Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-17
AN IMPORTANT DISPATCH Fhoh
GENERAL FORREST.
A VERY BROAD ASSERTION.
DID 1T DETERMINE THE FATE of'
THE CONFEDERACYf
OPINIONS on THE SUBJECT
r.onrstreet Versus Bragg-Boynton's
Comments - A Heterophcmis'
work-h Good story, Whether Ii
Is True or Not.

At o'clock A. NJ, June is, 1851, i iel'
Baltimore on the Mary Washington,
steamboat running TO the Patuxent' on
landing at one of the landings on the
river / went TO the plantation OF Mr. 81
where I suggested the idea (Which origi-
mated entirely with MYSELF, of Selling the
st. Nicholas, boat running between Bar
timore and washington, and manning hei
with volunteers. and then to take 'he
Pawnee. a United States steamer COM
manded by Yankee Ward, and which was
n great annoyance TO the boats on the
Potomac. 1 was told that the plan couiu
mot be carried out. as there were so many
Union men about; that it must be GER
family discovered before it could be exc
cuted. Finding / could not act there
crossed the Potomac in an open boat
pulled by four negroes. On reaching 'ne
Virginia side i went to the residence o.
DIR. Howe QIooe) about twenty miles
from Fredericksburg. This place 1 reach
ed at / A. NJ This gentleman was per
feet stranger to me. but he received me
kindly. entertained me handsomely, ne
and his charming family so soon TO Dc
rendered houseless and homeless by the
tncendiary act of the vandal captain
Rudd. of the United States gunboat,
name ever to be remembered. desecrated
as the insulter Of unprotected females
firing into barns and houses, and every
thing but what might have been expecteu
of an officer or a gentleman.
The same day DR.. Howe CHooe) char
tered a buggy and drove me to trede-
ricksburg. where / arrived at O'CLOCK
On the afternoon. On registering my
name at the hotel. gentleman MT
Chew, introduced himself to me- and IN
sisted most kindly on taking me TO MS
house. where he entertained me most
handsomely and Hospitality. Next morn
ing ] went 10 Richmond on the cars.
Immediately proceeded to the Navy De-
partment and reported myself 10 the
Secretary. and at once received my com
mission as captain in the Confederate
States navy. After getting my position
and commission / went into the Bureau
of Details. where I met many OF my oio
friends. who had also resigned-Barron,
Maury Lewis, Spotswood and many
others. In conversation in that Office
suggested my plan OF Selling the ST.
Nicholas and carrying out the scheme
that had suggested itself to me at Colonel
SIS. l was told that the Secretary
NIr. Mallory would not agree TO the
plan. but that the Governor QLetcherl
would 1 then remarked that ! would
obtain Mr. Mallory's permission to apply
10 the Governor. walked into Mr. NAL
iorv's room and asked his permission.
He granted 1t, and at once went straight
IN the Governors. When / made my pro-
oosition. Governor Letcher, without
moments hesitation, acceded TO the
pronosal and gave me a draft for $1,000 10
send North for arms and men, etc. ne
then and there introduced me 10 Coiohei
Thomas, of Maryland. alias Zarvona, as d
person who could be trusted TO go Nol'h
and purchase arms or transact otner DUST
ness That same afternoon ! started on
FOR Point Lookout via Fredericksburg
After leaving Fredericksburg l met my
two sons, who were on their way 10 itlch-
mond; they joined me, OF course. mat
next evening we recrossef the Potomac
10 the Maryland side, st. Mary's county,
where went to the house OF friend ana
remained until sundown, when l, my TWO
sons, and five men started in wagon IN
a mourning rain, a nasty, dirty night, TOT
point Lookout. where the st. Nicholas
had 10 stop on her way to Washington
About an hour after our arrival at Point
y.ookout the ST. Nicholas came TO the
wharf. After reaching the Maryland sloe
signed the draft and Colonel Tnomas
took the Patuxent boat and went on 10
baltimore and Philadelphia to purchase
the arms, etc. i directed him 10 get the
arms and return down the bay In the 81
Nicholas. and get as many men 10 JON
h,ro az he could. / also stated TO him that
should Join him at Point Lookout. Al
- midnight l went ON board with
INV party; / saw Colonel Thomas dressed
as a woman, TO avoid suspicion as ne
had high, large trunks such as milliners
use: they contained arms and ammum-
fion. l told Colonel Thomas to hold HIM
self IN readiness; as soon rs we cleared
the wharf we would take the steamer. In
n few minutes we left the wharf and i
anon made the appointed signal. The
TRUNKS were then opened. the men seized
the arms: took musket, or rather
Sharps's rife. and a pair OF pistols. ran
I'm 10 the wheeihouse. put my hand on
the captain's shoulder and told him had
captured his boat, and ordered him 70
take the boat over 10 Coan aver, but ne
declined saying he was. no pilot toid
him knew he was pilot, and that II he
did not pilot me over j would set rre 10
The 81. Nicholas and land al my men 10
his boats. as was determined she should
not fan into the hands OF the enemy.
learned since that fBt Captain became so
uneasy that another man piioted her over.
About half an hour after my arrival al
Coan-River Harding body OF coniedernte
soldiers and sailors came down 10 ASSIST
me. the soldiers commanded by Captain
Lewis. I then read the Baltimore morn
Ing papers and ascertained that Captain
Ward had been killed while making an
attack on Matthias Point, and all the gun
boats had left the river and gone up the
river 70 Washington 20 the funeral.
There were several passengers on board,
Ahui I landed them and gave per-