The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-12
WAR STORIES.
The Attempt to Form a N northwestern Con
federacy.

" "HoI "ao 8OiuB ou, DOtu Oh inc VeB-
sci and on the island. The men en-
listed as Federal soldiers were Of inf
mite value in communicating with the
Confederate oficers and in getting
arms to them. Cole tells the following
incident:
"Not long before our plans were
completed Mr.. Thompson, at one of
our conferences in Canada, said he
would like to visit and look over the
steamer Michigan before we attacked
her, and also personally inspect
the details of my plans upon the
grouni.
" IF you think it safe, Mr.. Thomp-
SOD, | should be glad to have you do
so,' said.
"He did no. reply, and VIC parted
without my knowing what his inten-
lions were. A few days after, while
sitting in my room at the West House,
Sandusky, the servant came and said:
Your aunt is in the parlor and would
like to see you
II told Miss Annie Davis to go
down and invite her up. OF course I
knew it was not my aunt, but I was
never taken by surprise at anything,
and was always on my guard. 1 sup
posed, possibly, that it was q
female courier with orders or informa-
tion.
"Miss Davis went down to the par.
lor, aud in moment returned with an
elderly lady, nicely dressed in style
that we'll became her age.
"When the veil was removed there
stood Jake Thompson. was wholly
aback, as the disguise was perfect, and
the assumption of the character easy
and graceful.
II sent word to the Michigan that
had lady relative who had stopped
over to visit what she had never seen,
a man-of-war, and that should like
to bring her aboard. They returned a
cordial invitation, and that afternoon
MIR. Thompson and went out to the
ship. Mr.. Thompson went all over
the ship, and in squeaky voice put
such questions about her construction
and arrangement as rural female Of
we'll advanced years and small oppor-
tunities for cleaning information
would be likely to PROFOUND. No
one suspected him and the officers were
exceedingly polite to the one that
they afterward spoke Of as my country
aunt"
After Thompson visit to the
Michigan Cole epent three weeks in
Philadelphia recruiting. he estab-
lished his headquarters at Twelfth and
Chestnut streets, in the Girard Build
ing or old Cadwallader House. He also
had another rendezvous on Fifth
Street, between Chestnut and Walnut
where man was ostensibly recruiting
an artillery company for the United
States service. 1t was here that most
of the men for the capture of the
Michigan were hired. They were paid
$40 month and expenses. The mon
ey was drawn from Drexels bank to
meet the current expenses Of these
agencies and to pay the men.
The plan fully matured, it was de-
oided to make the attack on Septem-
ber 10, 1864. The intention was the
moment the Michigan was captured
and the Confederate officers we're re-
leased, to cut all the telegraph wires
leading out of Sandusky, seize rail-
road train, run down to Columbus, as
sist in releasing the prisoners there,
then run back to Sandusky and estab-
lish the temporary headquarters of the
the Confederate Department of the
Northwest. Gen. Trimble, of Mary
land, who was the ranking Confeder-
ate officer confined on Johnson's
Island, was to be made commander
in.chief, and Cole had in his pocket
commission from the Confederate gov
ernment appointing him to that posi-
tion the moment he was released.
Cole was supplied with other COM
missions in blank, all properly
signed and attested, to give to all
other men who enlisted in the Con-
federate army for this service. This
was done to make them regular Con-
federate soldiers, so that their SER
vices would be legitimate acts of
warfare as long as they obeyed or
ders.
Major Kinds, in command at Chioa-
go, and Major Castleman, in command
at Centralia, were to attack Camp