The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-20
TRIED TO K|DNAP LINCOLN
An interesting Story by a Former
Spy in the Confederate
Service.
The Scheme Failed Because An
other tor the Same Purpose
Was Discovered.
Long Ignorant of the Reason Why q Cav
airy Escort Was Put Around the
President.

Written for The HELENA INDEPENDENT
~EPTEMBER, OF 1864. HAD
~ dawned upon the battling armies far
~ down along the Chickahominy and
palpably the military power OF the south
was on the wane. Stand after stand was
the confederate chieftain making, only to
find a day or two later that his stand was
untenable. Those northern soldiers
seemed like myriads of sea sands suddenly
transformed into giants and then sent dash
ing against the 'rebel' ranks. Well fed,
we'll clothed and paid for service, the con-
ditions on the one hand! Half starved, in
rags, and no hope of better things, on the
other! Even in weapons and ammunition
an unequal contest, and the end seemed
near at hand. Fresh armies to aid the
confederate cause could no longer be
expected. The flower of the south, almost
to the last man, had already been under
arms for years, and what help there was
for the situation must come from within.
Without, all was blaokuess and despair.
One shrewd move, a skilful capture of
somebody high in federal authority, and
the advantage then gained might equalize
the struggle. Why was it not possib 9 to
~ '-iANotA h4AioNAis ttho hiih ihbo
confederate ines and hold the northern
president as a hostage for peace2 If such
q plan were successful there could be no
doubt that the war would be at an end in a
few weeks. and VINO could tell but that the
south might gain in the treaty much, if not
all, that had been left to the arbitrament of
of a ms during the past three and a half
years.
That was the way we unused then. but in
what a different light matters appear now.
Even had we succeeded in capturing MIR.
Lincoln OF any two or three members of
his cabinet besides, Il child could conclude
III the light of subsequent events that the
move would have accomplished no tangible
COCA to tue conlBdetHCy. The scheme was
nothing more than Il wild, visionary long
ing ito 20 something" ANYTHING which had
about II II ray EFF promise for future results:
but at that time 1t was big with hope any
way, and full of enthusiasm, | started from
Richmond on the kidnapping expedition.
| WAS not nnmlndtul of the fact thut q
thousand dangers and difficulties II rked in
the WAY, and that similar excursions had
always come to nAught. AT different times
during tine war schem . 10 capturing LIN
coin ana taking INN to Richmond aa Ii
prisoner had been planned more than once,
and some OF Mosby's men, who conceived the
idea, were the rIugleaders. But plans in
va lgbly miscarried from different causes,
and an open attempt WAS never made.
Here | ueslte to say that to the best of my
knowledge and belief President Davis
and his cabinet were never cogniz
ant of these schemes to capture
Lincolu; In fact, the only time
the subject was ever broached to the con-
federnte president he expressed his disap-
rroyal so strongly that to this, more than
ANYTHING, was due the Abandonment of the
scheme. THIS happened when an attempt