The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-18
A PLOT THAT DnsCARRIED.
The Plan to Capture Kill Grant and Sher-
man, and How Joe Johnston Vetoed Ii.


man, and How Joe Johnston Vetoed 1t.
Jackson (BIiss.) Letter.
North of the Capitol grounds are still to be
seen the ruins OF the Bowman House. 1t was a
four-story structure, and doomed up only little
inferior in proportions to the Capitol itself Be
fore the war jackson had a hotel commensurate
with her Importance the same cannot be said
now. This site, like those of the State insttu-
tions, is on the summit of the ridge which forms
the eastern line of Jackson. To the west the
slope inclines gradually, and there is the city.
To the east the ridge falls away suddenly At
the base of it is a stretch of bottom land half a
mile wide. 1t is mostly unoccupied now save by
the track and structures of the fair ground.
During the war it bare field, losing itself
in the seemingly impenetrably swamp of Pearl
river. The highways out of jackson lead north,
west and south, none of them eastward To go
in that direction requires a detour some distance
north or south
This explanation of the location is necessary
to the better understanding of one of the bold
schemes planned by daring Mississippian. The
project seems so feasible to look back upon, that
the wonder is that it failed Of execution. When
the federal army moved on the rear of Vicks-
burg the route was by way of jackson, and for
several days headquarters were here. Both Grant
and Sherman stopped at the time i'll the Bow
man House. To the eastward in the adjoining
county of Rankin near Brandon, lay Joe John
ston, with fifteen or sixteen thousand troops. He
was twenty five miles away, and directly be
tween him and jackson lay the Pearl river and
the Swamps. His only available approach lay
over the bridge and road south of the city, and
strong body of federal soldiery guarded that.
The troops were coming from the south, and be-
ing moved out west toward Vicksburg Those
that camped here did so to the westward of the
Bowman House.
SO it happened that with their staff officers and
few orderlies, Grant and Sherman were in the
hotel and there WAS no guard on the east further
than the swamp, supposed to be painless, afford
ed. Seen from the ridge there was no break in
the wall of green which rose at the edge of the
swamp Hunters and few old residents of the
county knew of a wagon trail which entered the
swamp at one of the points nearest to the Cap
itole 1t wound among the tangled underbrllsh
and the fallen trees and led to ford of the river
one OF the few shallow places i'll the stream. A
citizen of jackson slipped through the federal
lines. made his way to Johpsons headquarters
near Brandon and told Of the situation. John
NJ. Smiley, now Swamp-land Commissioner of
mississippi, was member of Johnsons staff.
He had grown up near Brandon. and knew the
country foot by foot. 1t occurred to him that
a night raid upon the Bowman House by q de-
ter1hined band could be made, which w0uld re
suit in the capture or killing of Grant and Sher-
man and their staffs. There could be no discoE-
cry of the purpose before the command reached
the edge of the swamp. Then there remained
only dash of half mile. the climb of hill,
and the StOrming of the hotel The chances
were desperate The surprise might not be so
complete as was expected, and few might return
to tell the daring deed. Still the game was big
and worth the trying. Smiley detailed his plan
to General Johnston. The latter listened and
said he would take till dark to think about it.
Meanwhile Smiley went about his preparations.
He made his selections of the men, forty of
them, to accompany him. They were told that
the mission was a dangerous one, but that there
great glory in it. The asked for no more
explicit explanation. Night came and the little
party was waiting the word to saddle up. Smi-
ley went to the commander for the order which
would give sanction to the undertaking.
had fytYIf lN,44I IL.
not be made. He gave no reason His word
settled it. Smiley swallowed his disappoint-
ment and withdrew. Why Johnston put his
veto on the plan has never been known. He
was a disciplinarian, tactician, recognized the
rule of war and fought his battles with close re
gard for those rules, erhaps he thought the
contemplated assault was hardly legitimate
from his standpoint. Perhaps he foresaw more
difficulties in the way than others did, and felt
lives of these ardent young Mississippians on
the possible result
u don't suppose" said Mr. John A. Galbreath
a native Mississippian, who was about here at
the time of the contemplated raid, there are a
dozen persons who know the story | have told
you, Those were exciting times, and one event
followed so rapidly upon' another that little was
said at this time about this affair in the multi
tude of war "reminiscences it seems to have been
overlooked. and has never been published, /
think ,-. ...l ...t ,..r ....t..-e.rtr .-
After the federal troops marched on to Weeks
burg Johnston occupied Jackson for short
time, and during that period the Bowman House
was burned one night. Smiley was sleeping in
the third story, and was saved by being caught
in IA blanket in Il leap from the window.