The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-08-17
War "reminiscences.

and to report to the General.in- Chief
| the progress of Eaily's raid on the capt.
tai. After the rebel invaders had re-
tired and quiet was restored, l went to
Mr.. Stanton for new orders. AS there
was no probability of an immediate
change in the situation before Peters
burg, the secretary did not think it
necessary for me to go back to Grant,
but preferred that remain in the de-
partment, helping with the routine
| work
Most of my time at this period was
spent in investigating charges against
defaulting contractors and dishonest
agents, and IN ordering the arrest of
persons who were suspected of dis
| loyalty to the Government. l assisted,
too, in supervising the spies who were
going back and forth between the lines.
| Among these / remember peddler-
whose name l will call Morse-who
travelled between Washington and
Richmond. When he went down it
was in the character of a man who had
entirely hoodwinked the Washington
authorities, and who, in spite of them,
or by some corruption or other, always
brought with him into the Confederate
lines something that the people wanted
dresses for the ladies', or some little
luxury that they couldn't get otherwise.
The things that he took with him were
always supervised by our agents before
he left Washington. When he came
back he brought US in exchange much
valuable information. He was doubt
less a spy for both sides, but as we got
great deal of information which could
be had in no other way about the
strength of the Confederate armies and
the preparations and the moveme nts of
the enemy, we allowed the thing to 90
on. The man really did good service
for us that summer, and, as we were
frequently able to verify by other means
the important information he brought,
we had much confidence in him.
Early in October. 1864, he came back
from Richmond, and as usual went to
Baltimore to get his outfit for the re.
turn trip. When he presented himself
again in Washington, the chief detect
i've of the war department, Colonel
Baker, examined his goods carefully,
but this time he found that Morse had
many things that we could not allow
him to take. Among his stuff was
military goods and uniforms, and this,
of course, was altogether too contra
band TO be passed. So we confiscated
the goods and put Morse in prison. We
had all his bills, amounting to S25 900
or more, showing where he had bought
these things in Baltimore, and Secre-
tary Stanton declared that of the mer-
chants in Baltimore were partners in
his guilt, he would arrest every one of
J tbap, op1 in nriann until the
matter could be Strengthened up. He
turned the matter over to the men, as
he was going 10 Fort Monroe for few
days, and | Immediately sent Assistant
Adjutant General Lawrence to Balti-
more with orders 10 see that all per-
sons implicated were arrested. Law
renee telegraphed me on October 16
that the case would involve the arrest
of 200 citizens. | reported TO the Sec
rotary, but he was determined to 60
ahead, and the next morning ninety
seven of the leading citizens of Balti-
more were arrested, brought to Wash
ington, and confined in Old Capitol
prison, principally in solitary cells.
] There was great satisfaction among
the Union people of the town, but great
indignation among the Southern SYM
pathizers. Presently deputation from
Baltimore came over to see President
Lincoln. 1t was an outrage, they said
the gentlemen arrested were most re-
spectacle merchants and faultless citi-
zens; and they demanded that they all
be set instantly at liberty and damages
paid them. Mr.. Lincoln sent the depu.
tations over to the war department
and Mr.. Stanton, who had returned by
this time, sent for me. "All Baltimore
is coming here" he said. "Sit down
and hear the discussion"
They came in, the bank presidents
and boss merchants of Baltimore
there must have been at least $50 ,000,-
600 represented in the deputation-and
sat down around the fire in the secre-
tary's office. AT once they began to
make their speeches, detailing the cir.
cumstances and the wickedness of this
outrage. There was no ground for it
they said, no justification. After hall
dozen of them had spoken Mr.. Stan
ton asked one after another if he had
anything more to say, and they all said
no. Then Stanton began, and de-
livered the most eloquent speech / evei
listened to. He described the begin
uluR VI lAO Wal, toi WhiSh hO ouiu
there was no justification; being beaten
in an election was no reason for de-
; stroying the Government. Then hi
went on to the fact that half million
q of our young men had been been lait
I in untimely graves by this conspiracy
of the slave interest. He outlined the
whole conspiracy in the most solemn
and impressive terms, and then he de
picted the offence that this man Morse
{ aided by these several merchants, haC
committed. "Gentlemen," he said, 81
!, you would like to examine the bills o
what he was taking to the enemy, herr
they are"
When he had finished, the gentle
. men, without answering a word, go
up, and, one by one, went away. Tina
was the only speech l ever listened t.
that cleared out the entire audience
Charles A. Dana.
= Paying Off the Troops,