The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-10-07
ONLY CONFEDERATE CRUISE ON INL LAND SEAS

carried with as little noiue as possible.
If there is a reasonable hope that the
vessel has been carried without its be.
ing known beyond the vessels engaged
both vessels will leave the harpor ard
proceed toward the Welland Canal. with
view to getting the small steame.
through into Lake Ontario before tho
news of the capture should have reach
ed the Canadians, who nigh. ir.terDose
objections to her doing so, should the
object of her voyage BE apparent. But
II the capture is not made secretly then
the work of burning every particle of
Federal property afloat will be immedl.
ately commenced. Even In this latte,
contingency, the attempt will still be
made to get the small steamer into Lake
Ontario, when she. under the command
of the second officer of the expedition.
would have a fine field. but the most
important part Of her work would be TO
destroy the aqueduct of the Eric Canal.
which crosses the Genessee River at Ro-
chester, seven miles from the lake. and
the locks of a branch of this canal 1T
Oswego. If passage through the VII
land Canal for the small steamer SHOULD
be refused by the Canadians, both YES
sells would operate in Lakes Erie. Huron,
and Michigan. In Lake Erie, after leav-
ing the town of Erie. Buffalo would be
the first point to be visited, the feet of
trading vessels in it's harbor and the
locks of the great Erie Canal to be de-
stroyed. The next place would be Ton
AMANDA, distant about thirty miles from
Buffalo, where there is also an entrance
into the Erie Canal, which would be de-
stroyed. Then, coasting along the south
ern shore of the lake, destroy the locks
OF the canals leading to the Ohio River.
four in number. and burr the vessels
fallen in with. Then pass Detroit in the
night, and If possible without notice,
pass through Lake Huron ana into Lake
Michigan, and make for the great ,ity OF
Chicago. At Chicago burn the shipping
and destroy the locks OF the Illinois AMI |
Michigan Canal, connecting Lake Micbi-
gan and the Mississippi River. Then
turn northward. and. touching at Mil |
waukee and other place, but working |
rapidly. pass again into Lake Huron. go |
to the Sault Ste. Marie, and destroy the |
lock of the canal of that name. Then
the vessel could be run into Georgian |
Bay. at the bottom of which is rail-
way connecting with the main Canadian
lines, and be run ashore and DESTROYED.
Mallory Gave Approval.
Mallory approved the plan, and con-
scented to provide $4,000 for the enter
prise. Jefferson Davis at first approved
1t, but afterward decided that any Con-
federate operations on the lakes would
too greatly embarrass the relations of
the Confederacy with England. Muir
daugh and most of those he had inter-
ested in the proposed raid were ordered
abroad. And so, as afterward reported.
1.-The inviting and brilliant scheme" was
rejected. He always blamed the ulti-
mate failure OF the several Confederate
against Great Lake cities to
the changes made in his original plans.
Months of precious time had passed
away" to quote the Confederate reports,
when in August. 1854, Secretary Mallory
authorized Lieuts. John Wilkinson and
R. D. Minor (the latter formerly Muir
iaugh's wardroom .messmate on the
Merrimac) to organize an expedition
against the Michigan and lake com-
nerce. President Davis had now veered
around and said, 1T is better to fail
han not to make the attempt. as it has
already been vaguely talked of in Mon
real" The expedition was to be on
lifferent lines than that proposed by
and was better equipped with {
the needful." The party was provided !
With $35, 900 in gold, and also authorized
o use the proceeds of cargo of cotton.
fterward sold in Halifax for Sill OOO-a
otal of S14G,000.
The raidng party was originally COM !
,osed of John Wilkinson. r. d. Minor,
Z. P. Loyal and three other Confeder-
lite lieutenants. several acting masters,
md other persons. twenty-five in all. 7
they ran the Wilmington blockade I'M f,
Ter heavy fire October Z. 1868, and t
cached Halifax. There it was ostenta- !
iously given out that the party was en-
route to England Soon, however, they {
livided, and proceeding by different {
-outes across New Brunswick and Que :
zee, arrived, under assumed names, 1T
Montreal October q. !,
The Second Raiding Project.
Here the second raiding project was 6
carefully matured. The plan was for /
the party to take passage on lake
III; l..