The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-05-04


hands preparatory to going to dinner
a fire began burning in the room mex
TO his. 1t was promptly put out, ant
was fund to be caused by clock-worl
apparatus which had been left in tn.
room by lodger who had depart,
somo hours before. In every instance
these fires We're extinguished without
much damage and without exciting
any considerable public attention
thanks to the precautions that had
been taken in consequence of the
warning derived from Mr.. Clay's dis
patch to Mr.. Benjamin in Richmond
The plan of setting fire to Chicago
proved even more abortive; [ do not
remember that any report of actual
burning was received from there.
Later in the fall, after the military
operations had substantially terminal
ed for the season, a despatch was
brought from Canada signed by Mr
Clay and addressed to Mr.. Benjamin
as secretary of state In the confederate
government, conveying the informa-
ton that a new and really formidable
military expedition against northern
Vermont, particularly against Bur
llngtOn, if | am not mistaken, had been
organized and fitted out in Canada.
and would make its attack as soon as
practicable. This was after the we'll
known attempt upon st. Albans and
Lake Champlain, and promised to be
much more injurious The dispatch
reached Washington on Sunday morn
ing and was brought to the War De
partment as usual, but its importance
IN the eyes Of the confederate agents
had led to its being prepared for
transportation with uncommon care.
1t was placed between two thicknesses
OF the pair Of re enforced cavalry
trousers which the messenger wore,
and seWed up 50 that when he was
mounted it was held between his thigh
and the saddle.
Having been carefully ripped out
and opened was Immediately carried
to Mr.. Stanton, who was confined to
his house by cold. He read it. This
is serious" he said. go over to the
v hite House and ask the president to
come here" Mr. Lincoln was found
dressing to go to church and he was
soon driven to Mr. Stanton's house.
After discussing the subject in every
aspect and considering thoroughly the
probability that to keep the despatch
would put All end to communications
by this channel, they determined that
1t must be kept. The conclusive rea-
son for this step was that it establish
ed beyond question the fact that the
confederates, while sheltering them
=. canada, had organized and fitted
out military expedition against the
United States. But while, the dis
patch afforded evidence that could not
be gainsaid, the mere possession OF it
was not sufficient 1t must be found
in possession Of the confederate dis
patch bearer, and the circumstances
attending its capture must be estab
lished in such manner that the Brit
ish Foreign Office would not be able
to dispute the genuineness of the
document. I've must have this pa
per for Seward" said Mr. Lincoln.
As for the young man get him out OF
the scrape, if you can"
Accordingly the war paper was tax
en- back to the War Department, and
sewed up again in the trousers whence
it had been three hours before. The
bearer was instructed to start at dusk
on the road which he usually took in
passing through the lines; to be at a
certain tavern outside of Alexandria
at nine o'clock in the evening, and to
stop there to water his horse. Then
information was sent through Major
Gen. Augur, cOmmandant at " ashlng
ton and the surrounding region, to
Gen. Wells of New Hampshire, the
military governor Of Alexandria, dir
ecting him to be at this tavern at nine
O'clock in the evening and to arrest a
Confederate dispatch bearer concern
ing whom authentic information had
been received at the War Department
and whose description was furnished
for Wells guidance. He was to do
him no injury, hut to make sure OF
his person and of all papers that he
might have upon him, and to bring
him, under sufficient guard directly
to the War Department; and Genera
Augur was directed to be present
there, in order to assist In the eXamin
alton of the prisoner, and to verify
any dispatches that might be found
Accordingly just before midnight {
carriage drove up to the door of the
War Department with a soldier on the
box and two soldiers on the front seat
within while the back seat was occu-
pied by General Wells and the pris-
oner. OF course, no one but the two
or three who had been in the secret
was aware that this gentleman hac
walked quietly out of the War Depart
ment only a few hours previously, anC
that the paper which was the cause o.
the entire ceremony had been seweC
up in his clothes just before his de
parture General Wells reported tha
while the prisoner had offered no re
sistance, he was very violent and out
rageous in his language and that ht
boasted fiercely of his devotion to The
Confederacy and his detestation of th,
Union. During the examination which
now followed he said nothing eXcep
TO answer to a few questions, but hi
bearing. patient, scornful, undaunted
was that of an incompatible actor
If Mr.. Clay and Mr. Benjamin haC
been present they would have beer
more than ever certain that he wa
one of their noblest young men. Hi
! hat, boots, and other articles of hi
clothing We're taken off one by one
The hat and boots were first searched
and finally the dispatch was found il
his trousers and taken out, its natur
and the method of its capture wer
stated in a memorandum, which wa
drawn up on the spot and signed b
General Augur and General Wells an
one or two other officars who wer
there for the purpose and then tn
dispatch bearer himself was sent o.
TO the old capitOl prison.