitSS "Ohlu return 10 INV
Northern home when warned to do so
or how and why l made him my
friend. and arranged with him to take
charge of my baggage; meeting me
at such points as railroad communica-
ton would admit of; how he assisted
ME to attend three secret meetings of
the League i'll disguise at the risk of
my lie: how on two occasions, at
WarrentOn and Augusta, Georgia, he
SaNed me from serious harm and per
hapS death from the skulking blood
hounds of the League. If this shall
meet the eve of any of the leading
citizens of Warrenton it will bring to
mind the unusual excitement among
the negroes on the evening of my ar
rival in their town and their openly
expressed hostility towards me-a
feeling created by the false represen-
tatiOn> of the leaders of the League,
the Object being to excite the negroes
to mob me. Some of the citizens will
also bring to mind how strongly they
urged me to allow them to guard my
hotel during the night, for the protec- !
ton of myself and the rest, and how
| successfully opposed their wishes in
the matter. But they were not aware
that late in the night, after they had
retired TO rest. for the purpose of gain
ing information, | disguised myself,
and. with my trusty friend, stole
quietly from the house and attended "A
negro meeting. presided over hv two
white men. where | heard myself mis-
represented by the whites, and roundlv
cursed by the negroes.
While in Selma. Alabama. an agent
of the League called ON me and re-
.que>ted Il private interview. which |
granted. His object in calling was to
induce me to become Il member of the
League. His arguments and the in
d~ucenlentS offered by him l will pass
owe for the PRESENT.
While stopping at the European
Hotel, in Montgomery. Alabama, |
was II evening a short time absent
from my room. ON returning 10 it
and entering. found communication
which had been thrust under the door
during my absence, and it was from
the League. who threatened me with
certain death. unless | furled my flag
and returned to nv home. giving up
all further efforts in my attempt to de-
ceIve the people of the North i'll regard
to the loyalty of the red handed trail
tors of the South. ETC., etc. | men,
toned the matter to but one person.
General James Clanton. of MontgOm-
erv-whO urged me to accept of an
escort OF eN-Confederate soldiers. who
would see me and the flag pass safely
through Alabama into Georgia. | re-
fused the escort.
At Greensboro. North Carolina,
was offered $4,000. which / was to
receive, provided l would stop the
march n 20 home. / was to do il
in disgust. and in the in
tcre>ts OF the Republican party. The
offer came from w. w. Holden. of ,
State. Although a poor man.
nevertheless neither myself nor the
flag | carried was for sale. On my
through North Carolina, l was :
by numbers of the League c
the organization in that State was T
already powerful. and was growing a
more 50 at a rapid rate: that Governor
Holden was at the head ofthe League,
md that they were guided in all pol
matters by him.
The above are only a few facts of the
kind. The same Union League of
which the Senate Committee said No 7
violence was either directed or cOun- a
..enanced by them,' made four at ;
empts To bride me and three times
threatened me with death, while on 7
way with a Union flag from Eicks- q
Durg to Washington, it being well
>nown that | was in the interest of no {
my only object being to prove :
hat the people of the North and South =
.ould and should be united in the
ponds of a friendly union. Allow me !
o say that | am opposed TO all secret :,
organizations of whatever II
'haracter, for | believe them unneces- {
AIRY and a public evil. | would also Ii
that / can give YOU further i'm r.
information. IN REGARD to such $
rganiZatiOn. asserting nothing but
What can prove, and. if acceptable,
sill do so willingly, simply from the =
act that l believe it n duty | owe to
he public to give publicity to intor-
of the above character, which
am possessed of. \