The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-12


federate officer prints in the Philadel-
phia Times an account Of the attempt
to liberate the 10000 Confederate
prisoners confined in Chicago, Colum-
bus and Sandusky in 1864, and to in
augurate Northwestern Confederacy.
Maj. G. H. Cole, Of the Fifth Ten
nessee Regiment, was leading spirit
in the plot. He received his ;rs:ruo-
tions in Richmond, and reported to
the Hon. Jacob Thompson, then in
Canada. Jacob assigned him to tho
command Of the Department of the
Ohio, with his headquarters at San
dusky.
At Camp Douglas, near Chicago,
thare were about 5000 Confederate
prisoners; at Camp Chase, near Co.
lumbus, Ohio, about 5000 more, and
at Camp Morton, near Indianapolis,
about 1000. On Johnson's Island in
Sandusky Bay, there were about 3 200
Confederate officers confined. The
object was to simultan eously release
all these prisoners and officer the men
in the other three camps with the off :
GERS on johnson Island. With this
force and the active aid Of Northern
sympathizers it was thought that a
Northwestern Confederacy was not
impossible. Major Tom Kinds, now
judge at Bowling Green, Ky, had the
State Of Illinois, With his hcadquar-
ters at Chicago. Major Castleman
had Indiana, with his headquarters
at Centralia. At all Of these places
Northern allies were working in con-
lnction.
The time selected for making the
assault upon these camps was to be
gauged by Gen. Early's attack upon
Washington, 80 as to make it impossi-
BILE for any Of the troops to be sent
North to reinforce the limited number
of Federal soldiers then in the North
west. The Northwest was selected as
the basis Of operations because there
was great rebellion there against con.
scriptions, and the people were gener-
ally tired of the war.
It was at first intended to strike tho
blow while the National Convention
was in session in Chicago. Four
thousand Confederate soldiers and
sympathizers were in Chicago at that
time ready for the work. Early's de-
lay in striking Washington caused o
postponement. Among the Northern
allies Col. Burr places Brick Pomeroy
He asserts, on the authority Of Major
Cole, that Jacob Thompson gave Pom
eroy money to establish the La Crosse
Democrat.
On Major Cole 9 assignme Mt to com :
mand at Sandusky he was instructed
to capture the United States man Of
war Michigan. She was the only arm
ed vessel on the lakes, ,d nth her in
their power, the Confederates felt as.
sured Of success. Cole went to Erie
where the Michigan was lying before
she was sent up as guardship to the
prisoners on Johnson's Island.
Through friends he made the acquain-
tanoe of the officers, entertained them
handsomely, and was invited to the
ship, 30 that when it came to Sandus-
ky he was always welcome guest. He
established himself in Sandusky as an
oil speculator, organized the Mount
Hope Oil Company, and located we'll
near Titusville, Pa. Judge Fillmore,
of Buffalo, was elected president and
Cole was elected secretary. This gave
him business standing; and his pool
tion as secretary and practical mana.
ger OF the company readily accounted
for the travel it was necessary for him
to do in furtherance of his military du-
ty. 1t also explained the abundance of
money he had and his willingness to
spend it.
He received from Mr.. Thompson
$4,000 in gold, portion of which
was deposited in the bank at Sandusky
to his credit. There was also an ac-
count kept in Philadelphia with Drcx-
el & Co., in the name of John Bell.
He also had an account with Belmont,
in New York. The Confederacy had
plenty of means in it's secret service
fund. Cole says that there was some
thing like s86,OOO,OOO altogether to
the credit of the Confederate Commits
sioner and his colleague. Most of it
was, he believes, deposited in the bank
at Toronto. He turned his attention
to cultivating the acquaintance Of Off
GERS Of the Michigan and all military