pies. Traitors and Conspirators of the Late Ci vi ^-\ BV GENERAL LA FAYETTE C BAKER ORGANIZER AND FIRST CHIEF OF THE SECRET SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES, ILLUSTRATED. /o^'^C ^ JOHN E. POTTER & COMPANY, Philadelphia. MDCCCIXIV. Copyright, 1S94, BY JOHX E. I'UTTKR & Co. DeOIOT^TlON TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLL To the People of thiis Great Natioriv And more especially TO THE BRAVE BOYS IN BLUE fiND THEIR HEROIC LEADERS, Who so Gallantly and Vaiorously bore om Country 1 lironsb ttae Peeftilentaal Ordeal of Secess2on a.irt tl2« Great Civil "ViTar, And who lifted the dark pall of Slavery from our Nadoaal Escutcheon, restoring, with new lustre, ft BRiCHTNESS THM CAN NEVER AGAIN BE SHADOWED, This Volume of True and Stirring Narrative is Kamestly, Affectionately and Patriotically Dedicated by thair Humble and Devoted Servant, IvA FAYETTE) C, BAKER. Late Chsef of the National Secret Service Bureau. PREFACE. In giving to the public this volume, it has been the design to present the operations of the Bureau of the Nation- al Detective Police during the war, so far as it is proper to make them known to the people. It is not a book of roman- tic adventures, but a narrative of facts in the secret history of the conflict, and mainly an exposure of the manifold and gigantic frauds and crimes of both the openly disloyal and the professed friends of the Republic. Many reports are introduced, some of which are lengthy, and portions of them are dry, because they are the official records of the work done, and the verification of the statements made, and the highest vindication of the character and importance of the secret service. Passages occur in them, the propriety of which many readers may question, but their omission would have weakened the strength of the reports, and softened down the enormity of the offenses charged upon certain individuals. The whole volume might have been made up of chapters very similar to those of the first hundred paget or more, but we preferred to sacrifice the peculiar interest, to some extent, of a merely sensational work — sketches of exciting scenes and hair-breadth escapes — for the greater object of an authentic official record of the vast amount of indJFpensable service rendered to the Government, during nearly four years of bloody strife, with the months of trl*] PRSFACS. and agitation which foUowed The plan of the book waL, therefore, chosen by the responsible head of the bureau, while the introductory chapters were written by another, Whose editoral aid was secured in the general preparation of the annals for the press. No desire or effort has been fherished to wantonly expose or wound in feeling any man, and therefore initials, for the most part, alon'e ap^ pear ; but a faithfnl history of transactions under the authority delegated to the Bureau, wiU unavoidably reach the sensibilities of persons of distinction, no lesa than those in humble life. The volume of war records, the most of which have never before met the public eye, is offered to the people as a part of the veritable history of the most extraordi- nary and perilous times tlie Republic has known, or k likely to pass tlirough a^ain CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. OKNERAL BAKKR LSD THB BUREAU 07 SECRET SEBVlCl. rh* Ancestry and Birth-place of Goueral Baker— Hli Early Llf*— Realdenc* IB California— U a Member of th« Vigilance Committee— Retuma to New York In 1881— VlalU Washington— Interview with General Scott— Eoten the Serrrt Berries— The Great Facts esUbllahed and lllastrated by ibrss Annala 1'' CHAPTER L ORIGIN OF THB BUREAU OP DETECTIVE SERVICE. The firat rlalt to Washington— Interview with General Hiram Walbrlrtge, and lion. W. D. Kelley— Introdnctlon lo General Wlnfleld Scott— Relurn to New York — Appointed by General Scott to renew the Attempt to Tlilt Rleh- mond— The first Failure— Crossing the Lines— The Arrest — Examlnauoni —deal (• General Beauregard — On to Richmond ^^ CHAPTER IL RESIDENCE IN BTCHMOND. Bammoned to aa iBterrlew with Jeff. Darls — Sabseqnent ExamlnatloBS by him — Critical Emergencies— Mr. Brock — "Samuel Mnnson" — Confidence securtsd— Mr. "Mnnson " is appointed Confederate Agent — Original Letters fhim Davis, Toombs, and Walker — Starts for the North — Unpltsasant Delays— A Narrow Kaeap« — Reaches the Po'omac— DeceUes :he Dutch Fishermen and runs tht ftiM GaoBtkA safely ~ ^ Vy 8 CONTENTS. cuaptp:r m. NORTHERN EXPERIENCES AS CONFEDERATE AGENT. 'Hoapitalitiefl by the way — The Report to General Soott — Operations l« BaJti- more— The Janus-faced Unioniat — A rich DeTelopment in Philadelphia — Th« Arrests — A_musing Prison Scene 76 cnAPTER rv. TREASON AND TRAITORS AT THE NORTH. °8altinBore^Tlie Detective Serrice and the Arrest of the Maryland Lepalatnre— The Refugee and the Spy — The Pursuit and the Capture— Traitors at Niagara Fall* — AoquaLilanoe with them — The Arrest — Ln Fort Lafayette 89 CIIAI^TER V. A KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN SQUARE. *? n. F., aUas Carlisle Murray, a Knight of the Golden Square — The Arrest — Release — Papers of F. examined — Secretary Seward's Order for a Second Arrest — On the Track — The Rural Retreat — Mr. Carlisle Murray a Reformer and LoTer — The Official Writ — The Astonished Landlord and Landlady — A Scene— Report 99 CHAPTER VL DISLOTALTl AMONG THE POSTMASTERS. k Mystery — The Result of Cabinet Meetings in Washington known In Rich- mond — The Detectires learn the Reason — A Visit to Lower Maryland — Amusing Scenes — The Mysterious Box — The Reports — A Rebel Letter 1 08 CHAPTER Vn. FRAin)&-DISLOYALTT IN MARYLAND. The Freighted Traveler — Treason and Frauds overlooked in the Rising Storm of Rebellion — The Bankers — The Pretty Smuggler— Reliable Chiaracter of the Detective Bureau — Disloyalty, and its Punishments in Lower Mary- land — The Friends of Hon. Montgomery Blair and the Quinine Traffio — "Chunook" Telegrams 118 / CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER VUL OlrnClAL 8ERVICE8 AND EMBARRASSMBTrrS — NEW ORDER OF THINGS. Tbe Bureau tranHferred to the War Department — Dr. R^ and the Perilous Adventure of which he waa the occasion — Report of the Case — Arreet of the lieadera of a great secret Southern Organisation — Docamentfl and Letten „.... 133 CHArTER IX. THE BUREAU IN CANADA — IN THE ARiTY. rricks of False Correspondence — Mr. Deiisle and the "Secret Secession Le- gation" 148 CHAPTER X. WEALTHY TRAITORS — FRUITLESS SCHEMES. John n. Waring— Ills Operations — An Efficient Tool— Walter Bowie— A Wild Carfer — Rebel Mail — Contrabands — Extracts from the Private Journals of Rfltel Spies 153 CHAPTER XL SILVERY — ri^YINO REBEL GENERAL — FIRST DISTRICT CAVALRY. The Hostages — Mr. Ijncoln — Deceiving the Rebels — A succensful Game — Or- ganization of the First District Cavalry— Its Services ^^ ItT? CHAPTER XIL FIRST DISTRICT CAVALRY. Leaving Camp again—" Wilson's Raid "-Battles— The Escape of Kaut^— The Eiid of Regimental Service „ 19fl CHAPTER Xni. THE ANIMUS OF SECESSION. A. Disloyal Pastor and his Friends compelled to "do justly" — The "Peculiar Institution" Dies Hard- Man-Stealers Foiled in their Schemes of Bobbery ...»....,. 904 10 CONTEXTS. CHAPTER XIV. ENGLIflH SYMPATHY WITH THE SOUTH — NEORO-HATE IN WASH- INGTON. A n English EmLwary of tlie Sooth — lie Deceiv^fi the Secretary of State — M7 Aaiaaintance with Him — The Fruitless EflTort to Betraj Me — The Jour- ney to the Old Capitol Prison — Negro-hate in the National Capital 209 CHAPTER XV. GIGANTIC VICES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITA I* Gambling and the Gamblers — Tlie Purpose to Break up the Dena Discouraged — The Midnight Raid — Re«ult« — Drinking and Liquor 8alo<^n8 — The De- scent oj>on them — Broken up — Licentiou8ne»« and its Patrons — The Raid on their haunu at Dead of Night— The Arrests 217 CHAPTER XVI. A PERILOUS ADVENTURE. Pope's Defeat — Banks' Advance — The Importance of oommnnicating wit* him — The Successful Attempt — Rebel Pursuers — The Escai>e. 225 CHAPTER XVII. SPECULATION AJfD FRAUD. Devices of Contractors — Detection of Forage Contractor — Appeal to the Pres- ident—Further Frauds a^ "Silent Partner" 2SS CHAPTER XVIIL A FEMALE ADVENTURER, Woman in the Rebellion — Iler Aid indinpensable in the worst as well as the best Causes — A Spicy Letter — Miss A. J. — Vidoc«|'s Experience 238 CHAPTER XIX. THE BOUNTY JUMPERS. Fraudulent Practices of Bounty Brokers and Jumper* — Contrast between English and American Deserters — Plans to check Desertion, and bring Criminals to Justice 249 CONTENTS. 11 aiAFTER XX THE BOU^•TY JUMPERS AND BROKERS. QooUa filled irith F»Isi6ed Enliatraent-Papere — Arrest of Brokers — Anausinj and Exciting Scene — The Hutoken R.iid — Sl&nderrMiB Charges— Large Number of Arresta — Incarceration in Fort Lafajetle — Other Arre«t« — Tri*] before a Military CoinmiwBion SSt CHAPTER XXL BOUNTY JUMPINd rNCIDE>fT8. Personal Experience in Bountj Jumping — A Perfect Trump — DetectJTw En- ligted — Pa»8€8 ohlained for Bountj Jumpers — Arrext and Hurprif«e — Court Martial and Conviction 'iSi CHAPTER XXII. BOUNTY JUMPERS IN OliOAMZED BANI18. Oij*y-like Bounty Jumpers — Wholesale BountT Jumping carried on adroitly by a Clang of Operators — (3ppofition from a Canadian (Jang — Thiriy-iwo Thousand Dollarx in as many Dayn — Frauds in Drafting — An Olii Man put in as a Subrttitute — A Boy Dei-oyed — His Adventures — A Mother of Thirteen Cliildren — Unavailing ElTorts of a Mother in Hearch of her Idi- iotiq Son MS CHAPTER XXHL THE GREAT CONSPIRACY. AAOffiinations — Eglon, King of Moab — Ciesar, Emperor of Rome — Jame* T. of England — Marat, the French Revolutionary Lear me to obtain the intelligence I wanted. Nevertheless, by dint of an wearied perseverance, I arrived at the certainty of my not having mistaken the matter, and the two coiners were arrested m the very 26 LNTRODUCTORT CHAPTER. act of fabricating their base coin ; they were shortly afttr condemned and executed for it." " In BO populous a capital as that of Paris, there are usually a vast many places of bad resort, at which assembled persons of broken fortune and ruined fame ; in order to judge of thera under my own eye, I frequented every house and street of ill-fome, sometimes unde one disguise and sometimes under another ; assuming, indeed, all those rapid changes of dress and manner which indicated a person desirous of concealing himself from the observation of the police, till the rogues and thieves whom I daily met there firmly believed me to be one of themselves ; persuaded of my being a runaway, they would have been cut to pieces before I should have been taken ; for not only had I acquired their fullest confidence, but their strongest regard ; and 80 much did they respect my situation, as a fugitive galley-slave, that they would not even propose to me to join in any of their daring schemes, lest it might compromise my safety. All, however, did not exercise this delicacy, as will be seen hereafter. Some months had passed since I commenced my secret investigations, when chance threw in my way St. Germain, whose visits had so often filled me with consternation. He had with him a person named Boudin, whom I had formerly seen as a restaurateur in Paris, in the Rue des Prou- vaires, and of whom I knew no more than that trifling acquaintance which arose from ray occasionally exchanging my money for his din- ners. He, however, seemed easily to recollect me, and, addressing me with bold familiarity, which my determined coolness seemed unable to subdue, 'Pray,' said he, 'have I been guilty of any oflcnse toward you, that you seem so resolved upon cutting me ?' — ' By no means, sir,' replied I ; 'but I have been informed that you have been in the service of the police.' — ' Oh, oh, is that all,' cried he; 'never mind tliat, my boy; suppose I have, what then? I had my reasons ; and when I tell you what they were, I am quite sure you will not bear m any ill-will for it' — ' Come, come,' said St. Germain,' I must have yo good friends ; Boudin is an excellent fellow, and I will answer for hie honor, as I would do for my own. Many a thing happens in life w« should never have dreamed of, and if Boudin did accept the situation you mention, it was but to save his brother : besides, you must feel satisfied, that were his principles such as a gentleman ougUi Dot tc GEITERAL BAKER AN'D THE SECRET SERTKIE. 21 pi.s^^CRS, why, you wouM not find liim in rny company.' I was much fimusod with this excoiK-nl i\':iMoniii<^, a-, vvell ;is wiih the pledge given f(.r Hou'liu's gooil fiiith ; ho\vf\er, I no longer sought to avoid the c'(iii\ LTsaliou of Doudin, It was imtiinl etsongh that St. Germain nliuuld relate to lue all that had h;ip|>en('d lo him since hifl last disa|>- ^.'arance, which had given me sncli pleasure. "After complimenting me on my tlight, he informed me tliat after riy arrest he bad recoverest vigilant attention? In a word, I resolved upon purging society of such a monster. Mean- while, I waged a determiueil war with all the crowd of rogues who nfested the capit:d. About this time, robberies of every species were mjltiplying to a frightful extent: nothing was talked of bat stolen palisades, out-houses broken open, roofs stri])ped of their lead ; more than twenty reflecting lamps were successively stolen from the Rue Fontaine au Roi, without the plunderers being detected For a 28 rNTRODUCTORY OR AFTER. whole month the inspectors had been lying in wait in order to sur prise thaker as an arbitrary, vindictive man, and appointing a comraitte* to wait on the President and Secretary of \Var, asking for liis dis- missal from ser\-ice. In this instance, which is one among many of 3 •similar character, he was not permitted to show the order of arrest 'to any citizei. A reporter was never allowed to enter his head- quarters, nor any corammiication allowed to be had by his bureau with the public press. Yet there are not wanting cheering tokens of confidence and esteem. The f^itizcns of Philadelphia presented ^ him with a badge of solid gold, nearly three inches square, sur ■mounted by an eagle carved from the coin, and bearing on a scroll the words "Death to Traitors;" and on the back, "Presented to •L. C. Baker, by his friends." Its value was not less than two hundred dollars. The officers of the First District Cavalry, raised by General Baker, .presented to him an elegant saber, with sash of China silk, valued it about the same amount. He was also the recipient, from officers, of the most elaborately •finished saddle and traj)pings probably in the country. Its value vfus six hundred and fifty dollars. These and other mementoes of regard confirm the statement, made by prominent officers, that his -su\»<)rdinates in the Bureau, numbering in all about four hundred, were ready to fight tor him. We have received, among oth.er volunteer testimony to his official eagaeity and achievements, the following — the first from a chaplain in " Baker's Cavalry," the other from another army chaplain : — "General Baker, I think, acquitted himself with marveluus tact, energy, and success. lie was the terror of all rogues, whelluM- with clean faces or dirty, in broadcloth or rag^, with a general's star or a corporal's stripe. I think that, during the most critical period (if the war, he was (next to Secretary Stauton) the most important officer of the Government." Washihotow, D. C, June IS, I'^f.S. ♦* In regard to Gen.L. C. Baker, Chief Detective of the War Depart- ment, during the late rebellion, I feel it a duty to say : JF'lr.^L It ia scarcely possible to estimate the (/ood he has accomplished in strength- ening the armies aield. Second. In weeding out the mischievous and the worthless. Third. In making copperheads, scoundrels, and traitori GENERAL BAKER AND THE SECRET SERVICE. 39 feel the secret war power at homo. I believe him to have done more during the late war to save the country than any other single power. His name carried with it a dread that made evil-doers tremble. !!« was always at his post when wanted (a rare trait), and most efficient when active. Booth knew that Baker was in New York, or he would have delayed the tragedy of the 14th of April, 1865 ! And when he knew that Baker was on his trail, his heart fainted in him, and losf all hope ! '* And now about certain facts Baker may state with respect to men high in official relation with the Government or otherwise : The half he will not tell. I know of many things he will not state which I would. I have no mercy on men who will corrupt and contaminate all with whom they come in official contact ; and men who, in time of peace, after treason has been put down, again secretly plot the ovor throw of a Government at once the best and noblest that the aun of the Eternal ever shone upon. " I hope to see truth come, let it cut where it may, as I believe the country to be still in danger ; and unless some master hand will seize the knife and lay open the festering wound, the disease of the Repuh lie will never heall *' I am, very respectfully." It may interest the curious reader to give some illustrative inci- dents in regard to trivial circumstances which lead to detection, and which would escape the notice of men unaccustomed to the close obseiwation indispensable to success in the secret service. The clue to a deserter's character was found in his bronzed face while his dreiss and positive declarations indicated the life of a quim citizen. In another case, the falsehood was exposed by the sjyur-marl ill the boot. A soldier in disguise, and asserting his innocence of battle-service, was detected through an examination of his hand, on the palm of which was a callous spot where the gun-lock had pressed in the march. The red line on Government stockings and the peculiar style of t^e shirts have revealed the fact denied by the lips and all the rest of th« appareL A deserter from the Twelfth New York Battery so well concealed his " soldiering " that nothing; about his person confirmed my suspicionn 40 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. At last General Baker resorted to strategy. He watched for an opportunity when he was lazily dozing in his office, and suddenly and loudly shouted : " Fall in, men I" He started up, looked around, and began to prepare for the march. It was plainly useless to deny any longer that he had been in the ranks. At another t'me, General Baker was searching for a female spy and had his attention drawn to rather a delicate-looking young man, whom he followed, with some companions, into a saloon. When the) •tood before the bar, drinking and talking, he noticed that this youth threw up the fingers often to brush aside the hair. The form was shaped like a woman's, and in a sitting posture the hands were crossed 'ust as women are in the habit of placing them. He called the astonished stranger aside, and desired a private inter- view, in which he said the game of deception was finished — that he knew both the sex and business in hand. She burst into tears, and confessed all. Not imfrequently the simplest disguises were entirely successful. The slouched hat drawn down over the forehead ; the garb of *' butternut," or of an honest farmer; the dress and manner of an itinerant Jew ; the face and gait of an inebriate, — each served the purpose of an introduction to the desired company and scenes. We might multiply illustrations, and make an inventory of dis- guises in apparel and modes of dressing the hair and face to wliich the detective is compelled to resort. But, excepting the narratives which will make further revelations of the kind, these will be sufficient to indicate the varied language of moral and professional character and pursuits to a practiced eye. ]\Iention has already been made of the fact that the detective dice of the Government were brought into disrepute, and some easons assigned for it. ITis bureau was known as the only regularly organized national police, although, as stated before, there were employed, at the headquarters of every department conmiander, provost-marshal, and quartermaster, a large number of persons repre- senting themselves as Government detectives. These men had been Belected, in many instances, from the most worthless and disreputable characters, and whenever they were found to be receiving bribes, or •jommitting other offenses, they were always denominated " Baker's GENERAL BAKER AND THE SECREl SERVICE. 41 detectives." The reporters of the press invariably did this. Hence he was held responsible to the public for the acts of these scoundrels, when in fact he knew nothing of their operations, except as he might have occasion, from time to time, to arrest them himself. The provost- marshal of the District of Columbia, appointed under the Enrollment Act, for the recruiting service, had employed at one time a large num- ber of these detectives. Scarcely a day passed but complaints wore made at his headquarters respecting these men. There was in the vicin- ity of Washington a large military force; and a bounty had been offer- ed for the apprehension of deserters. The enrolling provost-marshal at Washington had detailed a number of his detectives and placed them on duty at the Baltimore depot in Washington, for the purpose of apprehending them. A deserter, in citizen's clothes, would repair to the depot, and attempt to enter the cars ; these officers would arrest him, and for a smaU bribe allow him to go at large. This was practiced for many months. Colonel Baker caL'ed the attention of the Secretary of War to the fact, but there seemed to be no remedy. Finally, he dete»"mined to ascertain who these detectives were. Assu- ming the garb and dross of a loafer and deserter, he one evening repaired to the depot, lie was so completely disguised that his own men did not recognize him. On attempting to pass the gate and enter the cars, he was stopped by an individual who said, "Let me see your ticket." He showed him his railroad ticket, when he charged him with being a deserter. lie replied that he was nut; that he was a citizen, and did not want to be detained. One or two other detectives approached, and all insisted that he should be arrested. Accordingly, he was taken into a small room, with one or two others, who had also been arrested and searched. They took from him liis passage ticket, a valuable gold watch, and some seventy-five dollars in treasury notes, which he had marked for the occasion. He was then placed in charge of a detective, to be taken to the provost-marshal's headquarters. Instead of taking Colonel Baker directly there, the detective took him to a low drinking-saloon on Seventh Street, near the avenue, called the " ISIcClellan House," which was the general rendezvous ot these detectives and deserters. He was here asked to take a drink, but he declined, pretending to feel very badly about his arrest. He was then taken into a back room, and in the presence of detectives No. 1 42 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. and 2, his watch and money were divided between the two detectives Ho was here told that he could go at largo, provided he would leave his watch and money. lie complained bitterly of this treatment, and threatened to report the facts to Colonel Baker, when tliey laughed, and remarked that they were not Colonel Baker's detectives, but the detectives of the provost-marshal. lie consented to give them tlie money, but declined to give up his watch, as it was a very valuabU one. This refusal induced detective No. 2 to take him to the provost- niarshal's headquarters. On the way there, he had a conversation wath the detective, who told him it was very foolish for him to go to headquarters ; if he went there, he would be locked up for several days, and finally sent back to his regiment, tried, and perhaps shot as a deserter. He persisted, however, in declining to deliver up the watch. On arriving at headquarters, Baker was ushered into a room, where, seated at a table, he saw the provost-marshal, with whom he was well acquainted, and his clerks, none of whom recognized him. Tin detective remarked to the provost-marshal, " Here is a deserter, captain, that we have taken at the depot. He won't tell what regiment he belongs to, but if we o^k him up a few days, and put him under the shower-bath, he will probably tell all about it." The provost-marshal said to him, " \Vh;it regiment do you belong to ?" He said, " Sir, I am not a deserter, but a citizen." He remarked, " Oh, that's played out. "We know you ; we have been looking for you for some time." Some other conversation occurred, and the pro- vost-marshal directed that Baker should be locked up. He took off his old slouched hat, and, standing at the end of the tabk, said to the provost-marshal, " I am Colonel Baker. I have assumed this disj,-uise for the purpose of detecting your detectives, and ascertaining the modus operandi by which deserters are allowed to esc.ipe." Tl.a a-pect of a proud superiority gave place to that of consternation. Tli« detective attempted to leave the room, when Colonel Baker iinme ;li itely arrested him, took him to his headquarters, searched him, and. found a portion of the money he had marked, in his pocket. It was a standing complaint against the Detective Police Bureau that the force was liable to be corrupted. In no other branch of public service were the opportunities so great for manipulation and bribery as in the police department. It is a well-known £ajt that GENERAL BAKER AND THE SECRET SERVICE. 43 nearly every individual arrested, who represented or personated an officer of the Government, was alleged to be one of Colonel Baker's men. At Barnum's Museum, in 1865, a man was arrested who had a forged appointment from him. At Elmira, New York, an other was arrested with a similar paper, endorsed by the Secre tary of War. These, and hundreds of other instances of a simila character, were heralded through the country as a sufficient reasoi. why the Detective Bureau should be abolished. In New York, two individuals by the names of McNeil and Garvin had for a long time represented themselves as attached to his force. They visited saloons and gambling-houses, threatening to close them up unless certain sums of money were paid. Their operations were principally confined to the arrest of deserters, who were endeavoring to keep out of the way of arrest. In the month of February, these individuals arrested one John H. Harris, who was an oninibus-driver in the city of New York, and demanded from him the sum of one hundred dollars, in consideration of which they would allow him to go at large. The fact was reported to Colonel Baker, and he immediately detailed officers to search for these bogus detectives. Harris not having the money with him, but having a friend in Maiden Lane, by the name of Depew, he asked McNeil and Garvin to come to his friend's store the following morning and he would give them the one hundred dollars. In the mean time Baker directed a detective to conceal himself in the store. At the appointed time the detectives arrived, received the one hundred dollars, and were imme diately arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to the penitentiary. Meport in cases of John McNeil and Charles Garvin. John II. Ilarna, of No 156 West Thirty-fifth Street, bet wee Sixth and Seventh Avenues, stage-driver, states : — lie has been arrested twice before this, on charge of being deserter; both times discharged, and no proof against him. On February 17, 1865, McNeil and Garvin got into his stag*, rode with him to the end of his route, \\ here they arrested him on charge of being a deserter; told him they were Government officers, and proposed to compromise the matter with him. He took them to 44 mTTjonrrToT^Y rn AFTER his house, and arranged to p.iy ihora one hundred dollars if C^y would meet him tlie next day at the office of a Mr. Depew. Tliey declined ; then went together to Depew's hotel, represented them- selves to Depew as Government officers, and authorized to make arrests ; agreed to let off H.iiris if Depew would become responsible for the payment of one himdred dollars next day. Depew agreed to do so ; parties arranged to meet at Depew's office, No. 53 Ccdnr Street. Depew then gave information to Colonel Baker, who SL'iit one officer to the place of meeting. The parties met ; McNeil pro- fessing to have a deacriptive list for Harris, which he said he would tear up on receipt of the one hundred dollars. The one hundred dollars were paid by Depew to McNeil and Garvin, when the officer ap]>eared and took them into custody. Tlie money and certain papers are transmitted to you with this statement. The money will be needed in proof, after which I think it should bo returned to Depew. J. n. Harris. It may be said, that the deception and misstatements resorted to. and inseparable from the detective service, are demoralizing, and prove (insoundness of character in its officers. But it must be borne in mind tliat, in war, no commander fails to deceive the enemy when possible, to secure the least advantage. Spies, scouts, intercepted correspoti dence, feints in army movements, misrepresentations of military strength and position, are regarded as honorable means of securing victory over the foe. The work ol the detective is simply deception reduced to a science or profession ; and whatever objection, on ethical grounds, may lie against the secret service, lies with equal force against the strategy and tactics of Washington, Scott, Grant, and the host ol their illustrious associates in the wars of the world. "War is a lan» and terrible resort in the defense of even a righteous cause, and sets at defiance all the ordinary laws and customs of society, overriding the rights of property and the sanctitj of the Sabbath. And not until the nations learn war no more, will the work of deception and vaste of morals, men, and treasures, cease. CHAPTER I. ORIGIN OF THE BCREAU OF DETECTIVE SERUCB. The first Visit to Washington — Interview with General Hiram Walbridge. nud Ooa W. D. Kdley — Introduction to General Wintield Scott — Return to New y>.rli — Aj poii.led by General Scott to renew the Attempt to visit Richmond — The flrst Failure — Crossing the Lines — The Arrest — Eiaminatious — Sent to G*ueraJ Beauregard — On to Richmond. In April, 1861, 1 went to AVasliington, to learn, if possi- ble, in what capacity I conld serve the loyal cause. At Willard's Hotel, I met its able and fearless cljani})ion, General Hiram Walbridge, of New York, and the Hon. William D. Kelley, of Philadelphia. We conversed freely upon the condition of the country, and the necessity of more reliable information respecting the strength and movements of the enemy. General Walbridge then saif'' to me, '' Baker, you arw the man of all others to go into this secret service ; you have the ability and courage." General W., with the Hon. Mr. Kelley, strongly urgnd an interview with Gen- eral Scott, who was i?i coii.uriand of the Army of the United States; accom]>aiii<'d liy him and the Hon. George W Wright, of California, [ went to his rooms. My father having fought under Gen. Scott in tlie last war with P^ngland, 1 was introduced as the son of "an old friend, with dis- cretion, ability, and courage to do what was necessary." After a little general conversation, the venerable com mander requested those present to leave the room, when he ijilked freely of my experiences as a detective, and the services required to ascertain the strength and plans of the enemy, requesting an interview the following day. At the hour appointed, with a deliberate purpose to accept any service for the country he might desire, I was again closeted with the Lieut. -General. After stating tliat he had 45 46 UmTED STATES SECRET SERVIOE. thus far found it impossible to ohtain definite information re- specting the rebel forces at Manassas, that of the five nwu wlio had been sent to Richmond two were known to be killed, and the other three were probably taken prisoners, with patriarchal and patriotic interest, he said to nie : "Young man, if you have judgment and discretion, you can be of great service to the country." I then told him that I could not immediately engage in the service, but must at once return to New Yoik, toanange un- settled affairs ; and left him with the understanding that i should report to him as soon as cLrcunistances would i^piiuit The latter part of June, I was again in Washington, and bad repeated interviews with the General. The result was, a definite arrangement for a journey toward Richmond, if not mlo the rebel capital. Directions in detail were given me respecting the difficult service I was expected to perfonn. Taking from his vest pocket ten double eagles of coin, General Scott handed them to me, expressing the warmest hopes of my success in the excursion to " Dixie." July 11, 1861, I started for Richmond. Along the route of my travel toward the Confederate Capital, and while there, I was to learn, if possibl«% the locality and strength of the hostile troops, especially of the dreaded Black-horse cavalry, and also of their fortifications ; leaving no oppor- tunity to gather items of iiifoi-mation concerning the move- ments and plans of the eiuiny which might be of any service to the Government. To one unacquainted with the nature of the service, it may seem strange that our troops should not know my char- arter and design. But such concealment is not only always practiced in the Secret service, but was pre-eminently needful f(/jf us at that time, when we knew not whom to trust, because traitors were in the Government and in the army. To let the Union troops into the secret, would be to send it to Rich- mond before I had reached Manassas. Guarding the frontier of the Confederacy, the rebel army lay before Washington, stretching from a point three miles below Alexandria, toward the Potomac, eight miles above the capital. At Alexandria, then recently stained with the martyr blood of Ellsworth, Gen. Heintzelman was Provost-marshal. No passes were DTTERYIEW WITH HEINTZELMAN. 