Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-11-29
THE SECRET SERVICE
OF THE CONFEDERACY.

In the fall of 1864 there occurred
the daring rand by handful of Con-
federates from Canada on the town
OF 1t. Adams, in Vermont. This sex-
petition was carried out by 2I Con
tederate officers and soldiers who had
escaped from Northern prisons. and
was organized by the brave and dar-
ing young Kentuckian, Col. Benn,t It
IL. Young. The undertaking was
planned IN the Confederacy and had
the full approval of the Confederate
Government. The 2l bold men. all
fully armed, went by rail from Cana.
da TO st. Adams, and there at the
hotel, where they took rooms, thev
made their arrangements to get DOS.
session of the money from the five
banks of the town. They divided
the party, certain number going to
each bank at a fixed hour (2:3O o'clock
in the afternOon.) The bank officers.
completely taken by surprise, made
no resistance. "We are from the
Confederacy," said one of the raiders.
''and we'lI just take charge of this
bank and run It," The amazed and
unarmed bankers opened their vaults.
without a word, and S243,OOO chang
ed hands, transferred from tie Fede.
raj banks to the exhausted Golfers of
the COnfederacy. In order to secure
themselves, the raiders captured all
the men they met. and without firing
shot they marched their 300 pris
onerS 10 the centre of the town. Only
one man was killed, aud that was b,
accident. The citizens of IT. Adams.
a town of 1000 inhabitants. were
completely paralyzed at finding them
selves, IN their remOteness from the
COnfederacy and the theatre of war.
suddenly, without moment OF warn
lng, feeling the mailed hand of the
Southern enemy reaching down 90
them from the British dominions on
their northern border. But when
the Confederates had left the town
and were making their way back to
Canada, the whole State reused up.
and the people turned out en masse
to capture the daring raiders. Hwen
ty-iive thousand men. il was said.
were looking out for the little band
of 2l; and the Governor of Vermont
offered reward of $4,000 for the
capture of the Confederates, dead or
alive. But they all reached Carada
in safety, bringing with them the
S243,000. There, however, l3 were
arrested and prosecuted for viola
ton of the neutrality laws. Among
the eight men who escaped arrest was
Col. Young. But hearing of the fate
of his comrades, he determined to
share their peril, as he had led them
into danger, and as lawyer hy pro
| fession he felt he could assist in their
defense: SO hr coolly walked into
Montreal aud gave himself up. The
United states Government prosecuted
the prisoners. now 4 in number, and
the contention was made that the raid
was au ect of prs ate robbery and the
prisoners ought to sntlor thv punish
ishment of highway robbers ThiS
| punish ment. ii was understood, wUuid
be death hy hanging. Col. Young.
aud those who spoke for the defense.
maintained that the RAID was an act
Of war, planned by the Confederate
Government. and the prisoners. RS
soldiers Of the Confederacy, obeying
orders, could cot be reached by any
such penalty. Now, indeed, Mas
needed the agency of the secret SER
vice. 1t was necessary TO produce
the evidence to prove the facts Col.
Young stated. SO from Canada to
Richmond and again from Richmond
to Canada. the trusted agents were
put swiftly and silently to work tC
get the all-important documents car
ried back and forth. The Rev. Mr.
Stewart had the direction of the mat.
ter Now IN Canada and now in Nir'
ginia, he put the wires III motion, anC
selected the instruments for theil
delicate manipulation. He went tt
Cedar Grove" to consult with hi'
friends there as to securing an agen
in Maryland. The StUarts told hin
of IL young girl in Charles county