The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-07
TWO UNRECORDED TRAITORS
An Episode Of the Civil War Here
tofore Unpublished.
Confederate Attempt to Captu, Admiral
Porter's Mississippi Squadron. {.
H OW 1T WAS BAFFL E D.

"A " w w a Is "A r - z -.
In the fall Of 1853 the United States gunboat Rather
OF the Mississippi squadron, doing duty the
Mississippi River between Bruinsburg and Waterproof,
Assistance Of about twenty i've miles The Rather
OF tho large fleet OF light draught gunboas organ
lied by Admiral Porter upon his taking command Of
the Mississippi squadron, and had done great deal Of
active and hazardous duty in tho various expeditions
Sst ON foot bv that energetic commander
The Rather carried . battery Of eight guns and
uew oll tod) Of 100 men, and alter the fall of vicks
burg her usual station on the little town Of Rod
ney, on the Mississippi Here, in September. 1858,
ner commander, W. W. Fentress, several line officers
and twenty Of her captured while attending
church on Shore The command of the vessel then de-
vovcd Ensign William Ferguson, and in the month
following several officers assigned to her TO supply
the places OF those captured Among them Act
ing Epsgns Daniel ". Chimney and e. p Nelia Glen
ney recorded . New Yorker by birth, but
appointed from Connecticut Nellis was . ma
tive of Ohio. but citizen OF West vir.
gniA These officers seemed to be on Init
mate terms from tho date OF their first
appearance on board, and indeed believe had pre-
vious acquaintance OF some standing, both having
been inmates OF the Naval Hospital at Memphis before
their assignment for duty on board the Rather.
Although Of very different ages they had with
many similar characteristics. Ncls a mere boy,
fair laced and lazy, while Glenney q OF
thirty years, weather beaten and sinister looking.
NoIlls young to have any history experience
fo, but GIenney had the hard look and selfposses
sion Of tho veteran sailor and had knocked around
tho world good deal in the merchant service before
the war; He was low sizcd strongly built and thin
Tipped; brown, rather black. from exposure, and
had deep limos aud wrinkles his lace that clearly
bespoke life Of irreguarity and dissipation
Nclls had face like girls, With checks the color
Of peach, but he had cruel selfish mouth, and
thoroughly selfish lad He shirked his duty many
ways, and had hundred petty tricks to place the
burden OF his work on his fellow officers
Neither OF them showed much zeal for the federal
while attached to the Rather although Genney
would have made efficient officer had desired it,
His record the service up the time OF his appear
ancs on board the Rather good one and few
months after he had Joined that vessel he received his
promotion to Acting Master for gallanry the Yazoo
Pass expedition, where he served board the iron
clad Chliicothe When off duty Glenney and Nelis
we're inseparable companions, and as they evidently
did not desire tho society Of the other officers they
were generally left TO themselves Gienney Of course
was the master mind and had tho boy Nelis com
plcey under his influence and he used his influence
to make him dsagreeabe and selfish II that were
possible, than nature had intended him be- On one
subject their minds a unit. md this in oil
probability the primal cause Of their ancr
acts They both had most concca tratcd
hatred and contempt for the damn niggers las they
called the unfortunate Southern bondmsn) and an out
spoken and fierce hostility to tho incipient stages of
shat movement which finally incorporated the black
salors and placed In their hands for tho subec
sion of their former masters
GLxNSxy CONES THE FRONT.
few months after Gicnney aud Nes had joined
the Rather Captain Ferguson detached from that
vessel and ordered TO the command Of the Silver Cloud
lieutenant Lanning succeeding him in command and
Benncy becoming executive officer Acting IN this
capacity Glenney had some control over the move
mens OF the vessel and It remarked that he sud-
denly displayed unexpected zeal and energy his du-
ties, from time organized several expedi-
ons with small parties Of sailors from the vessel to
Shore always leading them himself Nellls
his aid. He generally confined his movements TO
tho neghhorhood Of ST. Joseph, the Louisiana
Shore which place small force OF COME crates
hao an encampmcut; and to watch this party ana en-
lesvor to capture any detachment sent out by them
the ostensble reason Tor his frequent trips to the
shore ~ this point But lie never happened to fall in
WITH rebels, and II then became subject OF
mark that several occasions he left his boat
~ the landing in charge oil some subordinate officer
hours from she river and returning, would report
that they had been several miles inland "a scout -
with any adventure. Glcnney continued to act
ccutive officer OF the Rather until the spring OF
1884, when Captain Lanning was ordered TO the CON-
mand or the steamer lndanoa, and Cheney
sumed temporary charge OF the vessel There Is
doubt that he fully expected to be permanently placed
In command, and win reason for officers of his
rank the fleet acting the capacity OF captains
OF Gunboats. But IN This he disappointed Early
in the summer Acting Master N. b. Wiilets relieve
aim and tOOk of 1liss lrht for
such he looked upon II, mortified him considerably;
but had Cheney oeen confirmed or retained for any
length OF time commander OF The Rather there
o not the shadow of doubt but that a serious
Isnser would have bealicn the federal cause
and disclosures fully established the fact that
when relieved by Captain WiIietts, he had nearly
ured plot to deliver his vessel to The Confeder-
would certainly insure the capture OF some of the very
best vessels In the Mississippi squadron. and might
easily bring destruction tho whole fleet from Cairo
TO New Orleans
HOW rHs CAPTURED.
.Glenncy was to deliver up, or DO instrumental In
pcrmittng the rebels to capture, the Rather the
night OF the 18th OF August, 1864 THIS date fixed
tho contamination OF his treason because about
that time the naval supply steamer General Lyon
would he duo the Rattsrs beat, carrying the mails
ard supplies Tor all the gunbosts stationed below. The
General Lyon lett Cairo promptly on the 18th OF each
month and would arrive the Rattler's beat about
dusk on the 10Th. with the Rather In the hands Of
the enemy tho capture Of this vessel would be very
simple matter, as she was accustomed TO come along
SIDE every vessel In the fleet unchaienged to deliver
supplies, mails, &c. She could have no possible sus-
reion that the Rather was In uniricndIy hands, or
although her officers ana crew would DO held as prs-
tbers on shore, rebel soldiers dressed III the Union
1aiIors' uniorms would have been hand TO disarm
Suspic0n, and Glcrney aud Neilis would have shown
themselves on deck and guide the conicderaes IN the
simple duty OF securing the General Lyon alongside
That done her capture would only be the OF
second score OF armed rebels from the Rather
would have accomplished II, unprepared and taken
BY surprise, As she would be Her we're then 10
be removed to the Rather shore their
places supplied by Conederaiea Competent pilots and
engineers ready To lake charge OF the vsrss arz
In hall hour the General Lyon, With The tnlcz nsr
dying aud full OF eoncca ed and armed rebel IA
have prepared To cast Cd IRON the Kste4 and Ia
her disguise make short ~ork oi tie nett Inion
sci The river This vessel was tie f0<est Nose.
small sunoo.t similar 90 the Hsicr. st@ll@nsa e~t~een
Waterproof anu Nstcbcz AZ NaicLss ne ~srbsttercd
old Benton tue most powerful OF oil TIE torues sy al
anchor with the division nmsnGer, Captain fiye
board THIS the oficer no mace the subsequent
examination into Genneys tressea and " H. ordered
him into close arrest Tor court naval
That the iscnion would have lsNn A. easy prey 10
the Con edcraies would the fcrcsi Rose there