4 recognized by either tlie Union or rebel army, and 1 musl Qecessarily run the risk equally, in tlie attempt to pass tlieii lines, of being arrested as a spy. The surreptitious move ments would begin, therefore, with the first step from Wash ington toward the " sacred soil of Virginia." 1 went to a daguerrean establishment, and purchased foi four dollars an old box Avhich had once contained photo gi-aphic apparatus, slung it across my back, after the fasliion of an itinerant artist, and started for Alexandria. Four miles out of the city I came to the Second Maine Regiment, and proceeded at once to the headquarters of the colonel. He received me politely, and wished me to take a view of the camp, including his tent and the principal officers standing in the foreground. War scenes were new to tlie people, and the desire was natural enough, to gratify friends at home with pictures of the martial field. After a good dinner, I took my box, and told the colonel I would go to a neighbor- ing hill and take views of the encampment, tlien return to photograph the headquarters. I was soon in the woods with my hollow box, eluding guards, and pushing forAvard through the tangled undergrowth, toward the heart of rebeldom. When across the Federal lines as I supposed, I was startled with the shout, "Who goes there ?" I looked up, to see sentinel, with lifted gun, standing upon a knoll Just before me. I had no alternative but to surrender, and march with him to the colonel's quarters. This officer was' sure lie had caught a spy, and, escorted by ten men, I was sent back along the railroad, the same way I came, to General Heintzelman's headquarters. The lieutenant in charge presented me to the coiiinianding officer, with the following fiattering and promis ing introduction: "Here is a spy, general, that we foun lurking about our camp, trying to get through the lines." " Oh 1 you villain you, you," said Ileintzelman, witli hi usual nasal twang and an oath, "trying to get through m^ lines, are you ? I've a good notion to cut your head off But I'll fix you, you rascal ; Til send you to General Scott." Another guard, with a message from the brave general, who was evidently gratified with the successful vigilance of hia men, was ordered for me, and I was hurried away to Wash- iiigton. The escort was dismissed bv General Scott, and my 48 UNITED STATES SECRET 8ERVI0K. story told. AVitli an expression tliat indicated both amuse- ment at tlie ruse, and its failure, and confidence in rae, the old veteran said : " "Well, try again !" The u])rising North was now sending her legions to the field of civil conflict, and in an almost unbroken line th^j were marching over Long Bridge into Virginia. That night. I took a position at the end of the bridge, and, when a regi ment came down broken into considerable disorder, I stt']>]i»si into the ranks, hoping to be borne along with the troojjs. Unfortunately, a lieutenant saw the movement, and, taking me by the collar, put me under guard, and sent me back to the rear. Another night was spent in Washington, but not wholly in sleep. My mind was busy with new plans for a successful visit to the Confederate capital. With the dawn of the next morning I renewed my jour- ney afoot through the lower counties of Maryland, toward Port Tobacco, traveling thirty-five miles that day, and reach ing that town at night. Exhaustion prepared me for sound and refreshing sleep. In the morning I gave a negro a twenty- dollar gold piece to row me across the river, wli"n I was safely in the Confederacy, below Dumfries. Tiie country was wooded, and an unfrequented road, whose geneial direc- tion was toward Richmond, suggested the line of my ad- vance into the Old Dominion. I j)ursued my solitary Journey through the desolate country, slaking thirst, excited by the heat of the Southern sun, at brooks which at intervals crossed my path. I could necessarily have no settled plan of future movements, but trusted to providential indications of what, under the circumstances, it would be prudent and politic to do. AVith that entire composure of feeling and self-reliance which attend a purpose, however daring, when once th*^ die is cast, to reach its final issue, I cast my qjq over th« sparsely-settled country, with its old roads crossed witii paths, and studded with oaks, particularly careful to observe the least sign of a human form within its horizon. Four miles of distance lay between me and the banks of the Potomac, when two Confederate soldiers made their appearance, too near me to make an escape possible. I was taken prisoner under an order to arrest as a spy any stranger passing thai way, and marched off towaid camp, eight miles distant A SECOND ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE LINES. 49 beer sliop by the roadside tempted the guard, and we all entered it. I was invited to drink. I saw my o})portunity, and, ahhough I never indidge iu stimulants, accepted the offer of a glass of ale, and in return treated ray captors. The generous indulgence was repeated, until my escort were stujMclly under the influence of the potations, and fell asleep on the stoop of the beer-house, leaving me to go unmolested on my way. I went up the road toward INIanassas Junction, congratulat- ing myself on my easy escape, when four rebel cavalrymen suddenly came out of the brush and ordered me to halt ; then drawing their sabers, commanded me to surrender. I replied to them : " I am a peaceful citizen, unarmed, and on my way to Richmond." One dismounted, proceeded to search me, and succeeded in finding a number of letters introducing me to prominent rebels in Richmond. Among them were two written by tlie Rev. Mr. Shuck, for many years a missioiiary in China. He returned to Caliform'a, where I had formed his acquaintance, and came to the Atlantic States in the same steamer with myself. He was at this time chaplain of a rebel regiment near Richmond. After obtaining possession of all my letters, the boastfid chivalry could not read them. They requested me to be seated, while they heard from me the contents of the epistles. Taking advantage of their ignorance, I read such portions as I chose. They at once directed me to proceed under guard to Brentsville, distant about ten miles-^they riding, and keeping me on foot between them, and constantly con- versing in a low tone of voice respecting the importance of the arrest. Arriving at Brentsville at ten o'clock, P. m., I was taken to the headquarters of General Bonham, of South Carolina, commanding at that point, ushered into the large tent occupied by General Bonham and staff officers, and ordered to take a seat. In a few minutes. General Bonham, in splendid uniform, took a seat beside me, and commenced conversation, by asking the direct question, "Where did you come from, and where are you going?" I replied: "I came from Washington, and am on my way to Richmond." Apparently unconscious of the deference due to the com- manding officer, I sat with my hat on. Observing it he 4 50 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVIOE. said, "Take off your hat, sir." With the order, I at one* complied. The letters were then handed to General Bonham by one of the captors. After reading, he said, '*How dare you come inside of my lines f Exliibiting proper surprise and indignation, I replied, '* 1 am a loyal and peaceful citizen of the United States, engag*'d in an honorable and legitimate pursuit. I have business in Richmond, and desire to go there." He replied, " Well, I will see that you do go there. I believe you are a Yankee spy, and I'll send you to General Beauregard at once." lie gave the necessary order to detail a guard, and, handing a sealed letter to a lieutenant standing by, said, " Put this man in irons, and with this letter take him to General Beauregard's headquarters." Accordingly I left Brentsville at twelve o'clock at night, protesting, how- ever, against being compelled to go on foot. Re said, "As you have chosen that mode of conveyance, sir, you ought not now to find fault. Take him away." We arrived at Manassas Junction about daylight, and went to General Beauregard's headquarters — the Weire House. Completely exhausted by the walk, and the excite- ment attending the arrest, I laid down in front of the house and went to sleep. At nine o'clock a. m., I was awakened by the wann, bright rays of the sun, shining in my face, and found myself in charge of the guard attached to the headquarters. I called for food, and was informed that General Beauregard desired to see me. I was taken into his presence, with whom were two or three staff officers. Point ing to an open letter (General Bonham's, I supposed), ll^- said : "From this letter I see you have been found withiii our lines. What explanation have you to make ?" I replied, "I am from Washington, and going to Ricn mond, on private business. I have not intended to violate any law, regulation, or military rule, of the Conl'ederatf army." "When did you leave Washington?" " Day before yesterday," I replied. " Where did you cross the river ?" AT BEAUREGARD'S HEADQUARTERS. 61 " In the vicinity of Port Tobacco." '* How did you get across ?" "In a boat." " Who brought you across 1" ''A negro." " So you are going to Richmond, are you ?" " Yes, if I can get there ; but am willing to return If yoB will permit me to do so." "No ; I prefer that you should go to Richmond. Whert- do you reside ?" "I have lived in California the last ten years: but fbr merly lived in the South," "What part of the South?" "Knoxville, Tennessee." " IIow long since you were in Knoxville?" "Ten or twelve years." " What is your name ?" " Samuel Munson." " Yes, 1 see from your letters that that is your name : but what was your name before you turned spy?" " I am no spy." " I believe you are : and, if I was satisfied of it, I would hang you on that tree," pointing through an open window to an oak-tree in full view. "Orderly," he added, "take this man out and put him in the guard-house." " I am very hungry ; can you give me breakfast ?" " You will liud breakfast in the guard-house." I was taken by the guard to a stockade or pen, inside of which was a log-house. Following the officer in command, I said : " Sir. I am very hungry— can you give me something tc eat?" — taking from my pocket a gold eagle. At sight of the coin, he said — " What will you have?" " Send out and get me the worth of that, or the best breakfast you can get." He soon returned with a good warm breakfast and a bot He of sour wine. The wine I gave to the guard, and ate the breakfast. Having put myself on good terms with the officer in C2 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVT'^K. command of the guard house, he asked me what T was there for. I replied I did not know — hut, if not in vr>h'ition of hla orders, would like to go outside in cliarge of a guard. Wlietlier if would be so or not, the sight of a twenty-dollai gold piece relieved his mind of any douht on the suhjecL Ilanding it to him, he called a soldier and said : " Take this man out, and walk him around awhile." I went to the hotel, treated my escort, and then went with him to take a general survey of all the troops in the immedi- ate vicinity of Manassas Junction. One of my instructions from General Scott, and not least in im})ortance, was to ascer- tain the numbers of the famous, and by the Union arinj much dreaded, black-horse cavalry. In conversation with my half-drunken guard, I referred to this cavalry, and in- quired where they were. He replied, "Down on the railroad." I expressed a wish to see them. He said, " Certaiidy — them's the boys to whip the Yankees !" We went down the line of the railroad lialfamile, and there found the cavalry in camp. I asked him how rL-my men there were in that command. He said, ''Two hundred." I made a thorough inspection of these troops. My accom- modating guard then took me to all the camps, })ointed out the different intrenchments in course of erection, the names of the several regiments and brigades, who commanded them, their strength, &c. When I had obtained this infomiation, my guard met drunken friends, and left me to go where I pleased. Fearing I should be missed, I immediately returned to the guard-house. I was not locked up, but allowed to remain in the stockade, where I met two fellow-prisoners, as 1 then sup- posed, who at once began asking me questions. It did not take me long, however, to decide that they were (h^coys. placed there for the purpose of eliciting from me, if possible, my real character. They complained bitterly of their treat raent, and one even requested me to take a letter to hia wife in Washington. I consented to take the letter. It was written in a way well THE COLPORTEUR. 55 calculated to mislead me. I went to the gnard-honse, called the lieutenant on guard, and said : " You have a spy in the stockade " — handing him the letter. He said, " I will send it up to headquarters." A few minutes later I saw the same man in private confidential conversation with the lieutenant, at the same time pointing to me across the yard. This satisfied me of the truth of my suspicions. Repeated efforts were afterward made, during my stay in the stockade, to ascertain who I was, and my intentions. To all inquiries, however, I had but one answer, and that was : " That th^^y had made a great mistake in arresting me." My next ques- tioner was a woman, assuming the calling of a colporteur, or tract distributer. I was standing by the pump — she ap- proached me and said : " Sir, will you read one of my tracts?" *' Certainly, thank you, madam." Handing me two or three tracts, she remarked, "This war is a terrible thing. How long have you been here ?" " Came here this morning." She said -"Read those tracts, and then give them to yoni fellow-prisoners." " What are you here for ?" " I do not know, madam, but hope nothing very serf ous." " Do you live in the South ?" " No, I am from the North — was arrested yesterday dowB on the river." "Oh, you are from the other side, are you — from Wash- ington ?" " Yes, I left there three days ago." " Are you going back ?" "Well, that depends upon General Beauregard." "Ohl he is a very kind man, and certainly woul. I not keep you here a moment without some good reason. Were ou born in the North ?" " Yes, I suppose I am a Yankee." " Is the North really going to fight the South ?" " I think it wUl." She then left me, to continue her mission, distributing acts to the prisoners and guards. 66 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Retnming soon afterward, she said in a low tone of voice. *'] am trying to do all the good I can. Are you a Chris- tian?" I answered, " I thought I was once, but now have very serious doubts on the subject." She then added : " The lieutenant thinks you are a spy : if you are, be very careful what you say. I was born at tho N orth, but have lived among these people seven years. My sympathies are all with the Northern people. I am trying now to get a pass from General Beauregard, that I may visit my sister in New York, who is a teacher in one of tne public schools. I will gladly take any message you may want to send to your friends. I think I shall get my pass to-mo-- row." The only reply I made was, "I think I shall see my friends before you do." With this she shook my hand cordially, and left me. Two years and a half later, I met my tract friend, who was the famous "Belle Boyd," under very different circumstances, which will be recorded in the order of their occurrence. At eleven o'clock that night, the sergeant, with four men, came to the guard-house, and took me to General Beau- regard' s headquarters, where I again caught a glimpse of the attentive colporteur. After waiting in silence a brief time, the sergeant ordered me to follow him. "Where am I going?" I asked. " To Richmond. Fall in, men." I was at once marched to the depot, and put into a freight car which had been used for the conveyance of troops, hav- ing the sides knocked off near the top, and started off at half- past one o'clock, p. m. The train moved very slowly, and Gordonsville was not reached until the next night. This otherwise irksome delay afforded me an excellent oppor t unity to observe the number of troops moving toward Ma- nassas. At Gordonsville, I was turned over to another guard, put into a passenger car, and entered Richmond at eight o' clock the succeeding evening. The tidings of my capture had gone before, and the value of it to the Confederacy discussed and of course magnified, m SIOHMOFDi 57 as was everything by distance, on both sides, at that early period of the Tvar. Instead of giving me a cell in Libby prison, I was con- veyed to the third story of an engine-house, an open, airy loft, with a clean bed, and in all respects more comfortable quarters than I anticipated. A guard of two soldiers were my keepers. I retired to rest, and reflected on the course to be followed from this crisis in the enterprise. I was in the rebel capital, must survey its military resources, and get back to Waab- ington, or ^e as a spy CHAPTER II. RESIDENCE IN RICHMOND. Bununoned to an interview with Jeff. Davis — Subsequent Examinations by him— Critical Emergencies — Mr. Brock — "Samuel Munsou" — Confidence secured — Mr " Munson" is appointed Confederate Agent — Original Letters from Davis, Toomba, and Walker — Starts for the North — Unpleasant Delays — A Narrow Escape — Reaches the Potomac — Deceives the Dutch Fishermen and runs the Rebel Gaunt let safely. On the fourtli or fifth day of my confinement, a commis- eioned ofiicer, attended by a guard, entered the apartment and said the President wished to see me. I obeyed the sura mons, and after reaching his room waited nearly two hours before I was presented to Mr. Davis with the simple expres- sion, "This is the man, sir I" The room occupied by him in the Spottswood House was a front parlor connecting witli a bedroom. The weather was warm, and he wore simply a light linen coat, without vest, collar, or cravat. He then said, '* You have been sent here from Manassas as a spy I what have you to say ?" I related the circumstances of my capture, complaining bitterly of my treatment, to which he listened with perfect indifference. He then asked substan- tially the same questions Beauregard had proposed, and which were answered as nearly as possible in the words used during the interview with him. I was taken back to the engine-loft, and at the expiration of three days was once more escorted to the executive apartment. The Confed- erate President was out, engaged in the inspection of troopa who had just arrived from the South, and I returned to my quarters without an interview. At the expiration of a week, I was ordered for the third time into the presence of Jeffer- son Davis. The following inquiries were made by him : " How many troops do you suppose there are in Washing- ion and its vicinity 1" 58 OONYERSATION WITH JEFF. DAVIS. 61 I answered, " I have no means of knowing ; probably 75,000 or 100,000, with more daily arriving." " Who commands the Yankee troops?" "I suppose. General Scott." "Where are his headquarters?'' ♦'In Washington." *' Then he is not with the troops 1" *' No ; General McDowell is in immediate command." I was then marched back to my prison-chamber. At the next interview the arch-traitor determined to raali i a thorough and satisfactory examination of his prisoner. He began : " What is your name, sir ?" *' Samuel Munson." ** Where were you born ?" *♦ In Knoxville, Tennessee." " What is your business here 1" " The settlement of certain land-claims in California for & man whose agent I am." " Who is the man ?" *' Rev. Mr. S , of Barnwell Court-IIouse ; now I believe a chaplain in the array." Having brought with me from the Pacific Coast land-claims In behalf of a minister, who returned to Barnwell Court- House, his former place of residence, and whose name as chaplain was on the Army Roll, my statement had certainly an air of plausibility. " How long have you resiih'd North ?" " I have been in California eight years." " When did you leave California ?" " On the first day of January, 1861." '* Were you in Washington ?" *' I was." '♦ Did you come directly here from Washington f * ♦' Yes, sir." ** Were there many troops in Washington 1" ** Yes, sir, a great many." " How many?" ♦• It is impossible to say, as they were constantly arriving and departing." *♦ Where were they concentrating 1" 62 UNITED STATES SECRET 8ERVI0E. ** In Virginia, opposite Washington." •' Throwing up tbrtiticatious, are they ?" ** Yes, sir; I believe so." "Are they fortifying Arlington Heights 1" *' I do not know." *' Or in the vicinity of Long Bridge ?" '* I do not knrw." "Are they fortifying about Alexandria ?" " I can not say, I have not been there." " Can you tell me the names of any of the regiments now In Washington?" I mentioned the names of a few of which he could not have failed to know something through the press and rumors afloat. He continued, "Where is General Scott?" " I do not know. He is said to be in Washington.' " Do you consider yourself a Southern man ?" "Yes, sir, I do." "Do you sympathize with the Southern people?" "I do." " Are you willing to fight with them ?" "Yes, sir." « Will you enlist ?" "No, sir." "Why not?" "Because I am here on business which I ought first to accomplish." The guard was summoned to take "Mr. Munson" to hia prison again. Before leaving, I stepped forward to a table on which stood a pitcher of ice-water, and, turning to the rebel chief, said : " Will you allow me to take a drink of ice- water ? I get none where I am." "Certainly," he replied. 1 was soon in my upper room reflecting upon the diffi- culties in my way, and the probability that they would yet ♦.hwart my plans, and leave me undisguised at the mercy of exasperated enemies. Three additional days of monotonous life in my loft were passed, when I was summoned once more into the presence ANOTHER EXAMINATION. 63 of Davis. He sat by his table writing, with liis back toward the door, while nearly opposite, reclining upon a lounge half asleep, and looking much like a man who had imbibed strong drink too freely, was Robert Toombs. He roused him- self as I entered, to listen to my examination by the Presi- dent, who, laying down his pen, turned to me and said : " Have you any other way of proving that your name ig Munson, excepting the letters found in your pocket ?" "I am not acquainted here, sir, and do not know any one." Davis resumed his writing for a few moments, then said : " Do you know how far they are running the cars on the Alexandria and Orange Railroad ?" " I don't know. I have not been on that side." " Do you know whether they are running the cars on the Leesburg road?" "I do not." " How many Yankee troops do you think there are in the vicinity of Washington ?" " I have heard that there are one hundred and twenty thousand, but have no means of knowing whether it is true." " I suppose you know who commands them ?" " I believe General McDowell does." "You say you are originally from Knoxville. Can yoD sgive me the name of any persons whom you know there f "It has been a good many years since I lived in Knox- ville, but I remember some persons who were there when 1 left." I gave the names of several men whom I knew resided in that city. " Would they know you ?" " I think so, though a residence of eight years in Califor^ nia has, no doubt, changed me very much. If I should see them, I think I could make them remember me." I had taken the name of Munson, because I had learned that several families of that name belonged in Knoxville, and the son of a Judge Munson had been in California, whom I could represent. Davis rang a bell, a messenger appeared, and, taking a 64 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVIOE. name, left the room. I suspected at once his errand. He was dispatched for somebody from Knoxville, to identify me, if my story were true. The crisis in my affairs had come. I concluded the game was up, and my vocation gone. It was a moment of great anxiety, and my thoughts were in- tensely active with the possibilities of escape from the snare in which I seemed to be caught. Davis continued Avriiiiig, and Toombs closed his eyes. The messenger left the door ajar, and, unobserved, I drew my chair nearly in front of it, to gain a view of the outer hall. In it, on a small table, were blank cards on which those who called to see the Confed- erate President wrote their names, and sent them by an or derly, before they were admitted to an audience with him. Soon the messenger with a stranger entered the hall. The latter wrote his name, and handed it to the orderly, who came in where I was sitting. I raised my hand to take the card, and he stopped to give it to me, when I glanced at the name, and made a motion to have it laid on Davis's table. The rebel Executive did not observe this, and Tombs waa apparently asleep. The orderly put the card before him, was directed to admit the visitor, and retired. The Knox- ville man came in, and, turning toward him with a look of Budden recognition, I rose, grasped his hand, and exclaimed : " Why, how do you do. Brock ?" Toombs raised himself up and nodded to Davis, w ho said • " Be seated, sir. Do you know this man ?" Brock was taken by surprise, but, not to appear i^'norant before the President, replied : " Yes, I know him, but I can't call his name now." *'My name is Munson, of Knoxville. Don't you remem- ber Judge Munson' s son who went to California ?" "What, Sam Munson?" "That's my name." **0h yes," said Brock, turning to Davis, "now I remem ber him. Yes, I know him very well." "Do you know his people there ?" asked Davis. "I know his father. Judge Munson, very well." Toombs stood up and said, "That will do, sir, that will do," and Brock walked out of the room. Toombs then drew a chair close to Davis, and they con- A SINGULAR SCRPRIgK. 