Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-04-19
A story of the War.
THE HISTORY OF A CONSPIRACY THAT
FAILED.

i
FAILED.
Colt. A. Burr, a well known Con-
federate officer, tells the story OF an
ATTEMPT to release 10000 Confederate
prisoners at Chicago, Columbus and
Sandusky in 1864 and to form q nolth'
western coufederacy. Major I. IL.
Cole. of the Fifth Tennessee regiment,
was the leading spirit Of the plot. lie
narrowly escaped hanging, and is now
monument railroad man in Texas.
He received bis instructions from Jacob
Thompson, who was then in Canada
and was put il command Of the depart
men; Of Ohio, with headquarters at
Sandusky. With the force of 10000
rebels whom the consplrators intended
to release, and with the active aid oi
the northern sympathzers, 1t was
thought that northwestern cOntedera =
cy was not impossible; and tie time
fixed for the assault on the camps
where the prisoners were confined was
gauged by Gen. Early's attack on
Washington, which was 10 engage tie
great force of our army, and marked II
impossible 10 reinforce the small body
OF Union soldiers IN the Northwest,
where there was almost open rebellion
against conscr iption, and people were
weary of war. It was first intended to
strike the blow while the national
Democratic convention was in session
at Chicago, and more than 4 coo Con
tederatc soldiers and spmpathzers were
there ready for action. But Earl>s
delay in striking Washington caused a
nostpouemeut. Col. Burr names Brick
Pomeroy among the northern allies OF
the rebels, and asserts that JACOB
Thompson gave him money to establish
has La Crosse Democrat.
When Cole was given command AT
lSandusky he was ordered 10 capture
the limited States man -ol-@ar Michigan,
tie only armed vessel on The lakes and
with her the Confederate felt sure Of
success. He made the acquaintance
OF the officers on board, having mean
time settled at Sandusky as an Oil
s, ecula,or. and soon became a well
come guest on the ship. The Con-
federacy had plenty of money in It's
secret. service lund, aud Cole says there
was something like sS6,C00, 900 10 the
credit of the Confederate commissioner
and his colleague, Jacob Thompson
most Of which was deposited at bank
IN Toronto. He became ''hail fellow
we'll metz with the military officers al
Sandusky, dned and ieted them and
learned their plans as Tar as possible
But he needed men to help him 10 the
crisis. and as the Government wanted
soldiers aud seamen, lie bad Two
Confe ederates enlisted on board the
Michigan, and ten others went on duty
with the regiment stationed on john
.on's island. Cole tells OF one occa-
J sion when he took Jacob Thompson on
hoard The Michigan disguised as his
country aunt, and gave him chance
to see the vessel aud understand his
careful plan of attack. 1t was decided
TO strike the first blow September ~,
1864. and as soon as the Michigan was
captured and the Confederate prisoners
were released, to cut all the telegraph
wires. seize a railroad train, run down
10 Columbus, and aid in freeing The
prisouers there and then 90 back to
Sandusky and establish the temporary
HEADQUARTERS Of the Northwest, Gen.
Trimble, a prisoner, was to be made
comm mander.in-chief Major Kinds, in
command at Chicago, an Major Castle
man at Ceniralia were TO attack Camps
Douglas and Monroe simultaneously
with Coles assault on Johnson's
island, aud the former warrior was also
10 capture one OF the iron steamers
plyjng between Grand Haven and
Milwaukee. Through some misunder
standing those men failed 10 make their
attack when Cole did, although he sent
this telegram, which meant that the
time had come: 'Close out all the
4 stock in the Mount Hope Oil Company
| eIore 3 3o'clOck day. BE prompt"
Cole had previously determined to
capture the Parsons, vessel in the
lake trade, and about o'clock in the
AFTERNOON OF the 18th be went on board
of her at Detroit, and waited Tor hi'
men, who were 10 come on disguised
as fellows who bad left the States tt
escape draft. Everything worked well
and When the boat left Maiden Colt
gave The signal TO bis assistant, J
Yates Beall, and pointing his revolver
] at Capt. Atwood's head, remarked