Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-03-09

her, and also personally inspect the details OF
my plans upon the ground.
'sif YOU think it safe, Mr.. Thompson, I
should be exceedingly glad to have you do so, y
l said. "
He did not reply, and we parted without my
knowing what his intentions were. A few
days after, while sitting in my room at the
West House, Sandusky, the servant came up
and said: "YOur aunt is in the parlor, and
would like to see you" - !li"it
told Miss Annie Davis to 90 down and in
vite her up. Of course, knew it was not my
aunt, but I was never taken by surprise at
anything, and was always OH my guard. l
supposed possibly it was female courier with
orders or information. ~,
Miss Davis went down to the parlOr, and in
a moment returned with an elderly lady, nicely
dressed in style that we'll became her age.
When the veil was removed there stood Jake
Thompson was wholly taken aback, as the
disguise was perfect and the assumption OF the
character easy and graceful.
1 sent word to the Michigan that l had a
lady relative who had stopped over train
to visit what she had never seen, a nlan-
of-war, and that should like to bring her
aboard. They returned cordial invitation,
and that afternoon Mr.. Thompson and went
out to the ship Mr.. Thompson went all over,
and in sgueaky voice put such questions
about her construction and arrangement as
rural female of well-advanced years and small
opportunities for cleaning information would
be likely to PROFOUND. No one suspected him.
and the officers were exceedingly polite to the
one they afterwards spoke Of as 'my country
aunt" ...
After Thompson's visit to the Michigan
Cole spent three weeks in Philadelphia re-
cruiting. He established his headquarters at
S,+,,o in 70 ri
building or old Cadwallader House. He also
had another rendezvous on Fifth street be-
tween Chestnut and Walnut, where man
was ostensably recruiting an artillery company
for the United States service. 1t was here
that most of the men for the capture OF the
Michiqan were hired. They were paid $40
month and expenses. The money was drawn
from Drexel's Bank to meet the current ex-
penses of these agencies and to pay the men.
The plan fully matured. it was decided to
make the attack on Monday, September 10,
1864 The intention was the moment the
Michigan was captured and the Confederate
officers released, to cut all the telegraph wires
leading out of Sandusky, seize railroad train,
run down to Columbus, assist in releasing the
prisoners, then run back to Sandusky and es-
tablish the temporary headquarters OF the
Confederate Department of the Northwest.
Gen. Trimble, of Maryland, who was the
ranking Confederate officer confined on john
sons Island, was to be made COMMANDMENTS
Chief, and Cole had in his pocket commits
sion from the Confederate Government ap-
pointing him to that position the moment he
was released. Cole was supplied with other
commissions in blank, all properly signed and
attested, to give all other men who enlisted in
the Confederate army for this service. This
was done to make them regular Confederate
soldiers, so that their services would be legltl-
mate acts Of warfare as long as they obeyed
orders.
Major Hinds in command at Chicago, and
Major Castleman, in command at Centralla,
were to attack Camp Douglas and Camp Nor
ton simultaneously with Coles attack upon
Johnson's Island. Major Kinds was also
charged with the duty of capturing one of the
iron steamers plying between Grand Haven,
Mich, and Milwaukee, Wis. Through some
misunderstanding none of the Others made the
attack, although Cole telegraphed before leav-
ing Detroit, on the morning of the 18th, to
Charley Walsh, citizen of Chicago, who was
Major Hinds' assistant, and isnoW street COM
missioner of that city, as follows
DETROIT, Sept. 10, 1864.
Close out all the stock in the Mount Hope
Oil Company before 3 O'Clock to-day. BE
prompt. q. II. COLE.
This meant that the attack would be made
on the Michigan at O'Clock that evening.
Cole left Sandusky for Detroit on Saturday,
with all arrangements perfected. ne had pre-
viously determined to capture the I'hato PaT-
sons, vessel plying in the lake trade for ser
vice in transporting our troops. The plan was
to 60 aboard Of her at Detroit and the men VINO
were to assist in her capture were to get on at
the various points at which she touched on
the Canadian shore.
Cole went on board the Parsons at PM,
of the 18th, and spent most Of his time with
Can't Atwood, her commander. He had made
his acquaintance some time before, and fire.
quently came over on his vessel. She left her
wharf on the morning of the 10th, and touched
at her various stopping places on the Canada
side of the Detroit River. At Windsor and
Maiden Coles men got on board. He was in
the pilot-house with Capt. Atwood when the
boat touched at both places so that he could
note the men as they came on board, and De
where they could see him. At Maiden, AT
wood, observing the unusual number OF seedy-
looking men getting aboard, said 'How many
skedaddlers are coming on this morning
These fellows are all we'll off, They ran out of
the United States to escape the draft, and are
now returning. They look hard, but all OF
them have means, and are men of position"
eyes, poor fellows" Cole replied, ''they
have had hard time"
j. Yates Beale, Coles second officer, was in
readiness for the work. When they left Nal
den Cole gave signal to assign the men to
their position. He did so. A fine engineer,
we'll armed, was placed near the engine. and
one of the men we'll equipped for the work ap-
pointed to every important place on the Dott.
Cole himself preferred to deal with the captain.
When Beale had everything in readiness Cole
gave the signal and clapped his revolver to
Capt. Atwood's head and said captain, you
are my prisoner"
"What's tile matter Cole 20 lie asked, i'll
great astonishment.
''You are my prisoner. 1 take possession of
this ship in the name of the Confederate States
Government. Go below"
The arrest of the Captain was followed by
the capture of the men by other soldiers.
They were sent below and the matches put
down. Tile passengers were assured that they
should not be molested. The stars and bars
were run up, with the announcement : ''This
flag is a guarantee of protection to women and
children.'' This assurance was sacredly kept,
although it cost some effort. The regular
Confederate soldiers were perfect gentlemen,
but some of those hired from Philadelphia,
New York, and other cities were not 1t was
necessary to put some Of them overheard to
make good the promise given when the Con-
federate flag was hoisted.
About 1890 the Parsons caught the Island
Queen unloading freight at Put-in-Bay Island
She carried a large number of passengers,
among them 300 unarmed soldiers going to
Cleveland to get mustered out. The Parson
ran alongside of her, made fast, and captured
her. The two steamers then went to Fighting
Island, where the passengers were put ashore:
There were no possible means of escape, and
therefore no danger that they would give Warn-