65 versed in whispers for a few momenta, when the gnanl escorted me to my quarters. I fancied that I had made some progress at this interview. The next morning brought Mr. Brock to my loft, evidently sent to satisfy himself fully that I was Sam Munson. A deli- cate and difficult task was before me, and the result to my own mind very doubtful. Brock, however, was talkative, willing to carry on the conversation, and evidently quite sure that he was not mistaken in his man. I knew something of the Munsons, and localities in Knoxville, and, by the aid of imagination, could fill any pauses in Brock's conversation; eight years of absence excusing failures in memory. Brock asked leading questions, saying, for illustration, "You know so-and-so." "Oh, yes," I responded, though I had not the remotest knowledge of the person. Then Brock would refer to something very ludicrous, and I would burst into laughter, as though at the recollection, while Brock, greatly enjoying it, would unconsciously tell the whole story, so that I could put in a fitting remark here and thert-, which seemed to come naturally from recollection. Brock went away entirely sat- isfied, and reported to Jeff. Davis. Two days later, a com- missioned officer entered the room with a parole, pledging myself not to leave the city of Richmond without orders from the provost-marshal. I signed it, and was released from con- finement. With the freedom of the city, I continued my observations. Walking through a street one Sunday morning, by a high board fence covered with posters concerning regiments being organized and other military announcements, from which I gleaned additional information, a man came up and slapped me on the shoulder with, — " Hallo, Baker ! What are you doing here?" The name sounding strangely, under the circumstances, 1 was startled, but, looking around, calmly said : " I guess you are mistaken, sir. My name is Munson." " Ain't your name Baker ?" "No, sir." " Didn't you go to California in 1850 ?" " No, sir. I have lived in California, but I did not go there tiU '62." « 66 UNITED STATES SECRET SEHVICE. *'Why, didn't you go across the isthnms with me in A-pril, 1850, when we had the fight with the natives ?" ■'No, sir. I guess you have mistaiien the man." *' Well, I would have sworn that you were Baker. Didn't you have a brother there !" " I had a brother there, but he came home in '53." "Well," said he, turning away, "it's all right, I sup pose ; but I never saw two men look so much alike in my life !" In the mean time I had obtained information of military movements and plans, learned where the enemy had stationed troops, or were building fortifications, and what they were doing at the Tredegar works. I had obtained the knowledge for which I came, and was anxious to return North. Through the influence of Hayes, I got from the provost-mar- shal, a pass to visit Fredericksburg, making an appointment to meet the former, which, of course, I did not keep. Arri- ving in Fredericksburg, I made three or four ineffectual at- tempts to get into the country, and finally, by the aid of a negro, crossed the Rappahannock one morning four miles be low the city. To reach the Potomac would tax all my pow- ers to the utmost, but the case was desperate and I must go forward. As, when entering upon my Southern tour, it waa indispensable to success that I should even among friends be incog., so now I must return with the precious epistles in my pocket, through the Confederate lines, on my own account, having only the chances of escape which any wanderer at large might have. My face was toward Washington, and the only question remaining was, whether the success in the attempt to reach it would equal that of my journey to Richmond. The Potomac was the goal of my solitary travel through forest and over open fields ; for on its northern banks lay the Union Arm}, and, once across its waters, I was safe. My appearance was that of a common citizen, and I hoped to pass unnoticed any persons with whom a meeting was un- avoidable. Scarcely two miles were traveled, when, by the side of woods which bordered the road, an officer and soldier on horseback appeared, and too near to give me time to seek concealment in the forest. A SLEEPY GUARD. 67 Tlie officer reined up before me, and inquired : " Have you got a pass, sir:" "Yes, sir." " Let me see it." With the promptness of assurance, I drew forth and banded him the pass from Richmond to Fredericksburg, if able to read, I hoped he might be satisfied with a glance at the paper, and let me proceed. He studied it awhile, till his eye caught the word " Fredericksburg ;" he then said : — " I don't think this will do, sir I" '"TisaU right." " Well, it may be, but you'll have to go back with me to Fredericksburg.' ' My locomotion had not been observed, and, with a pitiful limp, I remarked that it was hard for a lame man to be com- pelled to walk that distance ; and that, if I attempted it, I must necessarily defer my journey till another day. I made a painful effort to walk, and so far moved the compassion of the officer, that he offered to take the pass to the command- ing general, and leave me in charge of the soldier. When be was gone, after a little pleasant conversation, the day being warm, 1 proposed to my guard that we go into the shade of the woods. Tying his horse to a small tree, he threw himself down on the grass. Half an hour was spent in pleasant chat, and the officer did not make his appear ance. "Ugh!" said the guard stretching, "How sleepy I am, I didn't sleep a wink last night." This fact, with the inviting greensward and shade, dis- posed him to snatch a nap ; and soon he was oblivious to everything around him. It was no pleasure to me to subject bim to punishment or even censure on my account; but tlie law of self-protection necessarily overruled my regard for the unwatchful guard, and, carefully appropriating hia revolver, I unloosed and mounted his horse. Riding leisurely along the path a short time, I turned suddenly into the woods ; but the ground was rough, and the bushes almost impenetrable, making progress distressingly slow. As the 8un was sinking behind the trees, having traveled half a dozen miles, I emerged into a clearing, where a white-haired S8 CTNITED STATES SECRET SERVIOK old man, who evidently had reached his threescore years and :en, was making shingles. With a respectful salutation, I inquired : " Will you tell me the shortest road to the Potomac ?" This Southern patriarch looked at me with surprise. I said again : " The river — the Potomac river — which way is it V* *' I never heard of it in my life." *' How long have you lived here ?'* "Always; was born here." " And don't know where the Potomac river is ?" *' I never heard about such a river." He was equally ignorant of the existence of Aquia Creek, 01 any of the streams or places along the river. " Did you know that the South had seceded ?" I inquired. "Well, Avell I Tve heard suthing was going on, but ]i ain't taken much interest in politics no how since Jackson's time. 'SpDse they are all the time getting up suthing new.' With a cup of water from the unsuspecting Jacksonian democrat, who was enjoying Cowper's lodge in the wilder- ness, undisturbed by the alarms of war, I rode away, to try the next turn in the wheel of fortune. At length a house was visible in the distance, and toward it I directed my course. Dismounting near it, I hitched my horse, and commenced observations. Two negroes only were in sight, in an out- house. I went to them with a plausible story, and for ten cents obtained some bread and milk, which broke the day's fast, with refreshment for the night's adventure before me. Darkness was setting upon the forest, and, unable to discern .he mire and stones ahead, I became entangled among the brancires, and found I must abandon my horse, and plunge jito the thicket alone. After wandering about bewildered or an hour, I unconsciously returned to the very house 1 lad left. I decided to risk a rest here till morning, and vorking my body feet foremost under a haystack, until com- )letely hidden, fell into a sound sleep. Just before the lawn of the next day, I was startled from slumber, and, lis- ening, soon learned that rebel cavalry were in search of me, iud had surrounded the house. A dozen horsemen could b€ A BRIGHT IRISHMAN. (j\. freen through the lattice-work of hay, moving about in the darkness. From the dwelling they went to the outhouses, and linally came to the haystack. I prepared for the worst. With my head thinly covered, I could watch my foes, unseen by them ; while my revolver lay before me. If discovered, I resolved to shoot the successful man, and run for dear life toward the woods. Several times the cavalry rode around the stack ; then one of the number, dismounting, began a Bword examination of my lodgings. 1 could hear the thrust of the blade into the hay, until it grazed my coat, and 1 grasped my six-shooter to spring ; but he passed on, saying : " He ain't in there, boys." Remounting, with his comrades, he rode off. AYatching them till out of sight, I crept cautiously into the deepening light, and started for the woods. The sun rose gloriously over the near horizon ; but whether to light me toward safety or capture, was entirely uncertain. Without breakfast or dinner, I hastened on, having not even a glimpse of a human being, and avoiding every indica- tion of his habitation. At two o'clock in the afternoon, when emerging from a clump of bushes, I came in full view of a man hauling timber. I could not retreat, and, changing the coat hanging on one arm to the other, I put my hand on my pocket, and stood in thinking posture. I saw that I had an Irishman to deal with, and not a remarkably bright sped- man of his race. With the air of one interested, 1 asked : " What is this timber for ?" "It's fur the batthery down here, in course." This answer settled the question of the proximity of the Potomac, and also apprised me that fortifications and plenty of rebels were not far off. I walked along a stick of timber, measuring it by paces, and then said : " Tell these men they are getting this timber four feet too short, will you?" " Yes, sur, I will sur. It's only haulin, I am, mesolf." " Well," I replied, leaving him, "tell them to cut it four feet longer, will you ? Tell them I say so." "I will, sur." Into the woods again, and, making as good time as pos' 70 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. •fiible, I walked on two hours longer. Hunger began to :gnaw, and create that desperation which disregards tlie cooler prudence of a full stomach. Striking a small creek or ba\'ou, •running into the Potomac, I resolved to follow it till it de- cided my fortunes for the night. No sign of anything in Teach to appease hunger appeared, nor of a boat in which to get across the river. The very first sight of human existence was in a form to excite fear — a white tent, snugly pitched on the sloping point of a hill, by the water-side, and surrounded with bushes. 1 paused to watch for further iu- 'timations of what was there. At length a soldier came up the bank with fish, and en- tered the tent. Soon after, with another man, he reappeared outside, and they sat doAvn, lighted their pipes, and chatted, after the fashion of good-natured Dutchmen. The imperious demands of hunger urged me to join them, and, advancing, I accosted them. It turned out that they belonged to a bat tery on the hill above, and had moved to the bank to catch fish for the officers. I told them I lived up the creek, and •had come down to see how things were getting on ; then in- quired : " Have you got an3'thing to eat in the tent ?" "We got not much here to eat." *' Boys, I am very hungry. I hain't had anything to eat since I came from home, and Fll pay you for something." " Veil, dat ish tifferent matter. If you pays, dat ish tlf- ferent matter." " Can't you cook some fish ?" " Oh, ersli, I spose we get you some fish." In a few minutes they set before me a supper simply of fish, cooked in their primitive style, and yet no luxury wag ever so grateful to the taste. After it was finished, I asked /or a pipe, and began to puff away, entirely at home ; but all the while revolving in my mind the chances and expedi ents for a final parting with my Dutch friends. Finally, my eye fell upon a small boat lying in the bushes below ; and the conviction followed the discovery, that it was my only hope of ci'ossing the Potomac. Learning that the fishermen wned it, I said to them : '• I want to buy that boat. What will yon take for it f A NIGHT OF DITFICULTIES. 71 "I no sells dat poat," replied one. " I'll give you twenty dollars for it, in gold." "It's worth more as that to us. The Yankees ish break- ing up all poats on the Potomac." There was an end to the prospect of a purchase ; and a new plan must be devised. The sun sank behind the trees, and in the pleasant shade we smoked and talked away the hours. I found, in the course of conversation, that the battel y was not over two hundred yards from us, and the Potomac few rods below. The evening advanced, and I begged the privilege of sleeping in the tent, as I was too tired to think of returning home before morning. Permission was reluctantly granted ; and, spreading their blanket, they " turned in," while I con- tinued without, smoking, till the moon rose. I had practical business on hand, which excluded contemplation of the romantic scene — the silver light tipping and then flooding the hills, and creeping down to the quiet spot of anxious wake- fulness. For the illumination was lo aid me in my design to escape. I could now watch the movements of my compan- ions in the tent sufficiently to see when they were apparently asleep, depending on the ear for the further evidence of the desirable fact. When all was still, indicating profound slumber, suddenly a change of position, a grunt, and a look outside, would dispel the illusion. Toward midnight, I heard a shout : " Hello, there 1 you come to ped to-night ?" " Yes, I am coming in." Soon after entering the tent, I found that room for me had been left between the men, and the effort to get on an outer edge of the blanket was fruitless. A suspicion evidently crossed the mind of the one who had just spoken to me, respecting the stranger, and there wag a design to guard against any unpleasant results from the visit. The day's fatigue made my own inclination to sleep al- most irresistible ; but I watched anxiously for the favoring moment to leave the bed unobserved. Repeated trials found the distrustful soldier suflBciently wakeful to look after hia i^est. Overcome by the slumberous influences of fatie^ue. 72 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. my comfortable quarters, and the "stilly night," I sank into a restless repose. Scarcely an hour had passed, when I sud- denly awoke, starting with alann lest tlie opportunity to escape was lost. On the contrary, I found my companions were thoroughly asleep, their loud breatliing the only sign of life. I carefully crawled from between them, till half my body was out of the tent. The suspicious man, with a sound of unrest, turned over. I remained perfectly still till he made another turn and stretched out his arm to see if all was right in the middle. I drew back to my old place, and he laid his hand upon me several times, before he seemed satis- tied that I was there. Several attempts to leave the tent ended in a similar failure. Daylight began to steal into the tent, and the night of suspense must end in some decisive effort to secure the boat and cross the Potomac. The soldier- fishermen were sleeping quite as soundly as at any time before, and in another moment I stood before the door watch- ing the effect of ray movement, Tliere was a little stir, and I stood mechanically poking the embers of our evening fire, as if looking out to see the breaking day ; but with my pistol in one hand ready for service. Returning it to my pocket muzzle down, I hastened to the bank. To my great disap- pointment, there were no oars in the boat. Upon making search among the willows, I found a short one, partially de- cayed. Noiselessly as possible I launched the frail bark, fearing each sound on the sand or in the water would bring my Dutch friends down the bank. In a few moments, which suspense made oppressively long, I floated away into the stream, at this point, not over thirty feet in width. Taking the middle of the current, I pulled off my coat, and began to row for life. The tide favored me, and I was congratulat- ing myself upon the prospect of an unmolested voyage wiien a shout drew my attention to the vigilant Dutchman, U'hose gesticulations could not be misunderstood. He called loudly to his bedfellow : " Meyer 1 Meyer 1 the poat ish gone ! the poat ish gone !" He seized his musket and made for the bank, not more than a dozen feet from me, shouting : " Come pack liere ! Come pack mit that poat !" My only answer was a more vigorous use of the oar CROSSING THE POTOMAC. 73 Placing my riglit hand upon the pistol, and watching the soldier, I propelled the boat with my left. "Come pack!" he continued, following me along the bank. He then paused, leveled his musket, and was about to tire. I did not want to kill "mine host," but the law of self defense again demanded a sacrifice. With quick and Budden aim, I fired — with a cry of distress, he staggered and fell lifeless beside his musket. His comrade was running down the hill, when, seeing what had happened, he turned back to the tent. He soon returned with a double-barreled shot gun, and stole along cautiously, through the bushes, till within forty yards of the boat, and then fii-ed. The shot fell around me, in the water. Catching a glimpse of my enemy in the thicket, I discharged my revolver. He ran away, evi- dently unhurt. The reports had given the alarm, and several soldiers soon came in sight. An instant later, a bullet whistled over my shoulder. I had reached the decisive mo- ments of my last effort to get out of " Dixie." Again getting sight of the Dutchman in the bushes, I once more took de liberate aim and fired. He threw up one arm, gave a yell, and fell to the ground. In a moment he rose again, and, groaning, staggered away. Then two or three shots saluted me unceremoniously, striking and splintering the side of the boat. I was now at the mouth of the creek, and rapidly left the shore behind me. A equad of soldiers, by this time, stood on the brow and at the base of the hill, firing their muskets. The cling of the bullets in the water reminded me that my transit to loyal soil was not yet certain. Both hands were laid to the oar, and, striking the broad current of the Potomac, which was here four miles wide, 1 rapidly receded from musket range. A high wind swept the waters, and, while rounding a blufl', a sudden gust carried away my hat, and lifted my coat lying in the bow of the boat, dropping it into the river. But it was no time to look backward to those ar- ticles of apparel, floating between me and my foes, whose bullets still came unpleasantly near. Their shots continued until they fell far in the wake of my boat. The sun had risen above the horizon, warm and bright, while, for two hours and a half, I worked with a single oar, and, aided by the drifting tide, approached the Maryland shore. With au 74 tJNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. inexpressible sense of relief, I heard the boat's bow toncn the sand. I was near Chapel Point, ten miles below the creek on which I embarked, and so exhausted, that with dif- ficulty I reached the bunk. On its green carpet, and under the cooling shade of its trees, I laid down to rest, leaving Vim boat to which I owed my deliverance to the win da and «v'a7es of the Potomac. CHAPTER III. NORTDERN EXPERIENCED AS CONFEDERATE AGENT. Hospitalities h} he way — The Report to General Scott — Operations in Baltimore— The Janus-facod Unioniat "X rich Development in Phila'lelphia — The Arrosts— Anusing Prison Scene. Kefreshed "by an Hour of rest sufficiently to renew my ,^onrney toAvard Washington, I soon came to a small and poor habitation, in whose door stood a coarse and dirty femahi. I asked her for soinetliing to eat. "I have nothing to spare : can't give you a mouthful." Whether meanness, destitution, or my dilapidated ajv pearance were the exciting cause of her rudeness, I can not tell. But to my plea for a crust, or inquiries where I might find even a partial supply of the lost apparel., she closed the door in my face. I wandered on, a solitary country mock- ing my hunger. Toward noon a noble mansion, surrounded by a large plantation, arrested my eye, and on its porch an elderly woman sitting alone amid the rural quiet. Entering the gate, I approached her with a morning salutation. Slie returned it, with a suspicious glance at my unusual appear- ance. I inquired : " Can I get a drink of water here, madam ?" "Certainly," calling a colored girl to bring it. The roar of the cannon at Mattliias Point, where the rebels were practicing with the battery, could be distinctly heard. I said : " We are getting ready for the Yankees there pretty fast." " Yes." *'They won't be able to sail np and down the river much more " " No, that they won't." The peculiar animation with which she made this replj 75 76 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. B]it>w*vJ me that T liad not mistaken lior nliaractHT. \Yliile 1 was driiikiug, she inquired from what ])lace I liad come. I told her from Richmond, to s«^e what the Yankees were doing, and report to Jeff. Davis and Beauregard. Slie tlien Inquired liow I lost my hat and coat. 1 told her tliey were blown ofT while crossing the river, and that I had just left the shore, with nothing tc t.at since the night before. "Our dinner will be ready soon," she said, "and 1 shall be very glad to have you stay and dine with us." The invitation was acce])ted, acd extra j)reparation made for me. An excellent meal, many ir.quiries from my hostess concerning the progress of the "holy cause," and predic- tions of its speedy triumph followed. When I was ready to leave, she supplied me with a second-hand hat and coat, and, with a cordial good-bye, expressed the hope that I should be prospered in my good work, and do much for the independ- ence of the South. AVith no incidents of remarkable interest, I passed through the counties of Maryland, reaching Washington ifter an absence of three eventful weeks. I at once reported to General Scott, giving him all the in- formation desired respecting Manassas, Fredericksburg, and Richmond, the resources and plans of the rebel chiefs, and the blockade running of the Potomac. He read, with a smile, the letters from the Confederate Government, when I expressed my design to use them in tracking northern traitors in their treasonable alliance with the South. Expressing his gratification, he recommended my name to Mr. Cameron for permanent service as a secret agent of the War Department. I commenced, without delay, ferreting out these sympa- thizers with secession. Two brothers named A., one of them wifhin the rebel lines, were engaged in sui)plying munitions of war to the Confederacy. The apparently loyal man who lived in Baltimore had a contract to furnish the regiment of Col. , then on the Poto- mac, with forage. He owned a small vessel on the river, whose captain shared with him the profits of their secret treachery. Filling the hold with small-arms, ammunition, and other light m-aieriel of war, they were covered with hay THE VISIT TO BALTIMORE. 77 and oats for the Union troops. Upon reaching Mattliiaa Point, the captain signaled A., who was watching for hira, and the contraband goods were hmded, when the vessel pro- ceeded to Washington with its light freight of forage. This p.hrewd operation had been carried on a considerable time, with no suspicion attaching to the Baltimore brother from his loyal neighbors, of the illegitimate trafhc. I proceeded to Barnnm's Hotel in Baltimore, and dis- patched a note to A., informing him that Mr. Munson, from Kichmond, would like to see him, and designating a time for our interview. A. promptly called. He entered the room, when the following conversation passed between us. "This is Mr. A., I presume." "Yes, sir." " I am glad to see you, sir. Take a seat." A. sat down. " Mr. A., I am a man of very few words. I came here on business, and I want to get through with it as soon as I can conveniently. I am an agent of the Confederate Government. I understand that you are willing to help us, and have been doing so. I want to purchase goods, and I have the gold to pay for them." A., who was a short, impulsive man, with a German ac- cent, was thrown entirely off his guard. " Fm your man. I'm just the person you ought to have come to. I help the South, and I make a little money out of the North. I'll show you how easy it is." From his coat pocket he drew an envelope, containing two contracts — one of them to send goods to Richmond, and the other to furnish a Union regiment with certain su])pli('8. His eye twinkled with delight, while he watched my perusal of the documents. The delivery of the goods was a subject of considerable discussion, and A. was very particular iu his inquiries about the pay. I replied : — "Mr. A., 1 do not come here to make money out of my government. 1 came here purely from patriotic motives. While I am willing to pay you a fair percentage on any goods you may buy, and a liberal allowance for your services, I ol course can not submit to any extortion, or to any exor 78 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. bitant charges. I am working for tlie interests of my people. I, myself, do not want to make a cent out of this business." "That is all right — it is honorable and patriotic. But it is not safe to buy the goods here, because men in this trade have been detected, and the police watch us all the time. We can do better in Philadelphia, where 1 have fiienda to help us." ^Ve agreed to start in the 4:20 train the same afternoon for Philadelphia. While standing in the depot waiting for the train, talking with A., I saw Senator McDougal, whom I had known in California, and George Wilkes, coming towaid me. I tried in vain to avoid their recognition, but McDougal, taking my arm, exclaimed : "Why, how d'ye do. Baker?" With a look of strange surprise, I said : "You've got the advantage of me, sir. I don't know you." "Well, that's a good joke," replied McDougal, laughing. "It may be, but I don't know you, sir. My name is Munson." Suddenly McDougal seemed to fathom the mystery suffi- ciently to relieve me of farther embarrassment, by remark- ing, as he turned away : "Well, upon my soul, I believe I am mistaken. Excuse me, sir; you look very much lil^e a friend of mine." The incident made but slight if any impression upon the mind of A., for he made no allusion to it during the ride to Philadel- phia. I stopped at the American Hotel, when A. left me to find B., who was connected with a large hardware house in the city, and bring him to the hotel. I^Ieanwhile, by a cir- cuitous route, I reached the headquarters of the police and had an interview with Ben. Franklin, the chief of the depart- ment. Acquainting him thoroughly with the business in hand, his assistance was secured to make the arrests at the proper time. E.Q suggested that it might be well to have the conference with my disloyal friends. To this I assent- ed, and, accompanying me to the hotel, he was concealed under the bed. Soon after A. and B. entered — the lat ter a kali, gaunt, shrewd, and taciturn man. A. opened the con- FRANKLm UNDER THE BED. 79 7erbation, and talked on, wliile B. stroked his whiskers and said nothing. I repeated the assurance that my object was to serve the South and not speculation. I urged the risk of delay in completing my arrangements, as a reason for prompt action. In conclusion, I remarked to B. : "I learn from Mr. A. that you are friendly to our people and willing to assist lis." " Yes, sir, my sympathies are with the South, and possi- bly I may be able to aid you." B. desired to know the kind of goods that were needed, d.nd repeated the assurance that Philadelphia was a safer place than Baltimore or New York for the purchase of them. I then produced my letters, which B. read carefully and with evident satisfaction ; but preferred to defer any further negotiations for the present. As he rose to leave, he requested me to call at his place of business that afternoon. A. re- mained and suggested another gentleman, who would be glad to take hold of the business — a Mr. C, of Commerce Street. I gratefully accepted the proposal, and we left the room, releasing Franklin from his close confinement under the bed. We found C. in his office, but disinclined to talk. He inquired where I stopped, and I returned to the hotel. Shortly after, C. made his appearance and commenced con- versation in a very confidential way. He went for the South, but did not like A., who, he affirmed, was simply a money- making Jew. I told him I knew nothing of A., but sup- posed him to be a reliable friend of our cause. The result of the interview was a plan to keep A. interested in the transaction, but ignorant of its most important particulars. In the afternoon I called upon Mr. B., whose confidence was now unreserved, and stated to him my conversation with C. Lie then said : "Now, Mr. Munson, you and I are actuated by the same motives in this thing. These men, A. and C, are engaged in it simply for the percentage they can make. I think you had better get rid of them." I replied, that this could not well be done, but that 1 might withhold any further information than was absolutely necessary. The conversation closed with an invitation to dine with 80 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVIOE. hira that afternoon. I expressed a fear that it would give offense to A., if I should go alone. "Well," said B., "You had better bring him along." I went with A., at the appointed hour, aud sat down to a sumptuous dinner. Wine was abundant, and the health of Davis, Beauregard, and other leading rebels was not forgot- ten. B. became exhilarated, and his secession songs were sung so loudly that we were obliged to hint that possibly ha might be heard in the streets. The party broke up at a late hour in fine spirits. I made arrangements with one of the banks by which I would appear to have plenty of money at my command. I went to a tinner' s and had several canvas bags full of pieces of zinc cut the size of gold coin, and these were deposited in the vaiUts. I began to make my purchases. I bought two hundred thousand cannon-primers, two hun- dred Colt's revolvers, a million friction caps, and other simi- lar goods. I also ascertained that these parties were carry ing on systematically contraband trade with the South. Franklin, Chief of Police, was informed of my operations, and we concluded it was time to begin making arrests. On a subsequent day, having an invitation to dine with A. at the house of B., I told Franklin to watch us when we came away, and if, when we were opposite the City Hall, I raised my hand, he was to arrest them — otherwise to make no de- monstration. As we stepped from the house into a street car, Franklin got on to the platform. When the designated point was reached, A. got off first, and I immediately gave the signal. Franklin, lajdug his hand upon A.'s shoulder, said : "I want you, sir." I was making off across the ^itreet, when Franklin shouted: "Here, sir, I want you, too." I, of course, returned, looking somewhat alarmed. Said Franklin : "You will have to come with me, gentlemen, I have a little private business with you." A. and myself were soon in the station-house together. Franklin, turning to me, remarked : " I've been looking after you, sir, for some time. Yoxu TWO ARRESTS, 81 name is Mungon, isn't it? You came here from tlie South to buy goods, didn't you? You were very bold about it ; a little too bold, as you have just discovered. I've been looking after you, too, A. You're a Baltimorean, ain't you ? You came here to get rebel supplies, too, didn't you? I shall have to search you both." We were searched, and, of course, the two contracts to supply both the rebel and Union troops were found in A.' a possession. "Take this man to the Sixth Precinct station-house, and lock him up by himself," said Franklin to an ofBcer, "and then come back after this man," pointing to me. " Now, Ben," I said, when A. had gone, " we must gob- ble up those other two men the best way we can, as soon aa possible." "All right," said Franklin. I had an appointment to meet C. the next morning, to ox amine some caps which he had received from New York. AVhen we met according to this arrangement, C. inquired for A. I replied : " He got a dispatch that his brother was in Baltimore, and he has gone on to see him. He will be back to-mor row." The caps were satisfactory, but C. stated that he must go to New York, to get some telegraphic material, which he v/as to furnish — some small wires to wind the battery, and asked me if I could not advance money. " I haven't any with me now, but, if you will meet me at the corner of Third and Market Streets, at half-past one, I can let you have some, and you will be in time then to get the two o'clock train for New York." I left and went to Franklin's office, requesting him to ar- rest us when we met on the corner. C. and myself arrived a little before the time, and 1 made some preliminary conver- sation on that account. At the moment he was anticipating the transfer of the funds, Franklin came up, and suspended operations by saying : " I am the chief of police here, and I want you two gen Uemen." 