Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-02-18

! like to see YOU
. / told Miss Annie Davis to go down
and invite her up. OF course, | knew
it was not my aunt, but [ was never
taken by surprise at anything, and was
/ always on my guard. [ supposed
possibly it was female courier with
orders or information.
6 Miss Davis went down to the parlor,
and in moment returned with an
/ elderly lady, nicely dressed in a style
that well became her age.
"When her veil was removed there
stood Jake Thompson. I was taken
wholly aback, as the disguise was per-
feet, and the assumption OF the charac-
! ter easy and graceful.
g sent word to the Michigan that
had lady relative who had stopped
over train TO visit, that she had never
seen man 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 ell over, ard
III squeaky voice put such questions
about her construction and arrange
ment as a rural female of well-advanced
years and small opportunities for CLEAN
ing information would be likely to pro-
pound. No one suspected him, and the
Officers were exceedingly polite to the
one they afterward spoke Of as my
country aunt.
After Thompson's visit to the Michi-
gan, Cole spent three weeks in Philadel-
phia recruiting. He established his
headquarters at Twelfth and Chestnut
streets IN The Girard building or old
/ Cadwa!iader House He also had
( another rendezvous on Fifth street,
between Chestnut and Walnut, where a
man was ostensibly recruiting an
artillery company for the United States
service. 1t was here that most Of the
n.en for the capture of the Michigan
were hired. They were paid $40 a month
and expenses. The money was drawn
from Drexel's Bank to meet the current
expenses OF these agencies and to pay
the men.
The plan fully matured, it was de-
cided 10 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 2 rail
road train, run down to Columbus, as
sist in releasing the prisoners there,
then run back to Sandusky and esta5-
lish the temporary headquarters of the
Confederate Department of the North
west. Gen. Trimbie, OF Maryland.
who was the ranking Confederate officer
confined on Johnson's Island, was TO lie
made COMMANDMENT hief, and Cole
had in his pocket commission from the
Confederate Government appointing
him to that position the moment he was
released. Cole was supplied with other
commissions in blank, all properly
signed and attested. to give &c all other
men who enlisted III the Confederate army
for this service. This was done to make
them regular Confederate soldiers. so
hat their services would be legitimate
acts of warfare as long as they obeyed
orders.
Major Kinds, in command at Chicago.
and Mljor Castleman, in command at
Centralia, were to attack Camp Douglas
and Camp Morton 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 leaving Detroit, on the
morning OF the 18th, to Charley Walsh,
citizen of Chicago, who was Major
Hinds's assailant, and is now Street
Commissioner of that city as follows
DETROIT, Sept. 10, 1864.
Close ont all the STOCK in the Mount
Hope Oil Company before o'clockI to-
day. Be prompt. C. Ii. COLE.
This meant that the attack would be
made on the Michigan at o'clock that
evening. Cole left Sandusky for De
troit on Saturday, with all arrange
ments perfected. He had previously
determined to capture the Philo Par
sons, vessel plying in the lake trade
for service in transporting our troops.
The train was to 60 aboard of her at
Detroit, and the men who were to as
slst IN her capture We're to get on at the
various points at which she touched on
the Canadian shore.
Cole went on board the Parsons at 4
p. m. Of the 18th, and spent most of his
time with Capt. Atwood. her comman-
der. lie had made his acquaintance
some time before, and frequently came
over on his vessel She left her wharf
on the morning of the 18th, and touched
at her various stopping places on the
Canada side of the Detroit River. At
Windsor and at Maiden, Coles men got
ON board. He was in the pilot house
with Capt. Atwood when the boat
touched at both places. So thar he could
note the men as they came on board and
lie whore they could see hu At Nal
den, Atwood, Observing tue unusual
number of seedy.Iu9Au4 meg getting
aboard, said " 5o. mauy -bed4ldlers
are coming on ,Hi. morning These
fellows are AL we'll OF. They ran ont If
tha United States To ESCAPE the draft
and are now returning. They look hard
but ali OF them have means, and are
men Of position"
Yes, poor fellows" Cole replied.
they have had hard time
J. Yates Beale, Coles second officer,
was in readiness for the work. When
they left Maiden Cole gave him a signal
to assign the men to their positions. He
did SO. A fine engineer, we'll armed,
was placed near the engine, and one of
the men well equipped for the work ap-
pointed to every important place on the
boat. Cole himself preferred to deal