The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-03-15

TRULY LOYAL HISTORIAN TELLS no"
NARROWLY THE STATE ESCAPED Sc
CEssION.
There came, one day, to orr good
p,esidept message that caused his
,heek to pale and his great heart to
heat quick with apprehension. This
u,s the message-short as it was omi-
mons. "There is treason on Alcatraz."
A1cotraz is the name of the island and
s.rt that guards the Golden Gate and
0lommands the. harbor and city of San
francisco. IT is rock of a few acres
in extent, rising perhaps, fifty feet
nhore the surface of the water. The
s.rt ;s the Gibraltar of America, as
n,,ch stronger than Sumter or Pickens
40 solid rock is stronger than brick aud
u,ortar. It's commander at this time
was Albert Sidney Johnson. The force
nnder his command consisted of but
s saw companies. The Pacific coast was
strongly Democratic. Its population
consisted largely OF immigrants from
tIe slave States, who retained an in
tensaly Southern feeling and sympa-
fIv. embittered by the fact that the
GREAT State of California had been lost
to slavery upon its admission into the
Union ten years before. A few leading
shirts had long been in correspondence
with the leaders in the rebellion. AT
their suggestion, mere than a year be-
fore, Floyd, then Secretary of War,
had. unknown to any loyal person
living, transferred $4,000 stand of arms
from the arsenal at Troy to that of
Benicia, to be used by the secessionists
in California, when the plot should be
ripe, and the rebel flag unfurled. The
programme was this: To obtain pos
session of Fort Alcatraz, which woull
give them control of the city OF San
Francisco. Then, with the arms stored
at Benicia, they could at once arm and
organize force that would be irresisti-
BILE throughout the State. 1t was
brilliant conception to gain for slavery
the whole Pacific coast, with its bound
less resources, as we'll as all the vast
region to the eastward, extending the
Confederacy unbroken from the At
lantic to the Pacific seas. To insure
the success of the scheme, Albert Sid
ney Johnson was placed III command
of Fort Alcatraz. 1t was arranged
that the leaders in San Francisco, with
force of picked men sufficient for the
purpose, should surprise and capture
the fort. The details we've al arrang-
ed. They were waiting only for oders
from the rebel government TO strike the
fatal blow. The birds of the air car
lied whisperings of this treason to
loyal ears. No time was to I've lost.
The mails were then carried semi
monthly by steamer between New
York and San Francisco. The time
was from three to fur weeks. There
was then no telegraph, no railroad
even, west of the Missouri river
There was. however a pony express
running from San francisco to st.
Joseph Mo-, making the distance in
sixteen days. BY this express mes
sage was instantly dispatched, warn
ing President Lincoln of the danger.
The message was duly received, and a
hurried consultation was held with two
or three members of his Cabinet. 1t
was decided that johnson must be
superseded by n loyal officer. There
was such an one at hand, one whose
loyalty and integrity were perfect and
unquestionable, a knight without fear
and without reproach. 1t was General
Sumner. But how should he secure
the command ? Tie fortress was six
thousand miles away By the travelled
route. 1t the least movement in that
direction was made openly, fl t
cousers would carry the warning over
the plains, and it would be too late
The utmost secrecy was Imperative
There Glanced to be q government
war steamer in New Y ork harbor. Gen.
erai Sumner was at once ordered on
, board tt is vessel, and its commando
directed to put to sea instantly, wild
sealed orders, which were to be opened
when one day ont of port. These
orders directed him to lay upon the
track of the outgoing California mai
steamers, look out for the one that wa
to sail the next day, pnt General Sum
ner on board her, and then cruis'
southwark q week before returning t.
port. These orders were obeycd. tn
rebel spies were baf11ed, and the gal
liant Sumner, unsupported, was on hi
way to assume command of Alcatraz
Meanwhile its commander and his con
federates were impatiently awaitin:
their orders from the rebel government
by this very steamer. In due time tn
signal on Telegraph Hill announced
the mail steamer az the Golden Gate
Within the city all was expectation
and excitement. The eager Thousand
who tlronged the streets, exnectant O
thrilling news from their old homes S
far away, hardly noticed the momen
tary pause of the steamer, when pass
ing Fort Alcatraz, nor did they not
the little boat that shot out from he
side toward the island, yet that tin
boat bore, more to them, than "Caesa
and his fortunes" 1t bore Genera
Sumner, who in a few minutes stoo
before the commander, and, as his su
perior in rank, and under special order
from the President, assumed camman
of Fort Aicatraz. California was save
to the Union Chicago Tribune.