The National tribune., 1899-11-09

LADYSMITH, ma
COMPANIONS. W had an engagement
with me this evening and he has broken 1t,
for the first time. C. passed me, after
he saw me with and heard this, officer,
without recognition. If | am Shipwrecked
here it will be through the envy and jealousy
of this officer. Colonel, it is hard for me to
endure the insults and inSoence OF such
men. / have no doubt represent an order
of men many of whom are in bad repute.
This | cannot help. | am only responsible
for myself. / came to you as man OF
honor and integrity. If military law and
custom is such as to give the privilege to
every newly-fedged Assistant Adiutant-
General" whom | chance to meet TO insll6-
ate to me that | am a scoundrel and knave
merely because a detective, | respectfully
request to be relieved from duty. | always
have and trust | always can make an
honest livelihood.
trust you will excuse the want OF system
in this report 1t is made when | ought
really to be in bed Ny physical condition
is yet critical. / took so much that it
proved nearly fatal. The name of the
officer in question is Andrew c. kemper,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
AS Crissup have no doubt, heard what
this officer said, | doubt the proprlety of
publishing the document, etc. | shall
therefore rest for few hours and try some
thing new. | have promised myself much
from this matter, and it may yet result IN
good.
With great respect, l remain, your obedi-
ent servant,
EDWARD F. HOFFMAN.
CINCINNATI. o., June II, 1864.
Col. J. P. SANDERSON.
-+.,tN hot
it is impracticable for me to report to you
daily by letter. 1t was out of my power 10
do anything on the 9th instant, for had
lost, through the imprudence or design OF
the officer referred TO in my last, my main
support in my undertaking here. namely,
Wiehl and Crissup. The former was in
valuable to me; he was my index TO every
thing; one of those rare men you meet who
knows everybody and who, If not born TO
rule. was born to lead. He has been a pet
with the leading rebels IN kentucky and
was in the mess Of the five Nashville
clergymen and Judge Foster, while con-
fined at Camp Chase. ] was consequently
much nonpluSSed at losing him, for | was
just beginning to use him adyantageously.
But was not TO be outdone, my cause and
the favor of Heaven enabled me to open a
new channel. The 9th l spent i'll devising
new plans of operation, and yesterday was
so busily engaged (near to IL p. m.( that
could not write to you. Except IN minor
things and foreign matter | have offered
you no report yet upon my true mission.
have had several reasons Ior this. The
primary one was that wished to be accu-
rate. To give one opinion to-day and
another one tomorrow, or the information
OF one man or few men, is not, l conceive,
what you sent me here for to ascertain.
truth, fact, reliability, as | get it from all
ny various interviews, is what | aim to
give you. As to what is transpiring in this
ifxrI I NJ rod To cfa fnllU
The organization exists here, and fully
one-thrd of the voters of this city are mem
bers. They are armed pretty well and pre-
pared for any emergency. Since the
Indianapolis convention they do not COM
municate with a stranger unless he has q
letter of introduction from some brother
with whom they are personally acquainted.
This is the rule with the leaders, and you
may rely on it, but my way of operating is
TO reach leaders through men less sagaclous
and more flexible. From all that | can
learn after repeated interviews with Mr.
Glanlon, Mr.. Anderson, Mr.. Bond, and Mr.
Martin, OF Covington, in which ! have
touched upon the matter fully. can inform
YOU that it is my opinion there is no such
organization existing in either Covingtor
or Newport. These men were the local
leaders of the K. G. C.. They organized il
in Covington-they are all members of il
TX. G.. c.. They have an abiding faith
in me, and believe had no object in deceiy
ing me. Such is their statement, and
further believe that there are only particular
places in Kentucky where it does exist
Wiehl is u me nber. he says; he joined it out
side Kentucky, and says it is but little
known yet in Lexington.
These Covington men seem to know wei
the intentions of the Order, and will sooI
organize in Covington. Yesterday
visited Covington and Newport. | spen
most of the day there. Most of the leading
rebels in both places, fearing the intro
duction of martial law and labor on tn,
fortificatons, have run away TO the Ohi'
side. Much excitement prevails there il
regard to Morgan (the Government is wei
prepared, you may depend on that if he
officers are ablel. saw several OF the rebe
leaders spies i'll Covington; | say rebe
leader, for it is questionable to my mint
whether he is really John Morgan.
But to begin where | left off in my las
communication. | had then lost my com
pass Wiehl had promised to call on tn
8.h again, but did not, nor have seen him
lwoIld not follow him, for this would hav
made the thing worse. But he had full,
iniorsei me 10 leading men in Covington
and ] resolved TO follow up my advantage
there before he could see them. | went
therefore, yesterday, and found ther
(Glandon, Bond, Anderson, and Martin
as Jealous as ever, and full of faith in me
W had not seen them yet. | took te
with Mr.. Glandon, who came TO this cit
Win me. he ca ne at my instance to CIV
me an Introduction to some of the leadin
men here. | gave him a plausible reaso
for desiring their acquaintance and CO
operation. We could only find one of hi
leading friends here. We met him at til
cOunting-room of the Enquirer Office. III
great nocturnal haunt of prominent rebel,
He IS deep, S lgacious. old. long -bearde
rebel, named Mccormick, of the firm
Steel & Mccormick, tobacco manufa
tIIrers, southwest corner of Second an
Vine streets. When introduced to reb
by rebel you talk together on gener;
matter for few minutes, then if you wal
further acquaintance or something dor
for you, the man who introduces YOU axe
the other u himself and tells him that yo
are sound, etc, and what you want. Nov
Glandon is a good-hearted, unsuspectin
man. Mccormick knows that. perhap
After the introduction he took McCormic
aside. They talked 20 minutes. The o
= villain was not TO be caught easily Il
had canvassed all my antecedents. as | we
knew, for at the end of their intervie
Glandon returned to me and asked "if ha
any letters of Introduction to men here
told him | was too prudent TO carry sue
letters; that in Missouri and Illinois il VIZ
organization TO find friends-that Wa
recommendation itself; told him [ con
give references. Ii did not satisfy NJ
Corrnick yet. We are to meet again b
morrow. ] am spending to-day with Mi.
Virginia Penny, of Meade County, Ky
who waited on me in my suicide She