82 UNITED STATES SECRET SERYIOE. C. langhed, and said : *' I guess you don't know wlio I am." "Oh, yes, I do, and I know this other man, too. He's a blockade runner, from Richmond, and you're not much better." AVe went to a station-honse, and Franklin apparently searched me, while another officer attended to C. He was then taken to the Sixth Precinct station-house, and locked in a cell by himself. B. only remained to be arrested. But he was the most important one of the number, and Marshal Milwood, of tliat district, was to assist in his arrest. I called on Mr. B., who Baid : " I think we have both got abont tired of A. and C, and T think you had better meet me to-morrow, and bring fliem with you, so that we can settle up with them, pay them their commission, and tell them that you have bought all you re- quire. Then we can go into New York, to-morrow, in the two o'clock train, and make arrangements for all the goods you want, without the heavy commission you are obliged to pay them." I promised to come to his office, at twelve o'clock, the next day. Franklin and Marshal Milwood were duly in- formed of this appointment. Mr. B.'s store was in a long, narrow building, and in the rear were two or three small offices, with desks for writing. I was with Afr. B. in one of these. After the usual salutations, B. asked : "Where are A. and C?" "They are running about town, somewhere. I didn't want to bring them here. I will»sit down and write them a letter, stating that my business is nearly done in Philadel- phia, and that I am about to leave." Mr. B. furnished me with paper, and I took a seat at one of the desks, to write. The time passed on, and I became restless, for Franklin and Milwood should already have ar- rived. If they should fail me, I thought I should be in a very disagreeable dilemma, having promised to go with B. to New York THE LAST ARREST OF THE TRIO. 83 T was thus meditating, wlien I heard two men coming down the store from the front. In a moment more Marshal Mllwood — a large, strong man, with a gold-headed caue and a gold badge — entered the next office, and said : "Is this Mr. B.?" "That is my name, sir," responded R " I am the tjnited States marshal of this district, and I ar rest you, sir." B. turned pale. Meanwhile, Franklin, who had also entered, turned and said : "Here's another man that we want. This is that man Munson." I tore off the paper I had written, and commenced rolling it up, as though secretly. Taking my black silk hat in my hand, I quietly put the paper under the leather lining inside, and placed the hat on my head. B. was watching me, and conjectured that I had written something in the letter which could criminate them. If he had any doubt before that I was what I represented myself to be, this action would have re- moved his suspicions. " I gupss you are mistaken, gentlemen," said I. "Oh, no, not at all," said Franklin ; "you can't fool us. You are the man that came here from the South, to buy goods. Let me see the letter you were writing." " I haven t written any letter," said I. "Oh, nont? of that!" said Franklin, knocking my hat from my head as roughly as though lie had been in earnest. " You thought f didu'tsee that little sleight-of-hand perform- ance, didn't yon?" he continued, taking the paper from the hat. lie read it, and handed it to Milwood B was walking up and down, stroking his beard, having regained his comoosure. " We want both of you," said Mllwood. " Mr. Marshal," said B., "I think you are entirely too fast in ttiio matter. I am an old citizen here, well known, and a partner in thia house. This gentleman is from the South, it is true. He in- quired me out and visited me, but I cannot believe he is here for any improper purpose. So far as I am concerned I shall be able to show who and what I am very easily." 84 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. B, was searched, and quite important papers for evidence were found on iiim. He was then sent to the Sixth Precinct station-house. That evi>ning Marshal Milwood, Ben. Franklin, and I, went down to see the prisoners, I keeping carefully out of their siirh*:. "Let us see what they will say to each other,*" said one of the party. An officer took A. into C.'s room. " My G— d ! what are you doing here?" exclaimed A. "I)(Miig here?" answered C, angrily. " I'm arrested.'' •' Why, when were you arrested ?" " I was standing on the corner of Market and Third Streets with Munson, and Ben. P'ranklin took us both." "My G — d, I was arrested witli Munson," said A. " You can't play tliat on me. You're a Jew, and it's you wlio have brouglit all this trouble on me." A. was enraged at this, and conversation followed of the rougliest sort. AV'lien tile excitement subsided, B. was put into the same room with them, Milwood, Franklin, and myself, still out of Bight, listening. "My G — d, B., you arrested too?" said A. B. stroked his whiskers and looked sternly. "I understand it all," said he. "You are two scoun- drels, and one or the other of you either betrayed this matter or let it out by your cursed carelessness. I believe A,, that that you came from Baltimore with Munson to beat him out of his money and get him arrested." They abused each other for nearly an hour, and A. wanted to fight the rest. Each declared that he was arrested with Munson, and not one would believe a word the othei said. "Come, you're making too much noise," said the officer, finally. "We'll have to separate you again." Early *i the morning they were taken to a prison out of town, and in the afternoor Milwood and Franklin went with me to visit them again. 1 was put into a cell, and A. brought and locked in with me. " Mein Got, Munson, what a troubles this is!" said A., bis German accent more noticeable in his dejection. " Meiu THE PEISON SCENE. 85 Gut, when we got out of that cars and that man Franklin came up, I thought I should have died. And B. and C. are arrested too." " Well, we're all in the same boat," said I ; " I suppose they'll hang me." In a short time A. was told to come out and get his din- ner, and B. was locked in with me; I putting on the aspect of chief mourner over our fate. " Well, I'm sorry for you, Munson," said B. " I suppose my friends will have me out this afternoon or to-morrow, and if I can do anything for you I shall be glad to. I never liked that Jew, and I am convinced that this is all his doing." After a while B. was removed, and C. put in the cell. He came in with a knowing leer on his face. He had suspected the truth. "I'm glad to see you, Munson," said he; "that was a splendid thing we played on them fellows, wasn't it? Oh, that's the way to catch them!" " What do you mean?" said I. " Why, I knew who you were all the time. You couldn't fool me; I wanted to help you catch the scoundrels." " Who do you think I am?" " You are a detective from Washington. I knew you well enough. I was just going up to Marshal Milwood, to tell him what we had done." " C, it is too late to tell that story now. It won't do." A statement of the cases was forwarded to Washington and A., B. and C. were sent to Fort Warren. A., probably from the excitement and mortih^ation attending his arrest and imprisonment, became insane, and was sent to Black well's Island, and afterward to the asylum near Baltimore, where he still remains. Before A. left, in a fit of passion, ho struck C. in the face, breaking his nose. B. and C. were re- leased on bail for trial. A leading New York daily paper contained the very correct account of the case as quoted below : — " The most important arrests that have been made during the rebellion came to light in this city to-day. Most oi 86 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. those previously incarcerated in Fort Lafayette had been devoting their influences to treason ; but the parties here arrested were contributing arms and munitions of war daily, bribing officers of the United States Array to further tlieir designs, and had organized a system of treason so skill- ful and so complete, that only after the utmost vigilance, and when the detectives had tested all means to entrap and decoy them, the full proofs came to light. "The names of these men are J. M. H., F. W., and W. G. — H. is a Baltimore Israelite, whose business is the making of military trimmings, epaulettes, sword-handles, &'}. lie had obtained a hay contract from the United States Govern- ment, to more effectually conceal his plans, and Avas armed with numerous letters from Federal functionaries, that he intended to produce in emergencies. This man conducted contraband trade from Baltimore until General Dix and the provost-marshal showed him up. He was first observed in this wise : — A package, containing several thousand fi-ic- tion tubes and cannon-primers, had been left at Adams's Kxpress office in this city, addressed to a well-knoAvn linn n Baltimore. Being threatened with arrest, the latter fijin confessed that they were the agents of J. M. 11., and it was further educed that the same was shipped under a fictitious name by W. G. "Detective Benjamin Franklin, a sagacious and fertile Philadelphia officer, now determined to seduce II. to this city ; for which purpose he resorted to certain ingenious means, not now ripe for publication. Convinced that heavy orders awaited him hei-e, and that Philadelphia was iess under espionage than Baltimore, II. came on. A cele- brated Lincoln detective now took part in the matter, and tlie means by which they inveigled all the parties consti- tute the richest item in the history of criminal surveillance The Israelite was so played upon that he is not yet aware of the enemies who ruined him, and when the matter was ripe the whole party were taken up, their goods and papers seized, and they are now in Fort Lafayette, having gone forward on Sunday night. "W. G. is a razor and cutlery importer, whose estab- lishment is situated at Fifth and Commerce Streets. Ee THE HAY OONTKACT. «7 has never taken the oath of allegiance, being an Klnglislimau. His game was to pretend himself a Federal agent until the worst came, when he was to claim the privileges of a British subject. In his establishment were found surgical instru- ments, caps, pistols, bowie-knives, &c., ])acked and di- rected to go southward. The property amounts to $1(),0()(? in value. " F. W. is a Virginian, formerly in partnership wilh C. B. C, 205 North Water Street, lie has always been a rabid traitor, and his wife has been six times to Rich- mond and back within as many weeks, taking ea(;h time trunks heavily filled with weapons and goods contraband. She passed our lines by bribing an officer of the army, who obtained passes for the purpose. Said officer lias been ar rested, and will probably be shot. At W.'s house an extensive correspondence with parses in the South was found, and his complicity with the rebels was proved by his papers, even in the absence of any other evidence. Among other articles seized, there was a pair of epau- lettes, mai'ked with the name of Captain R., an officer in the rebel army. There were also a photographic group of worthies, of which \V. was the center. A gentleman, who is familiar with the likenesses, says that they repro pent Captain R., Captain J. A. C, Lieutenant C. D. F., of Georgia, and B., mayor of Savannah, all decided rebels. "The hay contract in which H. was engaged was to have been worked to good advantage Two vessels, one loaded with bales of hay, and the other with bales containing war munitions, were to have been dispatched up the Potomac, and at Aquia Creek, at a given signal, the bogus hay would have been run under the Rebel batteries. All this wap proved by seized letters, and also the fact that the late cap tures of Federal sloops and small craft by the Rebels, off the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers, were the work of iesign and not of accident, the same containing contraband natters. New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore mer- chants are thus implicated, and the proofs are too plain and startling to be set aside. These three men were leagued together, and among their several correspondence were lat* 88 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. letters from Rebel contractors, acknowledging the receipt of pistols and side-arms. "After being arrested, they were shifted from station houses to prison, being one night taken out of town to stave off judicial decisions, writs of habeas corpus, &e. Finally, on Sunday, Marshals Jenkins and Steele drove them to the New York boat — W. defiant, G. cowed and sullen, and the Israelite trembling like a leaf. '* A part of the correspondence implicating tliem was obtained from the wife of a lieutenant in the Federal aniiy, who had been rather delicately implicated with N. 11. ^V., now in Fort Lafayette. She has been arrested in Newark, New Jersey, where she resides. " The Government decoy who assisted detective Frank- lin in these labors is said to be a daring Californian, full of nerve and fertile in expedients, who has been twice in Charleston and thrice in Richmond since the battle of Bull Run. Ilis manner of making the arrest cannot now be dis- closed, although it rivals in interest and danger the exploit^ of ^he best Bow Street officers." CHAPTER IV. THKASON AND TRAITORS AT THE NORTH. Baltimore — The Detectiye Service and the Arrest of the Maryland Legi»^«are — The Refugee and the Spy — The Pursuit and the Capture — Traitors at Niagara Falls- Acquaintance with them — The Arrest — In Fort Lafayette. Of all places north of Mason and Dixon's line, Baltimore had the pre-eminence in the early development of treason, and its defiant audacity. It is doubtful whether any other city furnished as largely and promptly for the rebel army the Bons of aristocratic families. Here originated, practically, armed resistance to the Government. The blood of the Massachusetts Sixth was the first martyr- blood of the war, and it stained the pavements of Baltimore. From that city was sent the first expedition to destroy a rail- road — that to Gunpowder River. Whatever Baltimore may have done since to redeem her name from treason's darkest hue, at the beginning of the civU f onflict it was a hot-bed of crime, and its manifold products served well the garner of all its harvest — Richmond. To make the most of the information obtained in Rich- mond, and of my letters from the authorities, I sought the acquaintance of leading secessionists, and was soon on excel- lent terms with them ; indeed, I was admitted into their secret councils. This was more readily done at this time, when any representative of the South was cordially welcomed to thcj traitorous circles of that city. And my commission from tho Confederate government gave me distinction among th-j friends of the revolt. So determined and persistent were the people in theii opposition to the Government, that a well-devised and deeply-laid plan was nearly consummated to carry the Statf out of the Union and to link its destinies with the South 8£ •90 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. 'This wats to be accomplished through the secret assembling of the Legislature of Maryland. So dark, disloyal, and un- known to the public had been the meetings of this Legisla- ture, that none (or very few) of the most prominent rebels were apprised of its movements. As a confidential and trusted friend of the authorities at Richmond, there could be no objection to revealing to me the plot. At many of the private meetings which I was invited to attend, I was shocked and amazed at the cool and deliberate ' manner in which they declared their intentions to meet at Frederick, pass the ordinance of secession, and by it make and proclaim Maryland a Confederate State. These facts, as fast as tliey were obtained, were forwarded to Washington. The rebel legislators arrived in Frederick, in accordance with a previous understanding, at different times, and from various directions, to avoid suspicion in loyal minds as to •their real object. This was about the middle of September, 186L Tliose tliat did reach Frederick were quietly arrested, and others en route, or just ready to leave Baltimore to meet •tlieir fellow-conspirators, were taken with so little demonstra- tion, scarcely any one of the number knew of the arrest of •his fellow-traitor. The prompt action taken by the Government and its im- portance, I believe, have never been appreciated by the people of the loyal State? It is startling to contemplate for a moment the result which must have followed the vote of this body of treason- able men. It would have been taken at once as the signal for the immediate organization of a large rebel force in the State; afid, instead of Washington having been tiie capital of the Union in the civil war, it would have been the capital of the Confederacy. Instead of the Potomac river being the picket line be- tween the hostile armies, that line would probably have l)eeD somewhere on the borders of Pennsylvania. Whatever may be the estimate put upon the military or civil fitatus of Benjamin F. Butler, to his energy, courage^ and executive power in an emergency, the country is indebted for the position which Maryland occupied during the war TTTE REFUGEE AND THE FEMALE SPY. 91 Had lie faltered on his arrival in the State, or even hesitated a moment, Maryland would have been a Confederate State. Had he done nothing more, the country would have owed General Butler a lasting debt of gratitude. September 28, 18C1, while stoi)ping at French's Hotel, in New York, I made the acquaintance of Mr. C, the book- keeper. Having had occasion to make inquiries of the char- acter of his guests, I was compelled to disclose my ofTice. AV^hile conversing with him on one occasion about the hardships of the loyal people of the South, he called my at- tention to a man stopping there, w^ho said he was a refugee from Mobile, and wished me to hear his story of wrongs. I consented, and was introduced to an apparently respect- able and honest mechanic, who stated that he was a North- ern man, and had been South for some time, as locomotive engineer. When the rebellion began, he inadvertently declared his sentiments, and the vigilance committee ordered him to go Norih. He owned a small house, worth a few thousand dollars, and wished to stay long enough to sell it and take his family with him. But he was required to start at once, leaving his family behind. An intimation to him by Mr. C. that I might inlluence the autliorities at Washington and get a pass, induced him to apply to me for assistance. I took a deep interest in the case, gave him my address in Washington, and asked him to call upon me there. Subse- quently, when the incident had passed from my mind, one day my refugee friend came rushing into my apartment at Washington, and excitedly said : '•I have just met B. on the avenue, a young man from Montgomery, Alabama, where 1 was once employed, ele gantly diessed in female attire, and accompanied by a man whom I do not know. I believe he is a spy." " Why did you not follow him ?" " 1 was so much excited, I did not think of it." My informant then gave me some account of B., when 1 requested him to go with one of my assistants tnrough the principal streets in search of the mysterious strangers. 92 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. The search was continued for six days. One morning he came with the liaste of great excitement Into ray quarters again, saying : *' Well, I met B. and his friend just now, and followed them to the National Hotel." I went there with my informant, procured two tickets for dinner, and we were soon seated at the table, where 1 found the couple. They were registered in the book as " Dr. McC. and wife, Harper's Ferry, Va." I did not lose sight of them again. On Saturday they left Washington. I followed them to Philadelphia. They stopped at the Continental Hotel, regis- tering their names "Dr. McC. and wife, Washington, D. C." Under their names I put my own as "John Brown." After some further disclosures, which we shall not here detail, on Sunday night they started for the West. I was dressed in the garb of a ftii-mer, and managed with- out suspicion to sit near them and hear much of their con- versation ; all of which proved clearly their treasonable character. Monday night we reached the Burnett House, Cincinnati, Ohio. I saw them safely domiciled in the fourth story, and waited until after one o'clock at night, when I knocked at the door. It was cautiously opened, when I said : " Doctor, I want to see you privately a moment." His wife was sitting with her feet on the mantel-piec«, smoking a cigar, and her dress unhooked. I said, "Doctor, I have followed you from Washington; I know the character of this j^oung man in female dress." At this moment I noticed a revolver on the mantel piece, and remarked : " This might be dangerous in the hands of an ill-minded person ; I guess I will take possession of it." The doctor was boisterous and threatening. I told him I did not wish to make him notorious there, and alarm the house ; that I knew all about them, and resistance would not help the matter. McC. commenced pulling on his boots, when I noticed the glitter of the handle of a bowie-knife which was thrust into a pocket in the side of his boot I added, reaching out my hand : ARREST OF REBEL AGENTS. 93 "Doctor, I tliink I will take tliis also ; you might hurt yourself.'' With a slight resistance on his part, I secured it Tlie search of his baggage revealed, drawn on tissue paper, elab- orately prepared plans of the fortifications and number of troops in and around Washington, with a large number of letters of great importance to the Government. All of these were put into the trunks, again locked up, and with the keys in my possession, at four o'clock a.m., I was on my way to Washington with the travelers and their precious freight. They were safely quartered in the Old Capitol prison, and the maps, &c., delivered to Mr. Seward. As an evidence that the great rebellion had long been premeditated by the prominent politicians of the South, it is only necessary to observe how completely they seemed to have the machinery of their treason in operation. For, before the roar of the cannon around Sumter had ceased to echo in the bay of Charleston, the secret emissaries of the cause had received their instructions, and each knew dis- tinctly the part he was to play in the great drama. From Floyd to the lowest traitor, the certainty of success, and the matured plans, had so emboldened them, that but little discretion or concealment was deemed important. And while Breckinridge was daring the North in Congress to oppose the right of the South to secede, its traitorous agents were boasting in the streets of Washington what they in- tended to do. With a view to the arrest of these rebel agents, OctobfT 18, 1861, I went to Canada, as the subjoined letter will show: WAsniNOTON, October 25, 1861. Hon. Skcrktart of State: Dear Sir — I returned from Canada this morning. I found at the Cliftow riouse, Niagara Falls, a large number of prominent secessionists, who bav» just returned from Europe. 1 would like an order for the arrest and conveyance to Fort Lafajette of S. W. A. and O. B. C, the first-named being a member of the so-called Con- ft'derate Congress at this time. These traitors are waiting an opportunitj to go South. They have very important correspondence in tJ eir possession, some fcf which I have seen. I am confident I shall succeed in inducing them to »isit our side of the river, which of course will be the only opportunity for arresting them. Toars, very respectfully, L. a Baxkb. 94 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Baving obtained the desired order from the Secretary oi State, I immediately started for Niagara Falls. At Roches- ter I employed a colored servant, for I had determined to play the part of some prominent rebel from the South, and wrote three letters, all addressed to the name at the Clifton House which I had assumed. One of these letters was mailed in New York, one in St. Louis, and the third in Washington. On my arrival at the Clifton House, where my secession friends alluded to were stopping, I registered my assumed name, and put on the airs of a Southern gentleman. I secured two of the most spacious rooms in the house. The obliging landlord brought to me my letters, and in view of the honor conferred upon hira he was more than ordinarily civil. He remarked that he had often heard my name mentioned by his Southern friends. Upon my adding that I desired to live in perfect quiet, he said that it would be impossible for one so distinguished to do this ; especially would my ac- quaintance be sought by fellow-exiles from the " sunn;^ South." I was allowed to pass that evening in seclusion ; but early the next morning a servant handed me the card of S. AV. Ashley, with his compliments, and expressing a desire to eee me. I graciously granted Mr. A.'s request, and told the ser vant to show him up. I may here remark that the chances or risks so often taken of being detected in the assumed name by some acquaintance of the real person, sometimes do prove fatal to the plan ; but even a defeat by the discovery of the real object by those I am seeking to entrap is only the failure of that particu- lar plot, leaving a hundred others open for farther experi oient. Fortune favored me, however, in this case, as Mr. A. had no personal acquaintance with the traitor whose name I had assumed. Our aims and purposes apparently being alike, we were soon on the most familiar terms. We talked over the pros- pect of glorious successes by our gallant troops, and laughed PERILS OF "SLSPENSION BRIDGE." 97 at the absurdity of the attempt of the Yankees to resist t he valor of the chivalric Sontli. Mr. A., having preceded me several days in the visil to the Falls, had become acquainted with tlie interesting localities, and politely invited me to accompany him on a tour of observation. I gladly accepted, and spent a day among the wonders of the great cataract. The following morning he called again, to repeat the kind attention. At my suggestion, we decided to visit that marvelous monument of engineering skill, the Suspension Bridge. 1 was enthusiastic in praise of the designer, and tried to ex- plain how the first wires were thrown over the chasm ; and, to have a farther inspection, proposed that we should buy tickets to cross, intimating to my friend that we had better not go over, but simply advance a sufficient distance to make an examination of the structure. I entertained my friend with remarks npon the scenery, the cables, &c. ; and, to go into the scientitic observation of the different parts of the bridge, I went over the national line a hundred feet perhaps, toward the American shore. While deeply interested in conversation, we were suddenly accosted by a mild; gentlemanly man, who said to my friend, Mr. A.: " Your name is A., sir? 1 have an order from the Sec retary of State for your arrest. In your admiration of this structure, I think you hive ventured a little too far. You will please accompany me with your friend." I replied: "Sir, certainly you can not have an order for my arrest ; if so, will you produce it ? " He then took from his pocket the order for the arrest of Philip Herbert, my assumed name. I suggested to Mr. A. that we should accompany the officer, quite sure that, upon the proper explanation, we should be at once released. Our protestations were of no avail. He said: "I have been watching this bridge for you three weeks; quite sure you could not resist the temptation to examine it. You must go with me." We started immediately for New York. Mr. A. had been quite thoughtful and sombre on the waj to Kochester, and there remarked to me that his mind 98 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICK. was not perfectly clear in regard to the part I was playini^ , he had his suspicions that lie liad mistaken his man, I'liilip Herbert, it will be recollected, while in Congress, killed a waiter in Willard's Hotel, and after the date of this attair was himself killed in the war while colonel of a regiment. \W were taken from New York to Fort Lafayette, where 1 remaiiie*! an hour and my less fortunate friend eight moutlis CBAPTER V. A K^'IGCT OF TUE GOLDEN SQUARE. P H F., aHas Carlisle Murray, a Knight of the Golden Square— The Arroat— Relefcjo — Papers of F. examined — Secretary Seward's Order for a Second ArreBt —On tht< Track— The Rural Retreat — Mr. Carlisle Murray a Reformer and Lover — The Official Writ — The Astonished Landlord and Landlady— A Scene- Be port It was daring the montli of November, 1861, that the ex- istence of certain treasonable organizations, having for their object the overthrow of the Government, began to attract attention. October 17, 1861, a communication was received by the Hon. Secretary of State, purporting to give the liis- tory of a secret society in Texas, known as Kniglits of the Golden Circle. The particular objects of this organization were not, however, fully explained. A few days later, an- other letter was received at the State Department, giving similar information. On the 24th of October, Benjamin Franklin, Chief of the Philadelphia Police, arrested, on a telegraphic dispatch, a one-armed man, named Carlisle Mur- .-ay, and confined him in the station-house of that city. On searching his person, mysterious papers were found, appar- ently containing the constitution and by-laws of the Knights of the Gold(m Square. Franklin sent a dispatch to me, in- fonning me of the arrest. I came to Philadelphia, compared the documents with the original records of the Knights of the Golden Circle in the State Department, and found them to agree — the two societies were clt'arly essentially one in character. In a further con- versation with Murray, he claimed to be an intimate friend of a well-known merchant-prince of Boston, for whom he acted as agent. At this stage of the war so little was knowu of the Knights of the Golden Circle, no great importance was attached to Murray's papers, and he was released. 