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

,o,d and on the 9TH OF OctooeI t,nar
e.t,,,,,,i,e y. c., on the app
,.,,'s, i'm The blockade steamer j.. - dor
r.,,h Wilkinson in cornmahu' an ne
,,,eces,.f,illv running the gauh'iel "a ,,,~,
hlockading squadron OF river -, e., our
''.n''', ,sithout getting 2, shell III our
'',,,,,ard bulwarks, which eXplodeu o',
- cot the cotton on FIRE. Wounu'u
-, MON and broke a small holSuhs
.,,,,o into smitheTcensl. we aliiNeu
Iraiifox. Nova Scotia. where our aill'a
us al once telcgraphed all over the Coui,
try AZ being en- route lot LIS ,ie ~.
Dividing the party. We let iih',aN e..
soon as possible, taking two routes io'
corodo-ore via ST. John, New bruins
Vii, and thence up through the pro
vince VIA Frederick and Grand ans "
Riviere du Ioup. on the st. Lawrence
~ Quebec and Montreal; and the other
,5a pictou. through the northumberland
c,rai. "a Bav of Chaleurs. Via Gaspe' up
the 81 Lawrence 10 quebec. ana thehce
nv railroad to Montreal where we an
met under assumed names about the 2lst
Of October.
OF VITAL IMPORTANCE.
Asit was Of vital importance that the
utmost secrecy should be observed. the
officers were directed to take lodging III
ouiet boardine-houses. to avoid the hotels
not 10 recognize each other on the
street and not to be absent from their
rooms for more than half an hour al
time. Finding Marshal Kane ana some
Of our friends i'm Montreal, we set 10
work 10 prepare and perfect our arrange
nsnts. the first object Of the plan oeihs
10 communicate with the prisoners on
Jobnson's Island. informing them that
an attempt would be made 10 release
them. This was effected through lady
from Baltimore. Mrs. Il. G. Martin,
then residing with her husband and fami-
Is I'm Montreal and whose husband did
all i'm his power to aid us in every
way. She brought "A letter from Bslti-
more. which General %. j. Archer (who
with Major General q. R) Trimble. was
a prisoner at Johnson's lsland had sent
there to Beverly Saunders, Esq, telling
US TO communicate with him through the
personal columns OF the New York Her
old. which Wilkinson very promptly did,
telling A. J. J.. w. that his solicitude
was fully appreciated. and that a few
nights after the 4th of November car
rage would be at the door, when all
seeming obstacles would be removed, and
10 be ready. The obstacles alluded to
were the United States steamship Michi-
gan and the prison guard Our original
plan was TO 90 board one OF
the lake steamers at Wind
sor. opposite Detroit as passengers,
and when fairly out on the lake to
play the old St. Nicholas game and, by
rising on the officers and crew, take pos
session and run her to Johnson's Island.
trusting TO the prisoners TO ovHpower
the guard, while we would be ready to
receive them on board for transporta-
ton to the Canada shors; but. finding
that the steamers seldom and at irregular
intervals stopped at Windsor, or at any
point on the Canada side, We changed
the plan at the suggestion OF a Canadian
named McCuaig. who was introduced 20
Kane by : T. Hale. OF Tennessee, as
good and reliable southern sympathzer,
engaged I'm running the blockade. and
occupying a high commercial position in
Canada. He entered into our views with
enthusiasm, and we believe that up 10
the last moment he was heart and soul
with us; but more Of him directly. \
reliable man was sent 10 Sandusky TO
ascertain the strength OF the garrison,
position OF the guns. etc, and on his
return we were delighted TO hear that
the United states steamship Michigan,
under Jack Carter. was lying at anchor
about 200 yards from the island. with her
guns (having six reported as mounted)
but 400 troops on the island. and no ar
tillery save two small howitzers, one Of
which was upon ferryboat plying be-
tween the island and the city.
ARMS PURCHASED.
Two small nine-Dounders were
quietly purchased; Colt furnished
up with 100 navy revolvers, with
an ample supply Of pistol ammunition
OF course through several indirect chan
ncls. Dumb-bells were substituted for can
nOn-balls. as 1t would have excited suspi-
cion 70 have asked for such an article in
Montreal; powder, bullets, slugs. butcher
knives, in lieu of cutlasses, and grapnels
were obtained, and ali preparations made
10 arm the escaped Confederate officers
and soldiers, who, to the number Of 1SO
we were promised could be induced to
act with us in any way to benefit our
cause; but when the time came for them
to come forward. only thirty-two volun-
teered, and, with our party thus aug
mented 10 fifty-four we determined 10
make the attemnt on the Michigan on the
following plan: From Ogdensburg I'm New
York, there is a line Of screw steamers
plying TO Chicago in The grain and pro-
vision trade. and as they return yearly
empty TO Chicago, and sometimes carry
the Adams Express Company's safe, we
decided to take deck-passage on board one
Of them. as mechanics and laDorers bound
to Chicago TO work on the city water
works there, and with this view one Of
our clever privates, named Connolly, was
sent over to Ogdensburg, who paid the
passage-money for Twenty-Five of us in
advance, 10 be taken on board at some
point on the Welland canal and. while
doing So he made an agreement TO take
rs many more laborers as he could OBJ
tain. their passage being fixed at the
same price, TO which the New Yorker con-
sented and gave him the ticket TO show
TO the captain Of the boat. We were then
TO assemble at s.. Canarines. on the
canal, go on board he steamer zone OF
our men. apparently entirely unconnect-
ed with us, having charge Of the guns,
powder, pistols. etc, boxed up in casks.
boxes, etc. and marked. Machinery, Chi
cago," going on board the same steamer
with usl. and when fairly out I'm Lake
Erie, and well clear OF British jurisdic-
ton. We were 10 rise on the officers and
crew, overpOwer them, seize The steamer,
mount our two 9-pOunders. arm the men,
secure the prisoners, and push on for
Sandusky, timing our arrival so as 10
reach the Michigan about daylight. collide
with her, as If by accident. board and
carry her by the cutlass ana pistol. and
then. with her guns, loaded with grape
and canister. trained on the prison head
quarters. send boat on shore TO demand
an unconditional surrender Of the island.
with it's prisoners. garrison, material Of
war. etc. upon penalty Of being fired into
and the prisoners being released without
restraint. upon their actions. Major CIV.
s. Person. the commanding officer, is
said 10 be humane man, and. seeing the
disadvantage at which we would have
him. with The prisoners by this time
clamorous for their release he would have
been compelled 10 surrender and, with