Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-10
AN INVISIBLE ARMY.
How an Ex- ID -rectiyo Hunted for Reg
imenU and FOuad Only one Man.


From the Washington Star.
j. w Coomes, well known as a detec-
tive in years past. and now one Of the
officers detailed on the White House
grounds, was mem Der Of the police force
during the talk as 10 the impeachment Of
President johnson. George Miller was
detailed at Grants headquarters Them
said Mr.. Coomes to reporter a day or
two ago. land he had me detailed also.
was to report to gen. Emory, which L did
| every morning, sometimes both OF
us, Miller and myself going up
together. There was time, how
ever. when we did not report every
/ morning, for sometimes had 70 90 out Of
the city. Living as did near the marine
larrisou and having been IN the navy of
and ON since bOyhOod, nothing vas
/ thought Of my going in The barracks daily
when in the city. One part of y duty
was o watch the barracks, which / did
every morning especially. ! see that
Mai. Richards had Milstead looking after
the marines, and reckon 1t was during
the day and evening. Nv tour there was
early In the morning, and / never saw
anything there to indicate that any move
ment was contemplated, but you know
that with marines as with sailors, they
must be ALWAYS ready"
Il understand" said the reporter, "that
you hunted up a regiment Of cavalry
which was being organized near
Frederick"
Yes, pricked that bubble" answered
Mr.. COOmes with q laugh. "News was
received here, | believe. by some railroad
conductor that the people in the neighbOr.
hood Of Frederick were organizing, and !
was sent TO ascertain If the report was
true. 1 took a train and went TO Harper's
Ferry, arriving there in the evening, care
fully looking about the MOnocacy for any
signs but l found none either there or at
tn" Ferry. At the latter place everything
was dead. The next morning | went
TO Frederick. Here | met party
who knew me, and be was very aDX-
lOus to know what | was after, and |
told him | was tracking some horse
thieves. lie took me in tow and showed
me about the place, for he thought hat
that WAS my first visit aud during our
rambles he said that a soldier had been in
town, and while drinking, had said some
thing about regiment Of cavalry taking
the town, Taking a note of this l made
other inquiries. and found that regular
caValryman had, while on a drunk, init
mated something about a regiment Of
cavalry, and like the old story Of The three
black crows, the story had grown until
the railroad men heard that a full
regiment mad been raised and equipped
to follow the fortunes of Andy John
son. left that night or next morning,
ana the next day reported TO Gen. Emory
that had seen no sign Of soldier, and
that OF the regiment | had expected tn
hear of | mad learned OF but one man. and
be was drunk. Gen. Emory laughed
heartily when | made my report, hut did
not seem surprised that the report had
dwlndled down to nothing. From time to
time continued to report to Gen. Emory,
nut was unable to inform him Of any more
warlike demonstrations in Maryland"
EX DETECTIVE MILLER's RECoLLBCTIoNs
Eyes" said Mr.. George o. Miller, who
was formerly a detective, II was on duty
at Gen. Grants headquarters during the
impeachment trial Of Andy johnson. |
was detailed by Maj. Richards at the per-
sOnal request of Gen Grant, and during
that time | reported to Gen. Grant and TO
Gen. Emory, who had command of this
division or department"
"Well, what did you learnW asked the
reporter.
II can't recall much now, but in gen
eral terms | will say that most of the
rumors when investigated proved to b.
all bosh. / remember now" continued
Mr. Miller that report reached Gen.
Grant that there was a lot of rOu9h-lO0k
ing men in South Washington supposed
10 be REGULAR pirates, who were ~ do some
desperate deed in the interest of Andy
johnson. The general had received this
information in a letter from a prOm-
uent local politician aud citizen of
South w ashington. who signed his full
name, and when he showed me the letter
and l recognized the signature | was
quite certain that / would get down to
something. | took the case in hand, and
what do YOU think | found? | did find
that about one hundred desperate LOOKING
characters mad been here, but that they
had most all left for the fishing shores
down the river, where they we're to work
tor the season. Both Gen. Grant and Gen.
Emory regarded this affair as a huge
joke. The next. if l remember rightly,
WAS report that secret organizations
were in existence, the prime object of
which was to support Andy Johnson. and
| was directed 10 look after them. With
the assistance OF some detailed men soon
learned that the social ed secret organiza-
lions were two democratic clubs, whose
object was the PRONUNCIATION of demo-
cratic principles. | reported this to Gen.
Grant, and he said that they had a perfect
right TO spread their principles. He, how
ever, directed me 10 run all rumOrs down
and spare no time or expense in dong IL.
aud once he SAL on my reporting 10 him A:
Il don't propose to be stampeded and
don't care how much the investigations
| cost. Whenever you hear anything
bearing on the subject You
are on. make thorough Investigation and
let me know the result This remark. |
remember, he made after had some Off
GERS detailed 10 Maryland, who came
back with q report that nothing was
going on. Mr.. McElfre~h made the re-
port on militia in Prince Georges county,
and see that he has made q statement in
he Star. The militia he saw was pre-
pairing to go into camp at Annapolis
Junction or somewhere in that neighbour
hood"
''You, Of course" said the reporter.
"were aware which way Gen. Grants
sympathies went"
Yes answered MY. Miller. "He was
in harmony with Congress and Stanton
and took but little stock in Gen. Lorenzo
Thomas. He took il that In Congress the
people were represented"
Glow about Gen. EmOryY, asked the
reporter, adding; alt was said that he
was placed IN command Of the depart
ment because he was Nirginian by
BIRTH"
"Ges," answered Mr.. Miller. ~ know
il was thought at the time that he sym
pathizpd with the President. but he was
loyal man aud would have taken his
orders from Gen. Grant, who was his i'm