99 100 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Before this, however, I recognized him as a somewhat distinguished individual. His name was P. H. F., who figured as Fillibuster Walker's minister from Nicaragua in 1848. A subsequent examination of the papers in Murray's possession, taken in connection with those before referred to, satisfied me that he was really a member of the Knightg of the Golden Circle. Clothed with the authority conferred by the following order, I entered upon the search after F. : — Department or 8tat«, I 'Waaulnoton, Hwem.ber 2, 136L I To L. C. Bakkr, Esq., Washington, D. C: — Yoo will please arrest P. II. F., alias Carlisle Murray, and convey him to Fort Warren, Boston, Massachusetts. Examine his i)erson and baggage, and *eud all papers found in his possession to this Department. I am, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) William H. Seward, Secretary of State. He had been released some weeks before his real charac- ter was discovered. To find him then seemed a hopeless task. By intercepted letters postmarked Branford, Conn., I was soon on his track. Assuming another name, he had selected this quiet town as his temporary residence. His assumed name there I did not know ; consequently must devise some plan which would lead to the knowledge of his locality. Accompanied by Franklin, I proceeded ta Branford. To avoid suspicion on the part of the citizens, it was necessary that Mr. Franklin and myself should appear under an assumed character. We represented ourselves to be gun manufacturers in behalf of the Government, seeking for an eligible spot and building in which to carry forward our business. An old machine shop, not then used, answered my purpose. When it was known that two intelligent men were about establishing business for the loyal cause, the good people of course were very anxious to serve us. The only hotel in Branford was a quiet inn, kept by a venerable couple. Here we found ourselves, strangers to all and in pursuit of a stranger, with no tangible clew to his person or place of abode. To get on good terms with " mine host" and hostess THE ASTONISHED LANDLADY. 101 il vras only necessary to state prospective plans, and that their house would be ray headquarters. The old man talked freely of the facilities for my contemplated business, and of the moral and social condition of the people ; inviting Franklin and myself to dine with them. Up to this time we had made no inquiry for the object of our visit, trusting to circumstances for farther developments. We soon sat down to an excellent dinner. While at the table, the old lady in- quired of her husband, "Is Mr. Jackson coming down to dinner? You had bettor ask him." This question satisfied me that we had a distinguished guest. Who was that Mr. Jackson ? I immediately rose, giving Franklin the cue, and, to the astonishment of the honest pair presiding at the table, rushed up stairs to search the house. Hurrying from room to room, at length I found the strange boarder occupying the only bedroom and parlor in the house. I said, extending m J hand : ' How are you, F?" Ht arose, and, politely taking my hand, said : " \ou have the advantage of me." I replied : " I believe I have ; for I have a warrant for your arrest ; and I don't think you have one for me." " Oh, yes," he replied ; " I recollect you now. You are from California?" And in the coolest and most off-hand manner said : " Why, I am glad to see anybody from California. Here is some good brandy. Well, how are ray friends, McDougal andTillfordl" He then added : " Why, Baker, this is a good joke. How did you find out where I was ? I thought I had got beyond the reach of detectives. Now, the people here think me a very good man. I have lectured on temperance and religion ; have a class in the Sabbath-school ; and am court ing one of the prettiest girls in Connecticut. This is too bad." By this time the landlord and his wife had entered the room, having learned from Franklin French's real character, when she said : "Why, Mr. Jackson, how could you be so wicked] These gentlemen say you are a rebel spy. To think that a 102 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. •secessionist has even slept under our roof. I'll have to air the bed and purify the whole house." Then, looking at her hands and crying bitterly, she iadded: " And I have washed your clothes I May the Lord forgive ■you, for I can't." The scene was a mixture of the pathetic and comic rarely witnessed. The unsuspecting landlord, who had nearly reached his threescore and ten years, stood trembling with ■the palsy, and with a most W'Oebegone expression, while his more demonstrative companion seemed beyond the reach of -a comforting word. Then followed a hasty packing up of French's effects, and sending them down stairs, when he paid his weekly bill, and said to the landlady: "I will return and explain this whole thing to you." In less time than it has taken to tell the story the news had spread through the village. The pastor whose pulpit French had occupied, the postmaster and blacksmith were :at the hotel. But one person could be found who objected ito the proceedings, and he was a newly arrived M.D. from Texas, who at once declared his purpose to resist Ihe order •of arrest, and called upon the people to assist in rescuing the prisoner. The display of a six-shooter immediately quieted his rebellious spirit. F. was taken to New Haven, thence to Fort Warren. After a brief incarceration he was paroled by Secretary Seward ; and so the matter ended. The disloyal order of the Knights of the Golden Circle was so vaguely understood that it was thought, after all, harmless to the Government. The subjoined report to the Secretary of State will shed more light upon the character and career of F., and illustrate further the necessity of a detective police w^hen traitors in arms and in the disguise of loyal citizens are plotting with unscrupulous hate against the Government: Washington, Novemher 17, 186U To the Hon. W. 11. Seward:— Dear Sir — On the 2d of November I received an order from the State Department to arrest snd convey to Fort Warren one P. H. F., alias Carlisle Murray. From an intercepted letter found in the Philadelphia post-office I had reason to believe that F. was at or near Branford, Connecticut. On A KNIGHT OF THE GOLDEN SQUAEE. 103 t'le fifth instant I took officer Ben. Franklin and proceeded to tlie above named place. After some delay I succeeded in finding F. at a small hotel, wliere he had heen stopping for some months. I immediately placed hiru tinier arrest, searched his person and effects, and found a number of letters, most of which seem to be a correspomlence between him (F.) and a dis- tinguished mercliant, relating to the sale of certain steamboats to the United States Government belonging to this m.erchant. F. had represented him- self to the confiding gentleman as one Carlisle Murray, who had been driven out of the South because of his Union sentiments. He also exhibited what purported to be genuine letters from tlie Hon. Mr. Etheridge, Andrew Johnson, Parson Brownlow and others, authorizing him to collect moneys from loyal people of the North, for the support of Parson Brownlow's paper (tlie KnoxviUe Whig). I have ascertained that he did collect, from the mer- chant already mentioned and others, about four thousand dollars. A careful peiusal of the correspondence between these parties shows that the latter did make an engagement with Mr. F. to sell two steamers to our Govern- ment, and that he was to receive a certain commission for the same. During the time he was trying to sell or negotiate for the steamboats he visited the merchant at his country residence, was invited to spend the Sabbath and dine with him (which invitation F. accepted), receiving letters of introduction to prominent and wealthy citizens of Boston, New York, Brooklyn and other places. There can be no doubt but that F. is one of the most accom- plished villians in America; nor that the merchant did bona fide enter hito tt contract or agreement with F. to sell certain steamboats to the United States; nor that his patron was informed of the true character of F. long before he took any steps for liis arrest. The correspondence and all the facts in the case go to show: First, that F., by forged letters and misrepre- sentations, deceived his patron; second, that the merchant, finding F. a ver^ ehrewd, intelligent man, did employ him to sell the steamers; and third, that when he learned the real character of F., the authorities were not immediately notified by him ; and when said merchant ascertained that F. could not, oi would not, make a sale of the boats, he telegraphed to the authorities in Philadelphia to arrest Carlisle Murray for swindling. These are, in my opinion, about the facts relating to the matter, as far as the merchant is concerned. Among the papers found in F.'s possession was a manuscript purporting to be the constitution and by-laws of a secret order or association, known as the Knights of the Golden Square. This document is copied almost ver- batim from the constitution and by-laws of the Knights of the Golden Circle, an order that originated in Texas some two years since, the object of which was, the overthrow of the United States Government. By an ingenious word' ing of these papers — that is, whenever the name and objects of the order occur — the terms have been used, evidently intending to convey the impres- sion that it was a Union order, designed to be secret in its nature, but the object of which was to be the maintenance of the cause of the North. I am satisfied that F. is a member of the Knights of the Golden Circle; that he has copied their constitution and by-laws; that the papers found in his possession have been altered or worded differently from the original, so 104 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. that, if Le sliould at any time be suspected or arrested, tliese papers could not be used as evidence against Lira. All the letters and papers found in F.'» possession are forwarded to your Department. Yours, very truly, L. 0. Baker. Ta the early stages of tlie war, before any police organ ization of the Government had been perfected or set in operation, and before blockade restrictions had been es- tablished, the whole North was ilooded by a class of soutli ern spies, correspondents, and incendiaries. That the spy- ing and detective business was not confined to those wlio had made it a profession wonld seem to be indicated by tlie following letter. The writer of this precious document was an Episcopalian minister from the South, who had been employed by tlie rebel government to visit the North, with a view to ascertain the movements then on foot toward tlie organization of the anny. It was written to Bishop Gen- eral P. The "Joe" spoken of, was a sergeant in one of the Federal regiments, with whom an arrangement had been made by the writer to convey through the lines to the rebels any documents that might be forwarded to him for that purpose. "Joe" was ferreted out and arrested, and made a confession of the whole scheme which is re- ferred to in the communication ; to wit, the organization of a force in Philadelpliia, New Jersey, and Delaware, to seize the Arsenal, Navy Yard, and public property at Philadel- phia. The "friend Bob" spoken of was Bob B. (ex-senatoj B.), of Delaware. AVhen the ringleaders of this conspiracy discovered that I was on their track, they immediately abandoned the scheme, or transferred their field of opera- tions to the West, where an organization was perfected, but broken up by the arrest of Dr. D. at Indianapolis, In 1864. Philadklphia, December 28, 1661. WoBTHT Sib — Various good and sufficient reasons have detained me north of this point several days beyond the time specified in your instructions. First of these, I, in a room in Boston, was expatiating, as usual, upon the horrors and tin of slavery, as a matter of course, and misrepresenting, in a blundering way, Its reai condition- One of tlie chfti)8 took up the cudgel in good earnest. He bad sailed South, been in Southern ports, knew Southern people well, they were kind to the nigger, &c., Ac. 1 invited talk, solicited conversation antf A SPICr CLERICAL EPISTLE. ]05 Information — gaii.ed his confidence, finding how freely be let himself out. 1 Lad several interviews, and finally threw otF the mask, and told my real object was to gain information, in which he aided me to tlie extent of his ntmoat sbility. IIo is a man about sixty years of age, bnt strong and active ; and tltliough a native-born New Englander, he hates, with a perfect ferociousness, tlienaine of New England. Several reasons conspire to jiroduce this. First, be has been swindled by a pious deacon, his brother-in-law, who induced hia wife to forsake him ; then he has mingled, to a great extent, with our peoi>l« South, and cherishes a fond recollection of many of our citizens. Oh, how h© swears at the Yankees. I soon ascertained that I might place implicit relianc* upon his word. My respect aud confidence were confirmed by the opiniont entertained and freely expressed here by all classes. They represent him as a bold, outspoken secessionist. Being a man of tried and sterling bravery, tli« people know well that it would never do to trifle with him; and, added to this, he is worth some twenty or twenty-five thousand dollars; being quite judiciously invested, enables him to realize an income of at least three or four thousand a year, at least three-fourths of which he gives away — not in the form of common charities altogether, but gifts in the shape of loans to deserving beginners. In this way his popularity among a great many is solid, not only with those whom he has benefited, but oihers, whose respect for such unostentatious nobleness is challenged and secured. Well, he is the man we need. He will go into the scheme with heart and eonl. His plan is, receive orders for a stanch, swift sea-steamer from a South American power, have her quietly and exjieditiously built, manned with the right kind of a crew, give out that he is going with her, let her take in a cargo of just such articles as we need at present — boots, shoes, itc. — sail, and enter the first Southern port that looks clear. I would here remark, that hia [tian is to have three just such steamers under way at the same time. Either tills, or he will buy — each, however, from dillereiit points. Marine signal No. 8 (eight) of the Confederate States of America will be used upon entrance of our port. This, you remember, is the plan agreed upon to deceive th» blockade fleet. The day after my arrival in this place I was accosted by a venerable old beggar, who stood at a corner soliciting alms. His touching tone of voice, coupled with his meek yet respectful ap|>earance, although is rags, attracted and interested me. I gave him a dime, and asked him carelessly where he lived, with no intention, however, of paying him a visit, but hardly knowing wliat to say, and feeling I ought to say something. Ho re[)lied, " You aint got any Jeames River tobacky, 1 reckon, to give it fellow a chaw." Imagine my surprise when my beggar friend proved to be our old Nebo. Cute as ever, he plies hia artful game. He tells me that he was in Washing- ton last week ; says old is drunk one-half his time. and ar« aying up big piles of United States money both for themselves and friends, kiough is the sharpest in the way of money. That old stupid fool, , is so-npletely under the thumb of , ditto. Kdbo says that, unsuspectingly, he has been permitted to enter both th« 106 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. civil ^fld military department in "Washington and Alexandria. As his means of coramunicatinoj with head-quarters is so very expeditious and complete, I deem it both impolitic and unnecessary to detail, in this communication, the vast amount of useful information which he is enabled to pick up. One thing I must mention, IJe says that in less than three months we will have Phila- delphia and Baltimore, lie says that as soon as the advance is made upon (he .ines at W., a party here, now numbering over five thousand, in this city, together with thrice that number in the adjoining counties, will seize the Navy Yard, Arsenal, &c. His experience tallies with mine, that ia, that New Jersey is sound to the back-bone for us: yes, far more so than Delaware, although a Southern State. I am afraid to advise yon to take that trip, for, notwithstanding the cleilcal out of my co;it, I am watched very closely, as are all strangers, by the Govern- ment sjiies. The peoi)le are heartily sick and tired of this war, but are afraid to otter such sentiments, it being treason, or so ruled by that drunken thief, . Nebo says that whenever needs money he sends ahead some startling telegraph communications, manufactured, as a matter of course. Soon the streets of Philadelphia and New York ring with the cry of extras: " Glorious news (in big letters). Fifty thousand secessionists routed by a Union force of only one hundred and fifty. We took thirty thousand prisoners, two hun- dred and seventy-five thousand stand of arms, one thousand four hundred cannon, and an immense stock of ammunition. The rebel general shot in tlie month by a Buck-tail, wliich would have proved fatal, but just as the ball hit him he spit out a quid of tobacco, which turned the ball aside. It, however, glanced from the quid and killed a colonel and eleven privates. Our loss (Union) — two killed, three wounded, one missing," Such, my dear general, is the windy stuff which uses to draw money out of the Wall Street kings. Verily, this is a humbuggy age. To my mind It is past my comprehension how the two sections can ever meet together, even in ordinary intercourse. You can form no conception of the bitter feel- ing of hostility entertained by all classes here. An instance or two will Butfice. An interesting pious family, whose savory discourse did my soul much good in its growth in grace, &c., Ac, whose hospitality I often enjoyed, one day last week, in making a call, I found them much excited. Upon inijuiring the cause, Aliss Annie informed me that they had just learned that the bonnet- maker was a vile secessionist. I straightened my eye-brows, turned up my wliites, and made an appropriate pious ejaculation, and inquired iiow she had n.ade tiie discovery. By accident, sir. Well, to sift the testimony from tjeii verl-iage, Airs. , a poor widow, who makes a living for herself and chiltlrcn in the bonnet business, had been so imprudent as to say to my friend, '' Well. I liope if they do liberate the negroes, they will make some j)rovisioD for i/ieir support, for they will no longer have their owners to look to." Now, f<^r this vile secession (III), my pious friends are determined not to pay their bonnet-bills until the war is over. Don't you admire their spunk? The other instance is this : — A pious elder in one of the Presbyterian churches hare has a daughter married to a Southern elder, who is in the Southern army ; and so bitter is his feeling, that neither daughter, child, uoi hasband ia ever alluded SECESSION PICTDrtES OF THE ^ORTH. 107 to, even [inl bi.s prayers. Indeed, my dour sir, the spirit of the wolf, the hyeua, ay, rattlesnake, and all vicious animals, are let loose in the hearts of this people. There is no language sufficiently strong to describe the malignity of their feelings. Ages hence will this feeling burn. I thought some of our Hotspurs went far in their expressions of hatred and contempt, but it don't begin to touch bottom with Philadelphians. But with all this, I understand that we liave a goodly heritage in this city and its vicinity. Old Nebo tells ine that there is now in process of completion a scheme to be inaugurated soon upon a grand scale. It contemplates the seizure of Philadelphia. He sajs there is over three millions of dollars invested. He could not make me ai-.iuainted witli the particulars. Tiiey are culled the " llegulators." He sajs that several prominent military men have it [in] charge. It embraces New Jersey and Delaware, I find, however, I am repeating what I have already written in this letter. Dr. 's church, during the week, is turned into a tailor shop. The Doctor is a strong coercionist in the pulj)it; in the parlor he is a secessionist, or, I should say, an apologist for that vile heresy, I)r. , ditto. Dr. , ditto, and many others, who were converted during the days of terror last A[)ril, when our friend Bob escaped the halter in Philadelphia. Thousands here entertain earnest and anxious desires for peace, but dare not utter their thoughts even to their nearest kin. In my clerical capacity I say, that this people is given over not only to believe a lie, but lies. The truth is too tame and commoni)lace. They are contldeut that ten of their men can beat and put to rout one hundred of the South. I then ask them why their Army of the Potomac, which outnumbers the South, don't move, and crush Beauregard. They say, " Oh, that is the fault of politicians." As an Englishman, some avoid and wheedle me. Your obedient servant, TuoMAS, the D. D. I will be in Cleveland ten days from time first noted. The following is a copy from a letter which accompaniea the former, iu similar handwriting : — PHii.ADBLPniA, Deeember 2T, 1861. Dkar Phil — Joe tells me that you are about Sin sin naughty, as he draw is it out. I detained this to say a word about the M. and G. difficulty; but yon see the papers — all bosh. Send word by this, if you choose, that it will eiid in kmok^— a flash in tlie pan. You can read and remember as much of the inulosed as you can. Be sure to note the tigures, as they mark the name of the Sea Dog. Burn the letter unless you can safely carry, and then get in your liole and skeet for Dixie. It ought to have gone before, but 1 was far away when F. was here, and did not see him. Oh, how these Nortlieru papers lie about us. Joe is a sergeant in a company of one of the regimente here — will start for Washington soon. If he gets on picket duty he will com- municate. Direct your letters to Rev. , D. D. (be sure to put the D, D.\ of Bath, England. Good-by, and Q. B. Y. Ton. CnATTER VI. DISLOYALTY AMONG THE POSTMASTBBa A MjBterj — The Result of Cabinet Meetings in Waahington known in Richnio->4— The Detectives learn the Reasna — A Visit to Lower Maryland — Amusing dv<6a«< — The Mysterious Box — The Reports — A Rebel Letter. It was a surprising fact during the first six or eight months after the war began, that tlie result of every Cabinet meeting at Washington was reported in Richmond withiu twenty-four hours after it was held. The secret was, that every postmaster in Lower Maryland, comprising the coun- ties of St. Charles, St. George, and St. Mary's, with three exceptions, were disloyal. It had been taken for granted that the State was true to the Government, while rebel emis- saries were constantly conveying information from "Washing- ton to the post-offices along the Potomac, from which it was transmitted to Fredericksburg by blockade-runners and ripies, and thence telegraphed to Richmond. By this arrang;)- ment, uninterrupted and unrestrained communication was kept open between the rebels North and South until Novem- ber 20, 1861, when I decided, if possible, to break up the treasonable correspondence. Accordingly, the SecTetary of War directed that three companies, of one hundred men each, from the Third Indiana Cavalry, then in General Hooker's division at Budd's Ferry, be detached, and report to me foi the purpose of visiting and, if necessary, permanently occu pying Lower Maryland. The first post-office upon which I called was at Chaptico, a small village at the head of a bay of the Potomac, bearing the same name, and about sixty miles from Washington. 1 reached the village late one afternoon, when an amusing incident occurred, illustrating the ignorance in the country generally, more profound, perhaps, in some portions of it 108 THE MYSTERIOUS BOX. 109 respecting military affairs, resulting from the peaceful pur- euits of the people during a long period of declining martial spirit and demonstrations. Tbe first military seen in Chaptico was my advent with three hundred of " Uncle Sam's boys," which naturally cre- ated intense excitement among this rural people. My force was composed principally of Germans, tv ho be- came brave soldiers subsequently in the western battle- fields. They were addicted, of course, to the use of intoxi- cating drinks ; hence it was necessary to encamp apart from places where liquors were sold. I entered the town with my orderly, to notify all vendors of strong drink to close their bars, and under no circumstances to sell to the soldiers under my command. In the evening, to my surprise, when passing one of the drinking-houses, I found it full of troops who, with the land- lord, were having a jolly time over their potations. I immediately stepped in and inquired of the host : "Did I not give you an order not to sell liquor to my men?" " Why, Colonel," he said, " these ain't no soldiers ; they are officers. They have got swords on," Officers generally wearing swords, the cavalrymen thna armed deceived the benighted dealer in poor whisky and beer. He was sure that he was honored with men quite above common soldiering. I proceeded to the post-'^ffice, and found the postmastei sick and all the family in about the same plight, excepting a bright little girl, twelve years of age. 1 rapped at the door, when she raised the window and said: " Father told me I must not let any of the Yankee sol- diers in." T replied : "I am not a Yankee soldier, but an agent of the Post-office Department." I was then admitted ; and asked where the office was kept. She pointed to a box of pigeon holes. While exam- ining it, [ accidentally observed a rough pine box with iron hasp and hinges and a United States mail lock. It was par- titioned through the center, with a hole for letters in each 110 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. division. Over one part was " Southern Letters ;" over lh«' other, "Northern Letters." I said : "What is this box for ?" She inno<'-ent]y answered, pointing to the inscriptions : " Why, the h:'tters put in that hole (tlie Southern) go to Richmond ; and those in the other go to Washington." The postmaster, who was in bed, overhearing her, spoke somewhat excitedly : " No, that ain't so ; why do you tell the gentleman such a story?" I answered : "I guess the girl tells the truth." Taking the box, which, upon examination, was found to contain letters from rebels on the way to the Confederacy, and those whose hearts, if not their faces, were toward rebel- dom, I placed it in the Post-office Department at Washing- ton as a curiosity, where it stiU remains. At L., the largest village in all that part of Lower Mary- land, another amusing incident occurred. It had long been the residence of aristocratic families, A weekly newspaper was published there — a paper Avliich was pre-eminent in fan- ning the fires of rebellion tliroughout that region. Arriving within two miles of the town at evening, I en camped in a grove of pines. With a captain, sergeant, and two orderlies I rode into the village, and found the people Lad heard of our arrival. Tli.' principal men of the place waited upon me and prott-sied in the most violent manner against Yankee troops disturbing their peace ; for they were "State-rights people, who only wished to be let alone." They made threats of personal violence if my soldiers were brought into Leonardtown. 1 replied: "I am here under orders of the Secretary of War, on a peaceful investigation, and not as charged, to steal your slaves, to burn j'our houses and barns, or to molest Oie inhabitants. I have money to pay for forage and ration's If you wiU sell them ; if not, shall take them." I3y this time the editor of the paper iiad become bois terous in his condemnation of the Government and its officers. I quietly directed a guard to be placed arouni hia printing-office. Selecting from my command Jud£;e L , of A SUDDEN con\t:ksion. Ill Cleveland, Ohio, an officer avIio had some experience as an editor, I directed hira to write an article for tlie paper, in which the rebel editor was made to recant his secession heresy and decKare for tlie Union, advising all his sub- scribers to do the same. The compositors were compelled to set it np, and then the pressmen reluctantly struck olf the paper. The subscription book was consulted, and to es,ch name a copy of the paper was mailed. The excitement and indignation which folloAved the distribution of the suddenly loyal sheet, and the discovery of the serious joke, made one of the most ludicrous incidents in my otlicial experience. The further results of this expedition are presented in the subjoined note and reports : WAflHiNOTON, Xovemher 25, 1861. Brigadier-General IIooker, Commanding at Rudd's Ferry: Dear Sir — The expedition under mj comTnand to tlie lower coast of Maryland has proved successful. We captured fuur mounted traitors and one rebel spy. Mr. Seward is much gratified at the promptness with wliich you responded to the orders given to me. Also obtained many valuable letters and documents, from which imjiortant results will follow. To Captain Keister and Lieutenant Lemon, I am under many obligations; I found them very prompt and ready to act at all times. Tlio men under their command conducted themselves with tlie greatest |)ropriety. A detachment of sixteen men, as a guard, accompanied me by sleauK-r via Baltimore to this city. 1 return them to their quarters to-day. Allow me to return you my thanks for your extreme kindness to me during my short stay at your headquarters. Yours, truly, L. 0. Bakeb. Washington, November 2T, 1861. To tlie Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of Slate: Dear Sir — In compliance with orders issued from your Department, nnder date of November 18th, I repaired to the heaibjuarters of Brigadier- General Hooker, at or near Budd's Ferry, and was pronqitly furnished with one hundred men from the Third Indiana Cavalry, under command of Caj'tain Keister. The ooject of the expedition was to arrest parties suspected of rendering aid to Virginia rebels, to discover the channel through which con traband correspondence was being carried on, and, if necessary, to take into custody any persona found in arms against the United States Government. On my arrival at Port Tobacco, the headquarters of Colonel Graham's regi- ment, I found the inhabitants complaining bitterly at their alleged ill-treat- ment, and depredations committed by the soldiers under his command. In justice to Colonel G., however, I found, on inquiring, that the inhabitants 112 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. had Leen the first aggressors. There are residing at this place bat fOai or five Union men — the balance either being sympathizers with secessionists, or open and avowed aiders and abettors of treason. Tlie postmaster at thii place is secretly doing all in his power to further the interests of the Con- federacy. Eight miles from the above-named locality is a small town, known as Allen's Fresh. There are bat two Union men at this place. I found •B tl'.9 jOiS*-olRce here five letters, addressed to fictitious names; on ojiening them, I discovered that they contained sealed letters, addressed to well known tecefsionists in Virginia. The postmaster was one of those who assisted and contributed to organize and equip Confederate soldiers now in Virginia. At the Newport post-office, some twv) miles from Allen's Fresh, I found a package of thirty-four letters, post-irarked "Newport P.O., Maryland," all ready to be forwarded to diflPerent localities at the North, On examining these letters, I found that they were all written in Virginia, and had all been d'-opped into the office by one person. At Chaptico, a place of about two or three hundred inhabitants, located at the head of a small inlet opening into the Potomac, I found but four Union men, the traitors at this point having threatened to hang and burn the property of any man who dares to avow Union sentiments. At this point, there has been carried on for months a regular communication with Virginia. The postmaster here openly declares himself a traitor; I should have placed him under arrest, but found him confined in his bed with chills and fever, besides having a large family depending on him for their daily support. I next stopped at Leonardtown. This is the largest and by far the most prosperous village in Lower Maryland. I do not consider it safe to say that there is one Union man in the town or vicinity, although many declare themselves State Rights Men, which is but a milder term for secession- ists. At this place has been enlisted, equipped, and conveyed to Virginia, a very large number of men for the Confederate army. But very few hesitate to declare openly their secession sentiments; I think this is attributable almost wholly to the publication of a bitter and uncompromising secession paper, published in this place. I found in the post-office a large number of letters going to and coming from Virginia. The postmaster, a Mr. Yates, declared himself to me a good Union man; I, however, afterward obtained the most undenial le proof of his disloyalty to the Government and sympa- thy with the rebels. I think that heonardtown should be at once placed under martial law, and a provost-marshal ap])ointed, in order that the few Union men residing there may have some kind of protection against these traitots. From Leonardtown I went to (rreat Mills, a distance of twelve mli«6 Tbare are but few inhabitants residing directly on the road, the populatio* being mostly on the Potomac and Pawtuxent rivers. Daily steamboat com munication from Baltimore to Millstone Landing (a point on the Pawtuxent river, near its mout) has, in my opinion, made this the most important pnin; In Lower Maryland That yon may more readily understand with what facilities corresj^ndence and goods of all de8crii)tion8 have and are being transported into Virginit by this route, I annex a map of the country. The distance from Millstone Landing, on the Pawtuxent, to Redmond's Landing, »t the head f*f St. Mary's river (four ir.'les from the Potomac), is but eight REBELS IN SOUTIIEKN MARYLAND. 