The National tribune., 1909-05-06
THE ST. ALBANs RAID.


ly and naturally excited over the invi
tation extended by the Governor of tn,
State and the Mayor of St Albans t,
Bennett H. Young, of Louisville, to b,
present at the tercentennary celebra
| ton of the discovery of Lake Cham
plain. and to review a rehearsal of tn,
raid which he led to that town in 1864
The brief history of that raid of rob
berry and outrage is as follows:
Lieut.. Bennett n. Young. C. S. A.
who had been a prisoner for severa
months at Johnson's Island, succeeded
in effecting his escape into Canada
There he organized a band composed ol
other escaped Confederates and severa
deserters from our own army, and
Oct. 10, 1864, rushed across the Cana
dian line to the little town of St. AL
bans. which he proposed to burn after
robbing the three banks there. He
had prepared chemicals which were to
be placed in all the principal houses in
the town and he was confident that
these would insure their destruction by
fire. His justification for this raid
upon a peaceful town was retaliation
for injuries that the South had suffered
at the hands of the Union army. As a
matter of fact, desire for booty was the
handspring of the expedition and it had
the countenance of the Confederate
emissaries in Canada, who were then
planning to infect New York and other
to burn several of our cities.
The raid came upon the unsuspecting
town like lightning out of clear sky,
and for an hour or two the people were
terror-stricken. The banks were robbed
of over 100000. One citizen was NOR
tally wounded; another seriously
wounded, four or five less seriously.
and an attempt was made to carry out
the plan of firing the town simultane-
ously in several places. Fortunately
this failed. All the good horses in
sight were captured and the raiders,
loped away. The citizens speedily re-
covered their senses and seizing arms
started in pursuit. They were led by
Lieut.-Co1. Benton, late of the 18th VT.
and other ex-officers and soldiers. The
raiders in their retreat tried to raid
bank at Sheldon and burn the build
ings there. but were unsuccessful.
There was the greatest alarm and
excitement along the border and Gen.
John A. Dix, in command at New
York. sent everybody he could reach by
telegraph, including convalescents and
others, in pursuit. He instructed them
not to stop at the Canadian border, but
to pursue the robbers across it, making
sure that pursuit was incessant and
constant.
The party from ST. Adams overlook
part of the raiders and succeeded in
capturing II or IL of them, who were
lodged in a Canadian County jail.
About $4,000 of the money was reeov-
cred. The matter became an interna-
tiona1 one and the British Minister
was consulted in regard to the prison
ers. The high Canadian officials pro-
fessed sympathy with the United States
and desire to punish the robbers. who
were moved from the County jail to
Montreal. There they became the SUBJ
ject Of diplomatic correspondence.
With the money they had taken from
the banks they were able to employ
IN lou
to the Confederate Govern
ment to recognize the men as its SOL
diers and the expedition as authorized
by it. Bennett H. Young represented
that he intended to turn the money
that he had taken over to the Confed-
pers were very much in sympathy with
the prisoners. and created a great deal
Of public opinion against their being
given up to the United States, and they
were finally released by the court at
Montreal upon the plea of want of
Jurisdiction" The people along our
border were no less deeply excited at
what they could see to be nothing but
pure highway robbery and murder
Gen. Dix issued an order that in future
raids there were to be no prisoners
AIKEN, but the raiders shot down on
sight.
While the people of st. Albans, who
ire of a younger generation, may
lave thoughtlessly failed to perceive
he difference between the raid and reg
liar military operations. there can be |
10 such excuse for the Governor of |
Iermont and the Mayor of the town. |
The affair was in no sense a legitimate |
military operation, but a robbing, nur- !
lering, raid for the private benefit and |
of the robbers, and was as |
riminal as the like raids and bank |
obberies of the Younger brothers,
luantrell. the James boys, and others
here was no possible excuse or justi-
cation for it. It was simply a red
aaded foray from the cover of friend
territory upon an unsuspecting com
aunity in which all who participated
vere guilty of murder. robbery and
lrceny in the fullest meaning of the
tatutes made and provided against
UGH high crimes. 1t is to be hoped
hat no time VIII be lost In recalling
ne invitation to Mr.. Bennett H. Young
nd in stamping with the condemnation
deserves the foray of which he was
ne leader.
hngvx | Z,