Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-15

.,,rs, ,non us in the shape or MT. sun
,or,e telegram 10 the mayors or the laNe
c,,Ies 20 be on their guard against con,
federate raid. which he had beeh hot'n.u
nv the Goyernor-General OF Calaua w"
NonclO. had been organized III 'ahaua,
for operations on Lake Erie. lhus' ny
dear admiral, with victory, and such
victory. within our grasp we "e'e io,,,i'
and so anxious were the British authotl-
lies 10 keep on good terms wfth their ue-
tested nelghbors uor they do detest theh)
that the troops who were about 10 De re-
movd from Port Colborne. the Lake Erle
terminus OF the canal. were ordered 10
remain at that place with INSTRUCTIONS
10 arrest any vessel passing through 'no
canal with O suspicious NUMBER OF passo
gers on board. With our plan mus ioheu'
and with the lake cities in ie'er y,
fear and excitement. and with the rapiu
advance Of re-enforcements, both haNai
and military. 10 REINFORCE the garrison
at Johnson's Island against our compact
little band Of ffty-two Confederttes, W
had, as a matter OF course, TO ABANDON
the design, and leave Canada as soon
as possible. but 10 do so In digniheu
and proper manner Wilkinson. Loyal
and Coleman, Kelly. and Bresp re-
NAMED in Montreal from five 30 ten days
giving 20 the Canadian authorities every
opportunity 10 arrest us, If il was thought
proper TO do so: but Lord Monck was
satisfied with having frustrated our plans,
and did not care TO complicate the mat
ter or to show his zeal for the Yankees
in any other shape than the very decisive
one Of informing on MS. And thus We
came away, leaving our poor fellows
to bear the increased hardships OF their
dreary prlson-life for months TO come.
BETRAYED.
And now for the sickening part. IT APP
pears that AicCuaig. whom / believed 10
have been earnestly with Us. became
alarmed at ghe last moment. when our
success seemed so certain, and. fearing
the ultimate bearing Of IT upon his own
individual fortunes, involving. perhaps,
failure. exile. loss OF position. and inn
prisonment, betrayed us to Mr.. Holden,
a member of the Provincial Cabinet who
at once communicated II to the Cover
nor-General; and hence the discovery.
SO, but FOR treachery, which no one can
guard against, our enterprise would have
been the feature of the war. and our
little navy another laurel-wreath of glori-
Gus renown. Leaving Quebec. we travelled
In open wagons and buggies through the
wilds Of Lower Canada and New Bruins
wick. often looking into the houses on
the Maine side Of the river with a desire
10 do TO them IS their people DO TO ours;
but. as our policy is different, and as we
carry on the war more on principles
OF civilization, the feeling was a childish
one, though the contempt one felt for
the cowardly dogs who crossed the line
10 avoid the dreaded draft was onlv
natural. and stlll more 50 when
their daily papers poured such
venom " our cause and all connected
with il. Taking the steamer at the small
village Of Tobique, we came down the ST.
John river and at ST. John we went on
board the steamer Emperor in which We
crossed the Bay Of Fundy 10 the village
of Windsor. in Nova Scotia. and thence
by railroad to Halifax, where l volunteer
ed for and obtained the command Of the
captured steamer Chesapeake, then sup
posed TO be making her way to the port
of ST. Mary's, about seventy miles 10
the eastward of Halifax, but before /
could get TO her with my crew and officers.
with the idea OF making her regular
cruiser. she had been forced by stress
Of weather TO put into a British port,
where her arrival was telegraphed, and,
as great excitement had been made
over her novel capture both English
and Yankees were endesvorlng TO get her:
reaching her in a dun. heavy-sailing coll
lier, the attempt was abandoned, and
thus / lost my chance OF a command
ahoat. when | had invitingy open before
me the prospect of so much damage TO
the enemy's coasting trade. At Bermuda
(where We arrived on the morning OF the
18th Of December in the royal mail steam
er Alpha ] found Bob Carter, Of the
navy. in command OF the Navy Depart
ment blockade-running steamer Coquette
purchased by Commander Bulloch, OF the
navy. 10 run In naval supplies and out
cotton for our service. Finding some
cloth on board for you. I brought it over
with me IN the little steamer Presto but
by whom il was sent I do not know Az
ter a very rough and exciting passage OF
four days. during which I did not have
my clothes of. We succeeded In eluding the
blOckading squadron and reached VIII
mington in safety on the 9TH OF January,
our little steamer. under John Wilkinson,
being the only one Of four leaving about
the same time that succeeded in getting
into port. the others being wrecked on
the coast on the day Of my return 10
Richmond with important dispatches
from abroad my former position as leu
tenant commanding the ordnance-works
was offered me and accepted. with more
work ahead OF me than j can do justice
to.
l hope. my dear sir, that you have en-
tirely recovered the use Of your leg. and
that YOU suffer no pain or inconvenience
from your wound. and that you have re-
Gently had good news from Mrs. Buchan-
an. Captain Mitchell delivered your very
kind message day or two since. for
which please accept my thanks, and II ]
can assist you in any way my services
are entirely at your command.