113 on-\es the road being es.ellent .t all seasons of the year. There are bnt foor o fvo Unon xnen in this vicinity ; most of those ^.ho have declared thom- Belves as such have either been driven from the county, or dare not avow hernservesTnft.vor of the Government. A number are now res.dmg m the nrhb rhood who hold commissions in the rebel army. I is however Lidin^y difficult to arrest them; the approach of any considerable number of roops s a signal for these cheats to leave their houses, or secrete h m- IveTind it can only be accomplished by the -st shrewd f^f'^^f plans. I made the following arrests, viz. : E. IL J W M. A., EM .., and R L. IL These men were a part of an organization known as the Lower Maryland Vigilance Committee. M-irv's Mr E II. J. resides at wliat is known as the Old Factory, bt. Marj i County i; engaged in merchandising, fanning, &c. TM.en the prcoent diffi clies broke out, J. went to Ualtimore, and was there dunng the r.ot of AprU 1 th On his return hence, he brought not less than four hundred fta ds of arms from Baltimore, which afterward were sent to V.rgmia. He I^' hid wagons for hauling contraband goods from the Potomac to the Pa- ui^e.^ dudng the greater part of the summer and fall Re made las house t elldquarters of secession spies, passing to and from Virginia; has enlisted emi ped and forwarded a large number of men for the Confederacy; has notified Union men to leave the county ; and has, on all occasions, cursed and abused the Government. aovArn- D W M A. resides about one mile from J., openly defies the Govern ment'was a co-operator with J. in all his treasonable operations ; is said To be the secretary of the Vigilance Committee, and stated to me, after hi arrest, tilt he would yet kill a Yankee for every day that he was imprisoned '^eV^^^^I: a Confederate spy. He was indicted by the Baltimore grand lury for 'engaging in the riot of the 19lh of April, but made h..« escape into vTr'inia, and, up to the time of his arrest, had kept out of the way. borne .nemorandums of importance were found in his possession. The arrest of B. L. II. will prove of the greatest importance to the Government H. resided at the landing on the Patu.ent R.ver a.d ,„ade bis hotel the rendezvous for all the secessionists in the county At hi bou.e were held all their meetings and deliberations. He had two teams on tantly running from the landing to the Potomac River I ^-e the mo posire proof th.^, the night before his arrest, he took three hundred Colt Lvulvers to Virginia; I found two large boxes buried in the sand about two hundred yards from his house, from which he ^^^^ ^'^^ T, IT' w![ld it formed me that she had frequently cautioned her husband that he would yet be caught and imprisoned by the Government, but he disregarded her 'advice and told her that he was determined to make money in soine way Some etters were found in his possession of the strongest secession charact^^^ also Confederate envelopes, stamps, circulars, &c. U. was the master spir.t, and the worst man in the county. ^nnntv Much difficulty was experienced in making these arrests The county b, wUd and unsettled; a complete set of signals had been established among 114 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. the inhabitants, and notice of our arrival had been given to the entire country making it necessary to move only at night-time. I endeavored, stating tltt, as soon as tlie troops left, tlieir building would be burned, and they thcm- Bolves assassinated or hung by the Committee. I am much indebted for my success to Brigadier-General Hooker, for hi« promptness in furnishing men ; to Captain Keister, for the energy, patience, and promptness with which he aided me at all times; to A. G. Lawrence, Esq., wlio accompanied me from this city, for the very efficient aid and advice ho gave at all times. Some small-arms, two kegs of rille powder, secession flags, and other articles were seized. Since my return, I have had some conversation with the Postmaster- General in relation to mail matters. When I go down again, he lias autho- rized me to displace all disloyal postmasters, and if safe and reliable Union men can be found, to recommend them for appointment ; if such can not be found, discontinue the offices altogether. This course, I have no doubt, will induce them to better regard and appreciate the favors tiiey have and are still receiving from the Government. In order that the channels of commu- nication with the South may be effectually broken up, and protection afforded to Union men in Charles and St. Mary's counties, I woulil most respectfully recommend that a military force be sent tliere at once. Two or three hundred men could subsist tliemselves and horses, witliout being com- pelled to transport forage. Should you deem it proper or advisable to send such a force, I would gladly go with them, and render all the assistance in my power. Asking pardon for this my lengthy communication, 1 remain, dear Sir, most respectfully, Your obedient servant, L. 0. Bakeb. WAsnufGTON, January 14, ISM To the Honorable Postmaster-General: — Dear Sir — At your request, I herewith send report of the condition in which I found the several post-offices located in Charles and St. Mary's counties, Maryland. At Port Tobacco, numerous and repeated complaints have been forwarded to me by detective agents of the Government, concerning the loyalty of the postmaster at this place. Charges of the most grave and aggravated character have been made by the few Union men residing in thig vicinity. On investigation, I found that he has, on three different ocrasiona, received packages of letters, post-marked at Baltimore, and forwarded same to Virginia. On or about the 15th October, a Confederate spy mailed at this ofTce one hundred and forty letters, which he (the spy) brought direct from Virginia. This was done with the full knowledge and consent of the post- Ciaster. In addition to this, he has aided and advised a number of young men in the neighborhood to cross the river and join the Confederate array. Allon'a Fresh. — The postmaster at this place seldom if ever attends per- sonally to the duties of the office, but leaves the business in the hands of a y tuug boy, some twelve or fourteen years old. I found in this office niie MARYLAND POSTMASTERS. 115 ■ncalled-for letters, having been addressed to fictitious names . on opening them, I found they were addressed to individuals in tlie so-called Confederate States. The postmaster in this place is disloyal and can not be trusted. Newport. — In this office, I found a package of fifty-two letters, written by parties now residing in the rebel States, addressed to persons in Baltimore. The postmaster is a first-class rebel. In my opinion, this office could be discontinued, it being located but two miles from Allen's Fresh. Charlotte's Hall. — But one contraband letter was found in this oflice. The postmaster assures me that lie is a good Union man, and is doing all he can to assist and forward the interests of the Government. I think him a highly intelligent gentleman, but hardly sound. Oakville. — This office is located in a thrifty, settled community, and la but of little importance; being some distance from the Potomac, has less facilities than other offices for conducting contraband mail matter. I consider the postmaster a loyal, good, and reliable man. Chaptico. — From the peculiar location of this oflSce (being situated at the bead of Chaptico Bay), the postmaster has very superior facilities for con- ducting a large contraband business, which he has not failed to improve to a greater extent than any other officer in Lower Maryland. Indeed, he openly boasts that he holds two appointments as postmaster — one from Washington, and one from Richmond. A large number of contraband letters were found in his office. In addition to this, he is an habitual drunkard, neglecting the duties of his ofiice ; he has repeatedly neglected to lock the mail-bag ; has often left the key in the bag, and often refused to open the mail at all. From the importance of this office, it could hardly be dis- continued without a positive injury to a large number of good and loysd citizens. Leonardtown. — Tliis is the largest village or town in Lower Maryland. Charges of disloyalty have repeatedly been made against the postmaster of this place, many of which I have thoroughly investigated. He (Yates) styles himself a State Rights man, which is but a mild term for secession. A number of contraband letters were found in his office, but he positively denies knowing the writers, or the parties to whom they are addressed. The citizens generally speak in the highest terms of him, and, so far as I can judge, the office was well managed. Everything seems to be conducted with a great deal of system and regularity. As no better man could be induced to take the ofl[ice, I should think a change not advisable at present. Great Mills. — This is an office of some importance, being located midway between the Pawtuxent river and the head of St. Mary's, by opening directly into the Potomac. In September last, acting under an order from your department, I seized the entire contents of the oflSce. About one-fourth of the mail was directed (under cover) to the Confederate States. I think, however, the postmaster is a loyal citizen, but has been very negligent in hii duties. Not desiring to incur the hatred of the secession community in which he resided, he has allowed letters to be received at his office from the rebel States, addressed to well-known traitors, without reporting the same to the proper authoritiea. I think a change should be made at this office at once. 116 CNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Saint Inagoes. — Tbis oflSce is of but little importance ; bnt few letteri received or mailed. I have heard no complaints against the postmaster here, hence I conclude he is loyal. From the very meager amount realized, I have found it exceedingly diflS- cult to find good, reliable, loyal men, who would accept the appointment of postmaster. Many who are competent will not devote the necessary time required to perform the duties of the office. I have, however, obtained the names and consent of loyal citizens who will accept an appointment at a nuiribor of the offices mentioned in this report, and, as soon as I can comfilete the list, I shall forward the same to your department. I consider it a matter of the greatest importance to the Government, at this time, that our post- masters should be loyal and true to the Union, particularly when their offices can by any possibility be used in any manner as a medium to convey informa- tion to the Confederate States. To discontinue altogether our mail facilities in Lower Maryland, at i)resent time, would result in a great inconvenience and injury to the few loyal people residing in that section, as well as our military forces, which, at my suggestion, have been stationed along tlje Potomac, to break up the contraband trade so successfully carried on during the past summer. I am, most respectfully, Your obedient servant, (Signed) L. 0. Baker. Special Agent P. 0. Depart., and Government Detective. A letter wliich was intercepted about this time will reveal tlie demoniac spirit of the rebellion, which, 1 regret to know, exists still to an alarming extent in the conquered South : — Nanjshot, D*otmber 19, 1884 Dr. Uatlinq : — I expect to go from home soon, under another permit, to Nanjemoy, and want to make a good thing of it — better than be/ore. What I say about the permit, is confidential ; don't forget. I suppose you have heard but little of the truth of the little skirmish before Fredericksburg. Abolition, with Burnside at its head, was somewhat Boorched. At least thirty thousand were made to bite the dust. The strangled newspapers on this side dare not tell half the truth. I have ray infcrmation from officers and men who were on the field, and in the battle. Tiiey say the slaughter can never be described or forgotten by those who saw it. Tliey lay by thousands upon a single acre. The Southern blood was fully up; they spared nothing, but slew the cringing, cowardly, wiglish Abolitionists with an unspar'ng hand. The Southern loss was comparatively small, it is thought not over fifteen hundred, though nothing can be definitely known, yet awhilo, on the subject. It was doubtless the greatest slaughter ever made on this continent Bat A REBEL LETTER. 117 irilj it teach the fools at "Washington wisdom? I hope so. Report reached hero yesterday, that Burnside, Stanton, and Halleck have resigned. Lincoln, Seward, &c., ought to follow suit. And then commence and hang every Abolitionist and Black Republican, and the balance may have some peace The sooner this is done the better. "^our friend, rSiimed) fl. W O. CHAPTER Vli. FRAUDS— DISLOYALTY IN MARTUk.N'D. rh« Freighted Traveler- — Treason and Frauds overlooked in the Rising Storm of Rebellion — The Bankers — The Pretty Smuggler — Reliable Character of ih« Detective Bureau — Disloyalty, and its Punishments in Lower Marylj^nd — Th< Friends of Hon. Montgomery Blair and the Quiuiue TralEc — ■' Chunook ' Telegrams. There was about this time a rather marked illustration of ■a common means of transporting contraband goods acro-^is the lines. The extent to which such methods of deception -were resorted to by both men and women shows the stringency of tlie blockade at which the rebels sneered for a while, and the mania for speculation amid the horrors of war. I went to the wharf at Baltimore to watch the movements of a suspicious passenger who had gone just before me to embark. He succeeded in passing tlie scrutiny of Provost-Marshal McPhail, and went on board the steamer bound South. I followed him, and became satisfied that I had tracked an old offender. I accordingly addressed him, when he denied any disloyal designs. His hat had a peculiar appearance — seemed heavier than it ought to be. Removing it, I saw that the interior was conical in fonn, the base fitting his head. 1 struck the top of tlie croAvn upon tlie rail of the boat, wli^n a cloud of quinine dust rose in the air. The rogue stood disclosed ; and ray first business was to secure his weapons of defense, if he had any. A pistol was found and sf 'zed. Tliis wea})on and the knife are the universal means of pro lection, and used in ways unknown to any but villains and tlipir captors. On one occasion a man had his Dt^'ingt r io his pantaloons pocket, and with his hand was turning it tc tire at me ikrough his pocJcei^ when I sprang upon liim and took it. us AN ENTER!' RISl^u IKA^ELER. 119 Tlie "brief report, whicli will give furtlier particulars in Wilson's case, alludes to the search for him in Maryland, where, to escape the detectives, he sprang from a window La the second story of a dwelling and got away : — Wabhihoto!*, December 80, 1881, To the Honorable Seoeetary of State: — Dear Sir — On the mornins^ of the 19th instant, I arrested, on board the fitfamer Mary Washington, in Baltimore, one AYilliam Wilson. Upon search- ing his person, I found concealed in bis overcoat pocket a large druggist's jar, containing three ounces of quinine, a package of letters addressed to parties in Europe, and a number of photographs. I also found in Wilson's hat, very -ingeniously concealed, twenty ounces of quinine. From reliable information received since the arrest, I am satisfied that Wilson is the notorious "Bill Wilson," of St. Mary's county, Maryland, and the individual for whose arrest the Government lately oftered a large reward. Wilson had on his person British papers, showing that he had traveled in Europe as aa Englishman. He is now confined in Fort McIIenry, awaiting the orders of the Stata Department. I consider him a very dangerous man to be at large. Yours, very respectfully, L. 0. Baker. The storm of civil war came so suddenly upon us, that how to meet it was the great, absorbing question. The Cabinet, Congress, and the loyal masses at the North were intensely aroused to the need of men and money to beat back the wantoa assault of treason upon our nationality. Consequently, scarcely a thought was given to the possibility of disloyalty and frauds at home. The eye was fixed upon the dark horizon of Southern revolt; v/hile within our own brighter one were plots and robberies of the public treasury, whose disclosure v/as as startling as it was sickening to every patriotic heart. An example of rebel perfidy aud disregard of oaths in the highest class of capitalists v/as discovered toward the close of 1S61. The house of J., Bros. & Co., bankers, in Baltimore, vdiose business previous to the rebellion was principally v/ith Southern banks, applied to the Hon. Simon Cameron for a permit to visit friends at the South. Mr. Cameron hnd knov/n the members of this firm to be of the first respectability; and gave the desired pass. 120 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. After tins was used, another was obtained, until a large number had been obtained and had served well the purpose of the enterprising bankers. I received information that one of the firm was engaged in conveying large amounts back and forth in connection with the banking house of P. M., Richmond ; and that this means was resorted to for the transaction of business which months before had been pronounced contraband. I determined to detect the offenders in the act, and ex pose their disloyalty. Mr. J. was arrested at the Relay House, with his servant, and upon examination of his baggage a large amount of exchange and rebel correspondence was found. When the pass taken from Mr. J. and all the fticts were presented to Mr. Seward, he directed the seizure of the bank. It was decided to make a thorough examination of the vaults. The firm refusing to give up the keys of tliem, they were broken open, and revealed the shameful truth that the house had been for months acting contrary to a well- known order of the President prohibiting trade with the South. The next day I was directed by Mr. Seward to visit the War Department by eleven o'clock a. m. I repaired ac- cordingly to his oflice, and was ushered into the presence of President Lincoln, Secretaries Seward and Cameron, and Thomas A. Scott, and requested to identify the passes issued to J. I cannot pretend to say how far Mr. Cameron was Imposed upon by his banking friends, or to what extent the disclosure subsequently intiuenced his course. Mr. J. was sent to Fort McHenry, and the bank remained for a long time closed. Not far removed in date of occurrence, another form of fraudulent speculation, of which an instance among the male traitors has been recorded in the experience of "Billy Wilson," presented itself under a new and very amusing aspect. I was standing on the steamboat wharf at the foot of Sev- enth Street, Washington, with some of my assistants, when a pretty and tastefully dressed woman stepped from a carriage THE FAIR SMUGGLER. 121 and cast a restless, inquiring glance upon the miscellaneoua crowd around her. This little peculiarity attracted my at- tention. For, not unfreqaently, the clew to a crime and its perpetrator is given by such signals, of both which only a detective of some experience would observe. An anxioua look, a passing expression of the face, a confused manner or answer to a question, becomes the key to unlock a great and dark mystery of wrong. I closely watched the fair traveler as she walked upon the narrow, sjningy plank to the boat, and saw that the foot- bridge yielded to her step quite too much for her natural weight. I was satisfied, upon a nearer observation, that under her light outer dress there was a heavier garment than anything in the usual contents of the female wardrobe. I politely accosted her in the saloon, and said : " Madam, what have you concealed under your dress?" "Nothing, sir," she sharply replied, " that I have not a right to carry." "See here, my lady ; just step into that state-room, and relieve yourself of the contraband goods without further ceremony or trouble." She disappeared, and a moment later, from the partially opened door spitefully threw a skirt, in Vv'hich was quilted forty pounds of sewing silk, saying: " I suppose you think that you are very smart." I quietly replied: "Smart enough for you, madam;" rolled up the valuable garment, and left her to her own reflections. In the introduction to this volume, I said that it was the dim, and to some extent a successful one, I think, to give to tJie Detective Bureau a character second to no other part of the national service in reliability. No man, however successful in his particular work, was allowed to remain in my employ- ment if found to be wanting in integrity. I quote one ca?e from several on this point. Mr. M., in accordance with the subjoined order, was arrested and confined in the Old Capitol Prison : To the Honorable P. H. Watbon, Assistant Secretary of War: D£AB Sib — In compliance with your order of tlie 8th, I Lerewith forwi»rd 122 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. report in the case of S. M. M., a Jeteotive agent of the United States Govern ment, cliarged bj John Evans, John Rradsliaw, and others, captains of school t,rs engaged on tlie Potomac, with having at suudrv tunes blackmailed or exturu-d tuouey illegally from them. 1st. Mr. S. M. M. is not, nor has been at any time, in my employ. On or about the 12th of January, 1862, Mr. M. was aj)pointed by the State l)epartment as a detective agent, and was ordered to rei)ort tc oie. J iinuie Hiately sent him to Alexandria, Virginia, for the purpose ol watching all «uspccted persons; giving him no authority to arrest or seize property of any ♦description without first obtaining, through me, the proper order from the State Department. On the 10th instant, I applted to Mr. Allen, before and by whom tho ftfBdavits forwarded to your department were acknowledged, and ascertained that the charges were true^ except as to date, and some other minor discrep- ancies, which do not in any manner alter the charges or affect the matter. So far as Mr, M. is concerned, I consider the charges made in the aflidavits proved, and deeply regret that any otficer with whom I have had any connec- tion should be guilty of such conduct. If any class of men in the employ of tho Government at this time should be honest and trustworthy, it is its confidential agents. I respectfully suggest that you order me oflicially to discharge Mr. S. M. M. \mmediatel''. I am, Sir, yonr obedient servant, (Signed) L. C. Baker, Government Detective, War Department. Several weeks before the occurrences wliicli will soon be narrated, information liad been conveyed to the AVar De- partment, from Lower Maryland, of treasonable designs and operations of the people residing there. The loyal few en tered tlieir complaint in words which I shall quote : — Qbrat Mills P. O., J 8t. Mart's Gountt, November 18, IMl. j Hon, SiMox Cameron, Secretary of War : — Dkab Sir — Being a loyal citizen of Maryland, I regard it an imperative duty to inform the Government of some facts which I hope the Government iLay recognize. There is a set cf men here who have done, and are still doing, all in their power to aid the rebel army. They have used the most treasonable languaj^a toward the Government; they have harbored, fed, and equii)ped, in every sense of the word, a great many men, and then have conveyed them to Vir- ginia. I also firmly believe they have arms buried in a churchyard, rea Wabimngton, Xorember 19, 1861. j To Brigadier-General Daniel E. Sickles, &c., &c., &c., or General IIookkr : — General — The bearer of this is Mr. L. 0. Baker, a detective in the employ o\ this department, whom I have requested to look after some disloyal per- sons in St. Mary's county, Maryland. I will thank you to render him an? •ssistance in the discharge of his duty that he may require. I am. General, very respectfully. Your obedient servant, F. W. Seward, Assistant Secretary. Further facts, in addition to those already in my posses- sion, determined my action in this matter. I selected the names of eight persons to "be arrested,' among them, one H., residing on ratuxent river, near its mouth, at a place called Millstone Landing. H., aside from his secession heresy, was a man of notorionsly bad character, and the terror of his neighbor- hood. An old resident, he had become familiar with all the streams, bays, inlets, &c., of that region, including the Po- tomac and Patuxent rivers, and Chesapeake bay. The character of the man, and this knowledge of the country, made him a fit tool, and valuable member of the band of blockade runners and spies, who resorted to his house aa their place of rendezvous. For ten days before I was on his track, he had slept in the woods, from fear of being taken. As an evidence of rebel zeal, they had arranged a system THE ARREST OF REBEL EMISSARIES. 126 of signals, to give the alarm whenever a detective or Gov 'jrnment agent appeared in the vicinity. During the day, strips of white cotton cloth were careless- ly suspended from the windows of their residences, or from a tree or shrub, to give notice of the arrival. In the night, the signal was the blowing of tin horns. In view of these fticts, and to accomplish the purpose of arresti^.- the traitors, the greatest caution was necessary. I there, "^e divided my force of a hundred men into eight or ten parties, giving each officer a minute description of the residence of the man to be arrested. Aware that the arrest of any one of the band before the others would immediately alarm them, these squads all left camp at the same time, with the understanding that, whether the arrests were made or not, the whole company should rendezvous at a certain point the next morning at eight o'clock. A more inclement and a wilder night I have rarely known. The streams were swollen by rains, and the darkness great, which tended to make the expedition very uncertain and uncomfortable. With the thirteen men who accompanied me, at two o'clock A. M., I surrounded the house of H. On knock- ing at the door, I gained no response. Forcing my entrance into the house, I was coTifronted by H. with a loaded pisto^ who desired to know my errand. I replied : *'H., your house is surrounded, and I have come to take yon prisoner. Give me that pistol." He did so reluct- antly. Upon searching the house, I found six notorious blockade- runners in the u])per story. Two were on their way to '' Dixie" with mail, and four returning, and conveying letters jf more or less im])ortance North. Naturally enough, the company were greatly disconcerted. I put these under arrest, and, while searching outhouses, found the "intelligent contraband." Upon questioning him, I learned where a large number of pistols and sabers, which he had carted to their place of interment, on their way South, were buried. Prom him I also ascertained that a large square box, containing Sharp's rifles, was buried in a Catnc lie church-vard three miles from the river. 126 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Upon application to the Key. Mr. , })astor of tlie flock worshiping there, he treated my statenu^nts with ridicule, and refused to let me desecrate the "hallowed ground," pro uoiincing tlie act wanton sacrilege. lie denounced the Guv eminent for permitting it. I proceeded to the burial-place with the contraband, uho pr. S., a prominent rebel, had left his home on the first intimation of our approach. His house was visitt^d the next day, but he was not at home. My squad were hungry, and asked for dinner. The women at once began to prepare it. Among the inviting dishes was a roasted opossum. We all ate heartily, and, besides paying liberally for the meal, we kindly thanked our fair hostess for the satisfactory repast. Upon reaching camp we were taken ill, and in a few boars three out of the five were in a dangerous condition. A physician was called, who said: "These men have been poisoned. What have they been eating ?" No explanation could be then given ; but it was after- SMUGGLING QUININE SOUTH. 127 ward ascertained tliat tlie opossum liad extra dressing for our special benefit. H., with seven of his comparions, was confined in Fort Lafayette a year. Tlie name will again appear in tlie record of a later period, In a light no more flattering. I learned about this time that persons connected with dis- tinguished politicians were engaged in suspicious business fa Washington. The names were Mrs. T., Miss L. B. B., and M. B. B., a Baptist minister. I also learned that Mrs. T. was the mother of Miss B., the sister-in-law of lion. Montgompry Blair, Postmaster- General, and that Mrs. T. and her friends resided in Fau- quier County, Virginia. The passes had been procured on the recommendation of Postmaster Blair, to give these persons the opportunity to get a few of the " necessaries of life." An es})ionage of the visitors disclosed a traffic in quinine of considerable extent. They had visited three drug stores, and purchased six hundred ounces. This was taken to the house of Mr. Gfal- lagher, brother of Miss B. To ascertain in what way the quinine was to be conveyed, resort was had again to the contraband. A negro servant at Mr. Gallagher's house soon reported that Miss B. was engaged in rcakmg a skirt formed of sec- tions, or long pockets, lined with oiled silk. The smugglers were so closely watched that every move- ment in the purchase was known within half an hour after it occurred. I had decided not to arrest them until they were over our lines. After they left Washington, I called on the Hon. Mr. Blair, and told him the particulars in regard to his friends; when and where the medicine was obtained; the manufacture of the skirt for its transportation, &c. I further apprised him that they had that morning started for home. Mr. Blair lis- tened to my story, and then pleasantly remarked : " Why, Baker, those persons are as loyal as you are, and I loaned them the money." Then taking his bank book from his drawer, he added: 128 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. *' See ; I have just had ray note for five hundred dollary discounted to help these poor people." I replied : " Mr. Blair, I cannot be mistaken about this." Exhibithig much impatience at my positiveness, he said : ** Well, arrest them ; and if you lind the quinine, put them in the Old Capitol." Three miles over the lines, I stopped the travelers, and informed Miss B. that I wanted to examine the skirt. She immediately went into a farm-house, took ofl' the garment, and threw it down indignantly, saying : " So this is ihe way you treat Southern ladies." The whole party were tlien escorted to Washington. Miss B. and Mr. B. were lodged in the Old Capitol prison. Upon reporting the facts to the Secretary of War, he directed me turn the quinine over to the medical directco", the horse and wago::* to the quartermaster, and the groceries to the hospitals. The next morning the Hon. Montgomery Blair and Miss B, called, and demanded the restoration of the prop- erty. ^ I informed them of its disposal. On the afternoon of that day, Mr. Blair came back with written order from Mr. Lincoln to deliver up the goods. I told him that this was impossible, for it had already been handed over to the Government by authority of the Secretary of War. He then demanded my removal from office. Mr. Lincoln did not see that I had disobeyed any order, and failed to appreciate his Postmaster's regard for law and his Southern friends. The parties were kept in prison several weeks, and then paroled. We add Mr. B.'s statement, made under oath : — M. B. B. makes the following statement : — I was born in Loudon Oount.y, Virginia. Aged twenty-tlireo years. Re- side in Fauquier County, Virginia. On or about the 27th of October, 1862, Mrs. T., her daughter (Miss L. B. B.), and myself, came to Washington city, in a buggy or carriage, which was owned by Mrs. T. — the horse belonged to me. Mrs. T. also Lad in her employ a wagon and team, which, I believe^ MR. BAYLY'S COMPANrON". 129 were the property of tlie driver, and which were engaged Ly her to (ym^ej groceries to her home, for family use. My visit to AYasliington, at the time referred to, was at the written re'jnest of Mrs. T., desiring rue to accompany her to Washington. After making her purchases, slie (Mrs. T.) obtained the necessary passes for our return; we started for home, and arrived in Alexandria, Virginia. The weatlier being rainy, Miss B. and myself commenced the preliminaries for taking medicines through the lines, on a speculation. After the agreement to do so, I ordered some of the medicines in Alexandria, when our party (Mrs. T., Miss B., and myself) concluded to return to Wasliington, D. 0.; bnt Mrs. T., to my knowledge, knew nothing of the contrabaud arrangement between Miss B. and myself. The purchases were all made by me, both in Alexandria and in "Washing- ton, ^liss H. and myself jointly expended about five hundred dollars in the enterprise. Miss B.'s arrangements for the conveyance were completed at Mr. Gal- lagher's residence on Fifteenth Street ; mine were comjileted in Alexandria After taking every precaution for success, we started for home in the same conveyance that brought us, and the same parties, viz. : Mrs. T., Miss B., and myself. "We proceeded homeward until stopped by the pickets, near Chantilly, and were then taken to Centreville, Fairfax County, Virginia, where we were searched, and the contraband medicines found and taken from us. I had but two letters, which were taken from me when arrested — one was given me by Miss B. H. (who, I believe, boards on Four-and-a-llalf Street), remarking at tlie time, that it was from her mother to her sister; Mr. McV., of Alexandria, handed me the other, requesting me tc send it to his father, remarking that there was nothing treasonable in it. I did not know of any letters on the person of Miss B., previous to our arrest. "When arrested. Miss B. and myself regretted the canae thereof, as we imagined Postmaster-General Montgomery Blair might be censured for aiding and assisting us in obtaining passes, our actions, as detected, having the appearance of disloyalty. It is but justice to that gen- tleman to say, that ho knew nothing of the matter between Miss B. and myself. Besides the contraband medicines taken from me, I had two carpet-bags, which contained my clothing. I also hold a receipt from detective officer [.ee, for "forty dollars in treasury notes, thirty dollars in Virginia State notes, wonty-four dollars in Confederate notes, and two dollars on broken bank,'"* jgether with my horse, which was in the buggy when ari'ested. I believe ill these are in the possession of Mr. L. 0. Baker, Provost-Marshal of the 'War Department, and, being my individual property, I respectfully ask their return on the disposal of my case. Having thus truthfully stated my case, and my lady companion (Miss B.) having been discharged, I presume that justice and punishment should be administered without partiality. I, therefore, respectfully ask my discharge aroiD confinement on the same conditions and privileges as were conceded tc 9 130 D.^ITED STATES SECRET SEKVICK ^^i^^ L. B B., nijr companion in tLe unfortunate matter which caused raj arrest and confinement. M. B. 3. Pereonally appeared before me, this eleventh day of December, a. d. 1862 the above-named Marcus B. B., and, being sworn accordiug to law, de- clares the above statement to be true. L. 0, TtJRNHR, Judge-Advocate. "Witness my baud and seal the day and year aforesaid. The telegraph lines were especially guarded after tlie war commenced. Great failures in army movements were caused by the improper use of the telegraph. ^Vhen battles were impending, guards and censors to watch it were sent by the Government to the offices, for two reasons: first, to prevent intelligence from reaching the ene- my ; second Iv, to keep it out of the hands of unscrupulous persons, who would use it for cs^.r illation. Two millions of dollars were made in Wall Street in an hour by a single telegram. The business of that money market was governed by the army movements. Various tricks and expedients were resorted to for the concealment of the traffic in blood and gold. Very few exceptions, however, were made to this general rule. The commanding general, chief quartermaster, and a law others, were permitted to send dispatches not subject to tile usual censorship. A prominent officer attached to headquarters, who had spent his early life in Oregon, with the army, had become fcimiliar with an Indian jargon called ChunooA\ introduced by cast-away sailors, seventj-'five years ago. No trade but that of wliale-shiiDS was then carried on along tliat coast. The sailors taught the Indians certain expressions, pretending them to be English, whi* h remain in use am.ong them. A prominent Oregon politician, then in "Washington— a fnend of the army officer befor« referred to — had also learned this "Chunook." Presuming that the knowledge of thig jargon was confined to themselves at the East, they had arranged a system of telegrams, to speculate in gold. December 12, 1S62, after a temporary repulse of the Union Army, I was sent for by the Secretary of War, who said : CnUNOOK TELEGRAMS. 131 *' Colonel, can you tell me what this means V handing me a telegram, which I recognized at once as Chunook. The dis- patc'h was signed " ," and sent to I replied : " Oregon Indian jargon." He added : " What is jargon ?' ' I explained. He asked me to write out a translation of it. The Secretary did not seem fully to appreciate my no wl edge of the language. He inquired if there were others who understood it. I replied: "Yes, several." Retaining the telegram, he sent for Mr. D., clerk m the Department of the Interior, who had also been in Oregon. He translated it substantially as I had done. The Sec- retary, still incredulous, sent for General , who is a fine linguist. . IleWid: "Mr. Secretary, why, tliis is Hungarian: a reply which was for some time a standing joke at the gener- al' 8 expense. The dispatches continued to arrive that and the next day. They were altered, transposed, &c., then forwarded, to tlio great wonder and bewilderment of the recipients. We copy the original telegrams with the tAVO translations, intimating that the Clmnook system of telegraphing was re- jected by the Government. The expressions, apparently so disconnected, had each a significance well understood by the army speculators:— Nksika isciru Feedebioksbcko. Tlin nesika pooh cononay okok sun copa liin bias gnns. Wake bin tilicniu mameloos. Tbraolloh tenas snn iiesika puck puck copa musket pe cononay pire iotas. Nahnitka chinas silcnra nesika raameloos kata wake clmco ole aez. Where is S. Where n. S. Come here to-day. My soldiers come as yoti told me. Now tell me, old N., suppose you want to see one big firing. AD wall, you make haste here now. News why mad, yes, to-morrow. Where is S. Tell H. S. to come hero to-day. The soldiers come as jox told me. Now tell old N., suppose he wants to see one big firing, all rights make haste hers. They will be mad ^o-morrow JS2 UNITED MATES SECRET SERVICE. Ukitkd States Mii.tTABT Teleohapil, War Depaxtmkkt, I ■VVashlnoton, D. C, December 12, 1S62. J Wake Biyah coltua mitlike nesika conoway okok sun nika tamtiira claska rebels puck puck nesika tomallah kagna pililin divils klash nanitch conowav sun tomallah klark aiyum mikn. We have come to Fredericksburg. A great many we shoot all this day, witli a great many big gnns. A great many of your people are killed. To- morrow morning we shoot with muskets and all fire-arma. Yes, probably half of us will be dead. Why don't you come. We have come to Fredericksburg. We have killed a great many to-day, with big guns. A great many of their people are killed. To-morrow morn- ing we shoot with muskets, and all kinds of fire-arras. Probably half of ua w ill be dead. Why don't old N. come. It appears to patriotic "outsiders" incredible that sncli a morbid spirit of speculation could exist amid the tragedies of civil war ; but those who escaped the contamination in the arena of tempting opportunities were the select and incor ruDtible few at whose head was Abraham Lincoln. CHAPTER VIII. OFFICIAL SERVICES AND EMBARRASSMENTS— NEW ORDER OF THTNiiS rhe Bureau transferred to the War Department — Dr. H., and the Perilous Adventure of which he was the occasion — Report of the Case — Arrest of the Leader of k gT«at secret Southern Organization — Documents and Letters. DsPAKTHKirr or Statb, I Washinoton, February 15, 1881 | Sib — Permit me to introduce Mr. L. 0. Baker, who has been employed b> the State Department in the detective service, and who, so far as known, has discharged his duties in a manner entirely acceptable, li: consequence of Executive Order No. 1, dated February 14, this department has no further use of his services. He is commended to your consideration as a capable and efficient officer. I have the honor to be, very respectfully. Your obedient servant, W. H. Skwa»?d. Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. Some interesting adventures soon after followed. Pr. G. H. was from Leesburg, Va. ; graduated in the Medical College of Philadelphia, and became engaged, while attending lectures, to the daughter of a prominent citizen, and subsequently married her. Immediately after the rebellion broke out, he took sides with the South, and became so obnoxious to the people of Germantown, by the declaration of his secession armtiments, that a committee waited upon him requesting him to leave, which he refused to do. This so exasperated tht5 citizens, that they warned him to take a peaceful farewell of the com- munity. He decided, at length, to go South. Removing to Baltimore, with others of similar character, among them Cap* tain Wardell, of the Shenandoah, he entered into the exciting but lucrative business of blockade-running. In the selection of his associates, as will appear, he took one of my detec- tives, and gave the details of the plan, dates of intended operations, and the kind of goods to be sold. The schooner chartered by them was the James Buchanan^ -a fitting name. 133 Ui^irLD fcii'ATES SKCUET 6EUV1CE. Having learned all the facts, I provided a tng, and wa^ lying off Annapolis two days and nights, expecting every moment the appearance of the schooner; whose departure was delayed by a terrible snow-storm. And here I was obliged to resort to one of the subter- fuges which were employed afterward so successfully by my assistants. Putting on the old oily clothes of an engineer, and with an oil can in my hand, I went to the store where the excur- sionists were getting supplies. Wliile there, I found the entire company engaged in the purchase. I was in no hurry to leave the place, but managed to gel close to one of the company who belonged to my force, and was admitted to the circle in disguise, trying, by nudging him and pulling his coat, to let him know who I was. It was all in vain : so complete was my transformation into a common and greasy engineer. Captain Wardell asked me on what boat I was engineer [ said of a tug-boat. Wardell, then turning to one of his companions, re- marked : "Why, here's a man who can tow us out." Then again addressing me, he inquired : "What will you ask to tow a small schooner out into the bay?" I replied : " On moderate terms. If you are aU ready, for ten dollars. Where is your schooner?" "At the wharf." " A Veil, if you are ready in an hour I'U do the job. My tug is at tlie end of the pier." I went on board and told my twelve assistants to go into a small cabin aft, and not to show themselves till signaled by me. Soon after the blockade-runners came down, stepped aboard the schooner, threw me a line, bade adieu to theii friends on shore, and we started down the bay. Their vessel being small, with little room under Ihe deck, they remained above. Six miles from Annapolis, where they could sail theii vessel, they hailed me, and told me to cast off the line. THE CAPTURE. I;i7 I invited them on the tug to take a glass of good cheer before leaving. They came on board, and, while gathered around the bottle, I gave the signal ; my men rushed up tlie hatchway. I told my guests wlio T was, and that they were my prisoners. Among them was one of my detectives, who, to be distinguished readily, wore a red shirt and black belt. He had been three weeks with these blockade-runners. A little warlike demonstration was soon quieted by the display of a carbine. I took them to Foit McHenry, in a snow-storm of great severity ; and, having let my subordinates return with the boat while I adjusted business details, found the walk of nearly three miles, in the night, no pleasure walk after the excitement and fatigue of the day. My report recounts the official course of events partially narrated : — Wasoingtoii, Ftbruary 24, 1862. To the Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War : — Dear Sir — Herewith please find my report in the case of Dr. H. H., arrested at Annapolis, on the 18th instant. The doctor is a resident of Germantown, Pennsylvania. During the excitement last summer, the doctor made himself particularly obnoxious to the Union people in his vicinitj by his open denunciations of the Government and his avowed sympathy with the so-called Confederate States; so distasteful had he become, at one time, that the police authorities in Philadelphia were compelled to interfere to protect his person and property. Dr. H. was, until the last two years, a resident of Winchester, Virginia; he married the daughter of F. B., Esq., of Philadelphia (a good Union man and a worthy citizen). On or i.bont the first of the present month, the Doctor began making arran^j** ments for going South, for the purpuse of joining the Confederate army as » surgeon. He came on to Hultimore. Maryland, mingled freely with the secession element in that city. On the 10th instant, an organizatinu or par1> of rebels, in Baltimore (of which the Doctor was one), chartered the slouj. James Buchanan to carry them to Virginia. Being advised of tlieir interaed movements, I chartered (by order of Major-General Dix) a steam tug, -with a view to intercept them, it being understood that the party, consisting of thirteen persons, were to embark at Annapolis The day fixed upon for their departure being very stormy, the sloop did not leave Baltimore. I, however, went to Annapolis on Tuesday last, and found the expedition ready to siil. Having no boat at my disposal, I immediately arrested Dr. H. I searched his baggage, and found letters which settle the question as to his guilt and intentions to join the Confederater A quantity of gold coin and Confederate bank-bills were found in his possession, also pistols, rubber blankets, ready-made clothing, <&c., &c. The prisoner, with the letters, 138 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. pa[>or3. money, and all other effects belonging to hitn, were turned over to Gfiierul r>ix, at Baltimore. The prisoner is now ccufined in Fort Mcllenry, subject to the disposal of your Department. I am, sir, your obedient servant, (Signed) L. C. Bakbk. Alexandria notwithstanding its proximity to Wash! nor. ton, became headquarters of secession councils. This state of things culminated, early in the struggle, in the death of Ellsworth. At Baltimore, while I was apparently in sympathy with the rebels, I learned of a secret organization at Alexandria. It was formed ostensibly for the benetit of the families of both Union and Confederate soldiers. This will account for the connection of Mr. Louis AlcKenzie with its proceedings. lie became a member, unaware of its real character ; and when its disloyal spirit was apparent, he absented himself from the meetings of the society. The seizure of the records put me in possession of its entire history. There was "a wheel within a wheel" in this organized benevolence, de- signed to bring out all the sympathy available for the cause of treason. The Pc^el correspondence will be found es- pecially rich in expressions of feeling ; while the rebel poetry, which graced one of the meetings of the association, presents very forcibly its ruling animus. In this report^ as in other narratives I shall quote, sometimes uninterestii^g details occur, because inseparable from the record : — WiSHmoToii, M""^ 4, 1861 To the FTon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: — Sir — I have the honor herewith to transmit my report In tiie followmg cases, arrested at Alexandria by myself and assistants, February 2rtth and 27th, 1862. Accompanying this report are two books — one containing the proceedings of a secret organization, or society, for the benefit of llie famiiiLd of soldiers now in the Confederate army, also the manufacture of uniforms, elothing, iVc, which have from time to time been forwarded to the so-calle;! Confederate States. This association was organized in June last, ami, as B[)peRr9 from the minutes of their proceedings, the Ladies' Relief Associate )n, ouniposed of tlie wives and daughters of its members, were admitt«8t fall and vi£tei, concerning the meetings and treasonable transactions of this sccietj CITIZENS OF ALEXANDRIA ARRESTED. 139 Uwing to the high social standing and position of these traitors, and the ex- treme secrecy with which all their operations were carried on, I found it very difficult to ascertain, with any degree of certainty, their places of meet- ing, their number, or the names of the parties comprising the organiration. Daring the past four months, large numbers of cards were picked up in the streets and bar-rooms at Alexandria, on which w ere printed words and sentences, disconnected, which (since the arrests were made) I have ascer- tained were intended as a notice to the members of the society tc meet at a certain time and place. So dark and secret were all their proceedings, that it was with the utmost difficulty, and after months of patient and constant surveillance, that this board of secret plotters against the Government were brought to light. The book containing the minutes of these meetings was found in the pos- session of Henry Peel, who, at the time of the arrests, was secretary of the association. This book, fortunately, contained the names of all the oflScers, which subsequently led to tlieir arrest. The book marked "Dangerfield" was found in his (Dangerfield's) possession. It contains a statement of the object of the association, the names of its contributors, names of subscribers, amount subscribed, and how disbursed. There can be no question as to the real object of thia association. Let ters, papers, and memorandums, found in possession of nearly all the parties arrested, show most conclusively that these individuals were engaged in a treasonable conspiracy to levy war against the United States Government, and all have refused to take the oath of allegiance. Much of the proof oi which I rely to convict, under the act of 1861, is verbal conversations witl and between these rebels, which have been overheard by many of the most reliable citizens of Alexandria, and, I am satisfied, will convince any jury in the land of their guilt. On or about the 4th of March, 1861, Mr. Louis McKenzie (now Mayor of Alexandria) was called upon for consultation with J. B. Dangerfield, W. F. Booth, W. H. Taylor, W. II. Marburg, General Johnston (now in the Con- federate army), James Green, and J. W. Burke, for the purpose of devising some plan for the seizure of Wasliington, the seizure of steamers running on the Potomac, and destroying the buoys marking the channel up the Potomac. They also gave information and personally assisted in the seizure of the steamer Paige, now in possession of the Confederates. All the facts causing this meeting can be proved by a number of reliable witnesses now residing in Alexandria. All the above-named parties (except the rebel General John- Bton) are now confined at the Old Capitol prison. Owing to the recent arrests, and seizure of contraband correspondence, bat few letters directly implicating the parties were found. HENET PEEL. The following letter was written to Henry Peel by his brother now in Riok mond : — 140 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. KiOHUOKD, November 80, 1861. M^ Dear BKOTnES— You can not imagine the source of pleasure your letter gave us. It was the first line I had received from Alexandria si ace I left The letter you wrote me in answer to mine I have never received, but hope it may come along in time. Since I came to Richmond I have been busily engaged 8«lling off the goods I shipped to the country, and have been operating in otiiei- mticles out of my usual line, and have succeeded very well so far. Th* truth is, almost anything you could buy can be sold at a profit and for cash. Miniey is more abundant than I ever knew in all my business life. Richmond is the center of trade; it is the point from which the army draw most of their 8uj>plies. The supplies are abundant and coming in from every quarter. The Boble sons of the South have just laid down their all upon the altar of patriot- ism, determining to maintain their rights against such a nation of Yankee myrmidons, as are in fact the Northern States. "When the South determined to separate from so vile a community, they have to confess that they did not know that they were so much like land pirates as they have shown themselves to be in their effort to crush the Southern people. Of all civilised nations known, a more brutal, despicable crusade against the South is not recorded. They (the South) now fully know with whom they are de&iiug, and will act accordingly — an eye for an eye — and all prepare to meet liKira. any and every- where. Whenever a contest has taken place, the Southern holdiers have proven enccessful. This is true; their papers to the contr&ry. The whole purpose i» to deceive the people, and their papers are undei such surveillance tliat they can not dare to give any c^her report. The actual loss in the Lecsburg fight say prisoners, killed, wounded, drowned, aod missing, was thirty-three hun- dred. Your papers state no such result Every few days a large batch of prisoners are brought here. Yesterday, twenty three cavalry were brougiit down; their horses and all captured Sent off two hundred and fifty to Alabama on Wednesday; about fifteeu hundred still remain here. If they attempt to hang those taken as privateers, tlieir rank will be hung here. Already lots have been drawn, and each unhappy man is confined in the cell for criminals prepared for the condemned. In no way can the North get ahead of the South. Plenty of stout hearts, abundance of provisions, full supply of ammunition, army well equipped. The finest long-range rifle cannon and columbiad, that strikes terror whenever fired. The whole South, with a united voice and solemn resolve, have willed to be free from the North oi perish in the eftbrt. All feel hopeful and sanguine of success, willing to en- dure any and all privations, even to life itself. If the North could only know how vain their efforts to conquer the South, or subdue the rebels, tliey would give it up. If they do know the fact, their acts are only to damage the South, to gratify an intense hatred for losing so good a customer as the South has been ; but in carrying on the war, every blow they give strikes back with redoubled force, in loss of life and building up a debt which they will nevei Bee paid. As for the Union must be preserved, it is all a farce ; the old Union is broken, never again to bo united. This is a fixed fact. Every day the blockade lasts only tends to make the South mere independent of tho North. REBEL CORRESPONDENCE. 141 as every variety of manufacture is eprin^'n^ up. Just tliink of it: a f«w mouths since tliere vras uo Government whatever here ; now it is fully organ- ized, and every department is in successful operation. A large army has been organized and well sustained, and can whip tliree times their weight in Yankee flesh or foreigners either. The crops have been abundant, money is plentiful, and confidence between man and man, all standing shoulder to shoulder, determined to undergo extermination before subjugation. ITie women and children uniting in the one common effort, besides the slaves all at home laboring to sustain our army with provisions to repel the common foe against us. To conquer such a people, relying upon the God of battles t.o sustain them, is simply ridiculous. In all our struggles, the hand of the Almighty is plainly visible ; for our many sins we may be scourged and have to suffer much, but putting our trust in Ilim, tliough many be slain, yet lie in- tends all for our good. It is a source of no little gratification to feel that God is with OS in this struggle, and to expect some reverses is natural enough, but the -esult is only a question of time : the longer we are persecuted, the greater loss uf life and money the North will sustain, and accomplish nothing at last. In one tiling the Yankees have been mistaken : that was, to incite the negroes to insurrection; but be it said to their advantage when the struggle is over, that where one black face with a true heart has turned against us, ten whitei facts with black and false hearts have done so; and I regret so many in A'exandria are of that class, but most of foreign-born or Yankees, who never had any sympathy with the institutions of the Soutii. Amidst all the horrors of the war, Riclimond is increasing in population and sealizing great and un paralleled prosperity. Nearly every branch of business is a success. Manu- factories are doing well. We have a very large number of Alexandrians here, and most of them have profitable employment. John McC. J. is here in office at one thousand dollars salary ; Wells A. Lockwood is in a bank at one thou- sand dollars salary. I could extend the list of friends here. Mr. E. K.Witmer and child arrived safely ; all of them will keep house together. Tell H. P. I received a letter from his partner, S., and he sent me a letter for H., which I will forward with this, hoping it may reach him, as I trust all our letters, safely. As you all have both piano and melodeon, we would like for Lu. to send round and get F.'s piano and melodeon and take care of it for me, using both as much as they please. If not inconvenient, we would like them to send and get them. I have never heard one word from Mr. B. since I left. I hope he will be able to get along without trouble and meet with no reverses. It is a sad state of things that friends should thus be separated, and for no fault of ours, the fault being at the door of demagogues and politicians. Aw ful will be the account to settle at the Day of Judgment for so much cruelty wan- tonly inflicted upon innocent men, women, and children. Surely their cup ia fast Ailing up, and vengeance will overtake them. We have been disappointed in seudmg this as I expected, but now have a chance in a day or two. Our General Assembly met in Augusta, Georgia, last Wednesday, to organize anew for the South. They expect to get along without large boards to man- age their affairs — only a small committee responsible to the Assembly. Theresa 142 UNITED STATES SECLET SERYIOE. goes over to Petersburg next Thursday, to spend a week or so. Our Congress and Legislature are in session. Tlie State Convention has adjourned. Wa have seen Lincoln's message — a poor thing. IIow vastly he is mistaken about Tennessee and North Carolina, lie will find both Kentucky and Missouri gi)ing with the South. He may well recommend the fortifying of Northern cities, fearing European intervention or aid from that quarter. It is all tot no purpose this detestable land-pirate war is carried on; they Lever can con- quer the South We are getting stronger every day. Men enlisting and impleinents of warfare increasing weekly. Some new engines of warfare have been invented that will be used in the nest battle, that will carry death and destruction to any army coming in contact with it. Of this I can not speak fnrtlier; but only an opportunity offer to use them, and they will rue the day they ever thought of subjugating a free and enlightened people. We all unite in affuctionate love to you all, praying a merciful Providence may watch over and keep you. I am, affectionately, your brother, 8. It will always be an liistorical fact, over which the loyal heart will sadly wonder, that, while the cause of treason was rarely betrayed by its professed friends, the most threaten- ing danger at the North was the treachery of those who lived under and and even hurrahed for the old flag. No future historian of the civil war will probably ever attempt, nor will the records of the quartermasters' de- partment ever show the vast amount of public stores and other property wantonly abandoned and destroyed by its faithless servants. All over the boundless arena of conflict were scattered the best materiel of war — its most abundant supplies — in fragments and decaying masses ; a spectacle not beheld, and therefore unappreciated, by the people at home. It is, however, no new thing under the sun, and peculiar to no party in power. The Mexican war was, perhaps, never surpassed in this aspect of national conflicts. The speculations were so re- mote from the great commercial centers of the country, the people knew but little of the manifold and lawless specula- tions. Tlie late war offered opportunities of every possible sort for unprincipled trafBc ; some of them lawful, and many more unmitigated robbery. "Uncle Sam" was the victim of this sharp practice, and therefore it flourished with the air of respectability and comparative impunity. FRAUDS BY GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS. 143 In one instance, a telegraph operator retained important oflacial messages, and even charged for Government dis- patches. Death itself has no barrier to the mercenary trade. The embalming of the dead, and the transportation of the bodies to friends at a distance, were occasions for unblush- ing extortion. As we have suggested, the atmosphere of war is petrify ing to the moral sensibilities of men who yield to its de moralizing influence, and they will do deeds in the presence of death, and with their own threatened every moment, which, in the purer, calmer air of their domestic and social life, would be utterly repulsive and unthought of by them Clerks and employees of the Government, whose business it was to make returns of the amount of forage and supplies received from the contractors, it was found were bribed by the latter to make false entries, and thus increase the weight fraudulently, to a greater or less figure. My investigation of the transactions disclosed the astounding fact that these employees had increased the amount of supplies furnished by sixteen contractors to the amount in money of over two hun- dred thousand dollars ; which, in compliance with my sugges- tion, was deducted from the sum to be paid the contractors, on their final settlement with the Government. All means were resorted to, by men who attracted the notice of the bureau, to escape arrest. When bribery and coaxing failed, threats were used, to secure their immunity from merited exposure and punishment. I was not unfre- quently cautioned by a meinlx-r of the Cabinet, against ex posure to personal violence and even assassination. The letter copied below refers to a communication of an attorney. A German, named Volk, who had in his possession a large number of horses, nearly all of which belonged to the Gov- ernment, was arrested, and the horses taken from him. A a usual in similar cases, Yolk employed an attorney. After a full and patient hearing of the case, 1 returned to Volk nine of the horses, which could not be proved to belong to the Government. The attorney, after exhausting legal argument to get the rest of the animals, wrote a letter, in which he in- timated that he had possession of certain papers reflecting unfavorably upon my private and official character, and that 144 UNITED STATES SECRET SEKVICE. their presentation to the President would make my immediate dismissal from the service certain. But, if 1 would recom- mend the Quartei-master-General to restore the horses, and appoint a friend of his on my police force, he would forward me the papers, and spare me the disgraceful exposure by Mr. Lincoln. In reply, I wrote as follows : — OrriCB PBOvoBT-MARsnAL War Dkpartmbht, ) Washlnqton, December IB, 1SG2. \ Tt r. B., Attorney and Counselor at Law, Washington, D. 0. : — SiH — Your note of this date is received. Previous to my giving you any order for the payment of the nine horses, I took much pains in investigating the case, and satisfied myself that Volli was entitled to tlie pay for the said nine horses, and no more. I have, as yet, seen no proof or facts that would warrant me in recommending tlie Quartermaster's Department to pay for any more horses on Vol!<'s account. If you can produce any satisfactory proof that any person or persons in my employ extorted money from Vollv, I will not only cause tlie amount to be refunded, but will immediately discharge and arrest such i)erson or per- sons. In relation to certain papers you refer to, wliich you say you will fur- nish me with, that might be used greatly to my annoyance, I beg leave to reply, that I am not in the market as a purchaser of any such documents. Tne parties you speak of *s being on my track, and whom you say you will exercise your skill to keep olT, I have no fears of; therefore you are at tibei ty (so far as I am concerned) to let thein loose as soon as you may think proper. In the latter part of 1862. T was sent for by Mr. Lincoln to make tn investigation respecting the brutal treatment of slaves in Lower Maryland. This whole section had been visited 'by the Union troops, and, as a natural consequence, the slaves were escaping. There seemed to be something so fascinating to the ignorant bondmen, that they would follow them, as if charmed by the glittering bayonet and blue uniform, which never failed to awaken a strange longing for liberty. It is not military ambition, but an inspiration, which seizes them. They are re^dv *o fall in and keep step to the martial airs of freedom. An illuatration of the interesting peculiarity of the race came under my observation during one of the well-known raids by General Kurtz, from Suffolk, on the Weldon rail- road. The First District Cavalry, a regiment 1 had raised, and of wliich further mention will be made, was divid^^d into front and rear gua'-d. The advance of the forces waa the first appearance of Union troops among these patient REBEL BRUTALITY TO SLAVES. 14Ji "servants" of the region. To "be informed that we were " Yankees," was enough, without the slightest hint of our plans or destination, to stir the most stupid toiler like a trumpet-call. The hoe was dropped, the plow and cart abandoned. Even the women, moved by the same wild impulse, deserted their cabins, and all together rushed to the rear of the army, and stepped to the music of the march for days, and sometimes for weeks. They dreaded more than death the return to their owners, or recapture by them. When it became necessary to leave several hundred at Reams' s Station, in our hurried movement backward, they lingered about instead of going forward, and their frantic agony was heart-rending. A very cruel instance of the welcome given to a recap tured slave, occurs to me in this connection. One Carpenter, a notorious secessionist, was a ruffian and a terror to all Union men. o frighten the slaves, and prevent them from running away, he tied a captured man to a tree, in a nude condition, wliipped him with a board til. exhausted, then set his slaves at work. When this master and fiend was rested, he returned to the beating, until death closed the scene. There was a formal arrest, but the majority of his "fellow-citizens" were in sympathy with him, and he was soon at liberty. Subsequently, however, he was arrested for treason, and confined in the Old Capitol prison. It is a matter of history, that at this period of the National struggle for existence, the cause of the war was ignored by the North. Not so with the South ; there, the " corner- stone" was brought forth to the world's admiring view, and the flag of treason waved proudly over it. There was then some excuse for England's sneer at our unbroken loyalty to the South in her defense of the aristocratic claim of superi- ority over all other American races. I have never had the honor of being called a reformer, or an ^^abolitionist,'''' but I do not deny that my sense of justice, and my sympathies, have been with the injured and oppressed, irrespective of color, or position in society. I have, therefore, during the entire period my bureau has served the loyal cause, unhesitatingly given the whole power of the department to the protection of the defense- 10 146 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. less negro, whenever lie was the victim of prejudice or passion. In common with thousands who were ^brought to face the practical effect of the slave system during the war, I have seen the soul of tyranny in it, whose lust of power spared not the blood-bought Union, but longed to crack tlie wliip over the hated "Yankee." Necessarily "behind the scenes," I saw the demon dis- guised by the bland expression of the "chivalry," and learned that the " kind. Christian masters" were so in spite of the system which they sustained — they were naturally magnanimous men, or governed by genuine religious prin- ciple, modified by a wrong education to the approval of gigantic wrong. I could fill pages with the narratives of fiendish scorn of the "nigger," while he was docile and unresisting aa the lamb led to the slaughter. Nor has the spirit of the peculiar institution died with the formal existence of slavery and the defeat of its sworn friends — a fact the country may realize when the retributive storm evoked by the countless mounds of starved prisoners of the loyal North, and the nameless graves of the murdered bondmen, shall again, though in a new aspect, bf^wilder with darkest fears our wisest statesmen. y Fairfax Court-House vv^as for two year: within our lines, and occupied as an outpost by our anny. Here lived a citizen by the name of F., with whom boarded several of the staff officers. Ilis daughter. Miss F., was a young and decidedly good-looking woman, with pleasing, insinua- ting manners. She discoursed fluently, and with enthu- siasm, of the Union cause, impressing her admiring guests with her loyalty and intelligence. Meanwhile, she carried her commission as a rebel spy. This document, in its original form, was found through the confidence reposed by Miss F. in a female subordinate in my bureau, who played the part of a Southern lady going to her friends. Miss F. opened Her heart to the young adventurer, and also her bed, in which, between the mattress and its nether companion, was con- cealed the prized and useful paper. It was found there when the fair spy was arrested by my order. MISS A. J. F. 14? Tlie puLlic have not forgotten the capture of General Stoughton and staff, at Fairfax Court- House, by Moseby, which drew from Mr. Lincoln the remark, when he waa toki that a hundred horses were captured with tlie officer : "Well, I am sorry for that — for I can make brigadier-gen- erals, but can't make horses." It turned out that Miss F. was accustomed to go out at night and meet Moseby, the famous guerrilla, and im- part whatever infonnation might be of service to the enemy. Indeed, one day she was invited by a staff officer to take a horseback ride into the country, and met Moseby, whom she introduced to her escort under an assumed name, and passed along, with loyal words upon her traitorous lips. CHAPTER IX. THE BUREAU IN CANADA— IN THE ARMY. Trioka of False Correspondence — Mr. Delisle and the "Secret Secession Legation The operations of the bureau were embarrassed unavoida- bly by the transmission of false intelligence through unrelia- ble persons for mercenary ends, of the gravest importance to this or some other department of the Government. Bogua correspondence was sometimes thrown into my hands to mis- lead me, and secure to the writers some personal advantages. For illustration : Early in 1863, a man, who signed him- self " C. M. Delisle," wrote to the State Department, ex- pressing an earnest desire to forward important information, dating from Prescott, Canada East, but post-marked at Og densburg, New York. Delisle claimed to be the agent of the "Secret Secession Legation, Canada," through whose hands passed all the correspondence between the province and Richmond. The letter below is from this gentleman : — Ogdknbbvbq, U^ay i, 1S68. To the Honorable W. H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington: — Sib — Certain facts having of late come to my knowledge, of the existence of a secret Southern society, the object of which is most detiiniental to the Federal Government of the United States; and although a Britisli subject, and residing in the States but for a few months, I deem it my duty to inform you of the fact. Having myself been engaged, in 1837 and '38, in quelling the Canadian rebellion, when I had the honor of holding a commission in a British troop of cavalry, besides having since held several commissions and ajvpoictments under the Canadian Government, I can understand tlie very great injnry cAused by it to a well-constituted Government as yours. However, I am one of those who are strongly in favor of the Union, and would consider It A very great misfortune if such a promising republic should ever be broken np. Being unwilling that it should be known that I have addressed you on ttiis subject, I trust it at the confidence reposed by me in you will be strictlj 148 , SECRET SECESSION LEGATION. 1 19 private and confidential ; and should your Government think proper to far- nish me the means of going to Washington, I shall then be most happy to substantiate my assertions by undeniable evidence. Had I had the means at my disposal, I should certainly have lost no time in seeing you personally. As to my character, it is beyond censure, and witli regard to my family con- nections, they are of the highest standing in Canada, where I w^as born and brought up. As it might occur to you that this is a ruse to obtain money, I can assure you that it is not so; and I am confident that when I shall liave made yon acquainted with the wliole of the facts connected with my infor- mation, it will put you in a position to discover and reap invaluable informa- tion for the good of your Government. I may also state that I shall have no objections in ofi'ering my services in bringing the whole thing to light, as some one would have to be employed by you on th» frontiers and in Canada, every Inch of which is most familiar to me. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient, «&c., 0. M. Dklislb. Four or five letters more, of a similar cliaracter, were for- warded to me by Mr. Seward, with the indorsement that he believed much valuable information could be procured from Delisle respecting persons in connection with whom he professed to be acquainted. Accordingly I met him, when he unfolded to me one of the grandest and most skillfully arranged plans ever devised, the great importance of which had rendered it necessary tliat an organization should be formed, with the sounding title already quoted, whose secretary was "Wm. Sibbald." So completely had these villains made out their programme, the single object of which was to obtain large sums of money, that it was with much difficulty that their plot w^as finally discovered. The letters which follow were well cal- culated to deceive the most vigilant servants of the Govern- ment : — MoNTBBAL, AprU 27, 1S63. Sib — The president of the "Secret Secession Legation in Canada," being (lebirous to appoint an agent on the border of the United States and Canada for the pur])Ose of facilitating the conveyance of the secret mails, &c., from Richmond, Va., to Europe via Canada, and your name having been transmit- ted to him by a friend of yours in the United States, as a person in whom all confidence can be placed, for your intelligence, integrity, and forbearanr^e, I therefore, sir, beg, at his request, to make you the following ofier, for your acceptance or refusal, viz. : — First. T^iat you will consent to become ^'■Secret AgenV in the United States for the above Legation. 150 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Second. That you will endeavor, by secret means, to forward in packages, «o made np and of such size as to avoid detection at the hands of the United Stales Government, all the letters, &o., delivered to you montlily by persons trora Richmond, Va., and who will have been previously instructed in New Vork of the nature of their mission toward you. You will also give them any information they may require to make a nlent and secret entrance in Canada, by indicating to them the roads by wlich the crossing of the boundary lines can be more easily effected and with less danger. It will also be your duty to deliver to them, on their making therasolvea known to you by means of countersigns, which in all cases will be given to fon in time by the Legation in Canada, any letters, papers, money, &c., that will have been secretly given to you for them, either from here or from other %ccret agents serving in Canada or the United States. Also, that you will find means to carefully conceal any documents, &c., from the vigilance of the United States Government police, till such docu- ments, (Sic, are safely delivered into the hands of the "emissary" it may please our worthy President, Mr. Jefferson Davis, to send to us. Third. That you will be willing and ready to move from one place to the other, at six hours' notice from the Legation here, at any time the said Lega- tion may order such a move, and everywhere act as secret agent to them, seeking and gathering any information they may require, and then faithfully transmitting the same to the President here. Should this oflFer meet your approbation, your remuneration will be as follows, viz. : two dollars and fifty cents for every letter, pajjer, &c., not bearing an official stamp; ten dollars for any document, letter, paper, &c., bearing our official Government stamp, and which in both cases you will succeed in forwarding safely to the Legation in Canada. On the other hand, should you be ordered to move from one city to another, twenty-five cents per mile will be allowed you on journeys pur- formed by rail or by boat; and fifty cents per mile for distances crossed in vehicles drawn by horses — all payments to be made to you in gold. In con- clusion, I hope, sir, that the confidence the President of the Legation here lias placed in you, based upon the recommendation of your recommender, will never be betrayed, and the strictest secrecy will be kept by you, should you accept or reject this proposition. Awaiting your early reply, which, sir, please address to Wm. SibbaUl, sim- ply, General Post, Montreal, I remain, sir, your most obedient servant, Wm. Sibbald, Secretary to the Secret Secession Legation, Canada. To 0. IkL Dkliblk, Esq., Ogdensburg, New York. UoifTKBAXi, Jfay 1, 186S. Sib — I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your answer to my communica- tion of the 27th ultimo, and I avail myself of this opportunity to tender you the thanks of cor President. "LEGATION" SCHEMES. 151 I am aware that the Agency, should you accept it, might become a littl* annoying in case of detection ; but no such accident can happen, if secrecy be your course of conduct, and much will depend upon yourself whether the police agents of \,he United States seize the dispatches. The character your benefactor in the United States, who has desired us to suppress his name, has given you, has induced us to broach such a subject to you. Suffice to say, that his motive is one prompted by the personal esteem he entertains for you, and also to have the felicity of withdrawing you from your present embarrassihg position. The post cannot of course be one except of great lucrativeness, as the arrangements made here are very complete, and on a large scale, although ntrictly ignored by any stranger to the " Legation^ To state positively what you might derive monthly from the agency, is a mere impossibility, as no one here is aware of the number of packages the "emissary" maybe able to convey; but you can rest a^ured tliat a very large income must unavoidably be drawn from it. The letters and official dispatches will be in all cases written upon the thinnest paper manufactured, to make concealment easier, and in many cases will be mere press copies. Your remuneration will be paid you by the "emissary" himself, on dfc-. livery of the documents, by draft on New York, to an amount equal to gold, or, if more convenient and suited to you, in specie. Whon ordered to move, sufficient money will be sent you from here, with the orders to take you, all expenses paid, to any place chosen and back to Ogdensburg, as the latter place will be your headquarters, except you think another spot would facilitate the entrance of mails in Canada: this point, however, is entirely left to your suggestion. The President, in thanking you, wishes me to say that he is well pleased with the character he has of you, and that no person is better suited thaa you for the fulfillment of his object ; and that, from your honesty, genteel and gentlemanlike bearing, you will manage to initiate yourself into the Ameri- can agents' favors, and acquire from them valuable information regarding the " lookout parties " on the frontier and outlets around Kichmond. I remain, sir, your obedient servant, "Wm. Sibbald, Secretary to the Secret Secession Legation in CanadA. To C. M. Dblisle, Esq., Ogdensburg, New York. I will be glad to hear your answer on receipt of this, whether the proposi- tion is accepted or rejected. No pains were spared by these conspirators to impress the officers of the Government with the reality of their lying scheme to rob its Treasury. In harmony with this cool pur- pose and policy, communications were forwarded to individu- als anticipating that they would ultimately reach my hands. On this point I shall quote certain correspondence with 152 UOTTED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Captiiin H. B. Todd, provost-marslial of the District of Columbia : — HRADorABTSBB Pbovobt-Makshal's OmcK, I WABaiMQTOM, D. O^ May 20, 1863. ( Colonel L. 0. Baker : — I am credibly informed that one Charles Michael Delisle, now living in l,)gden8bnrg, New York, has made arrangements with the Secret Secession i.c-gation, in Montreal, Canada, or with their secretary, "William Sibbald, to Convey the rebel mails and dispatches into Canada, as soon as the emissariei from Richmond deliver them to him. Delisle is paid by this Secret Legation, and now stops at Johnson's Hotel, Ogdensburg; of late he has entered his name as F. A. Delisle, instead of C. M. My informant has seen his correspondence with said Legation, and read his (Delisle's) proposition. He has already sent dispatches to Montreal, nndetected, which have been forwarded to Messrs. Mason and Slidell, through the mails of the Montreal Ocean Steamship Company, and others are very soon expected to go through. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Hknbt B. Todd, Captain and Provost-Marshal It is only necessary to add that, on the arrest of Delisle, he confessed that there was no "Secret Secession Legation" in Canada, so far as he knew, but that the design of the parties engaged in the transaction was simply to defraud the United States Government ; and, had it not been defeated by the vigilance of this bureau, it would have proved, of course, a Tery handsome speculation for them. CHAPTER X. "WEALTHY TRAITORS— FRUITLESS SCEEMBS. Jonii H. Waring — His Operations — An EfiBcient Tool — "Walter Bowie — A Wild Careei — Bobel Mail — Contrabands — Extracts from the Private Journal of Rebel Spies. The insane treason of the Marylanders revealed itself very strikingly in an incident which now occurred. Mr. John H. Waring, a wealthy and respectable planter, residing on the banks of the Patuxent River, had long been suspected of assisting the enemy, and devoting his dwelling to the secret service of the blockade-runners, spies, and mail-carriers of the Confederacy. His family had ever been known as tlie most scornful haters of the Federal Govern- ment, outspoken, and fearless. The female members of it, by their connection with disloyal friends of high standing in Baltimore, had special facilities for communicating with the South. He, individually, did not enter into the bittei denunciations of the Government, owing partly to his ad vanced age, and partly to his occupation of time on the plantation. Walter Bowie, whose family resided in Maryland, and whose uncle gave the name to the favorite weapon of the chivalry, had early in the struggle cast in his lot with the traitors. A reckless, unprincipled, and daring young man, with considerable culture, he was selected by the Secretary of War to act as a spy. Born and brought up in Lower Maryland, he was thoroughly acquainted with the country. To him are many families there indebted for the loss of fathers and sons. He raised, at different times, squads for the rebel service, ran across the Potomac and sold on spec n- lation ; now with Moseby' s guerrillas, then with the authori- ties at Richmond, and soon, perhaps, in Washington. I decided, if it were possible, to capture him. Aware that he 153 J 54 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. was assisted and concealed by tlie Waring ladies, I directed my attention to that quarter. Sending four detectives to the house, I ordered them to surround it on a certain night. They secreted themselves accordingly, waiting for the dawn, the usual way of detour movements. The proximity of the men somehow became known to the inmates of the house, but every precaution had been taken to prevent escape. As the light of day appeared, an aged negro servant left the dwelling with a washtub upon her head, and walked toward a spring near by for water. Upon her approach, an officer stopped her, and inquired about the family. Slie could give no information, and was allowed to pass. "When sufficient time had elapsed for her return, the detective sus- pected that he had been deceived, and taking the path to the spring, discovered the tub, and just beyond a horse saddled and bridled, tied to a tree. The whole ruse at once flashed upon his mind. The venerable negress was no other than Walter Bowie. He saw that the horse was watched, and went on afoot. Chagrined at the defeat of his plan, the officer returned to the house, and found, on searching it, the spy's uniform, sash, and sabre. It was ascertained later that a daughter of Mr. W., Mrs. Ducket, had blackened and dressed Bowie for the occasion. A more careful examination of the prem- ises led to the discovery of several suits of rebel uniform. From this time till autumn he was successfully engaged in raids upon defenseless sutlers and unarmed citizens, until at last, crossing the Potomac with a company of his asso- ciates, went to Sandy Hill, broke open a store, and pillaged it. I dispatched a squad in pursuit, and surrounded liis camp next morning at Booneville. A skirmish ensued, and Bowie was shot with a double charge, and instantly killed. The following episode in the darkly romantic history flings a lurid light into the "habitations of cruelty" which have been protected by the " starry flag" of freedom, reveal ing their domestic scenes : — OmoB Provobt-Marbhal War nBPARTMWrr, I Washington, July 9, 1868. j Honorable E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War : — Sir — I respectfully submit the following statement, and request further directions in the matter. CRUELTY TO NEGROES. 157 On Mouday ThsI, having received information that Walter Bowie, a noto- rious rebel and spy, had been on a recent visit to the house of Mrs. Lizzie Howie, in Prince George County, Maryland, and also, that subsequent to aaid visit, on Sunday night last, a loaded wagon containing clothing had been sent from Mrs. Bowie's house to the house of a Mr. Worthington, near the Poto- mac, for transmission to Virginia, I detailed a force from this ofBce to inves- tigate the matter, and arrest the said "Walter Bowie and any other parties en- gaged in disloyal practices. Walter Bowie succeeded in evading the search made for him, but it was ascertained that on Sunday night a two-horse wagon was sent from Mrs. Bowie's house, driven by a colored man named Daniel Grant, and in charge of Mr. Contee Warren ; that two large trunks were in said wagon, and that the same were taken some miles from Mrs. Bowie's, and then taken from the wagon and deposited by the side of the road, and there left, the driver, Daniel Grant, stating to the said officers that he understood that said trnnka contained clothing, &c., and were intended for Walter Bowie. My officers then visited the house of Mr. Worthington, charged with forwarding clothing, goods, &c., from Mrs. Bowie's into Virginia. A full examination of his house and premises was made, but nothing found of a contraband nature. In the process of such examination, my officers, on reaching the garret of Mr. Wor- thington's house, found the entrance closed and fastened with a padlock. Upon being refused admission, the door was forced open, and, to their surprise and horror, found there two almost naked negro girls, chained together by the wrists, and exhibiting upon their persons evidences of a most brutal and bloody punishment. Their backs were covered with blood, and gashed, as with a sharp knife, from the shoulders to the loins, presenting a spectacle of horrid cruelty and suffering which words cannot describe. One of these girls was owned by Mrs. Lizzie Bowie, and the other by Mrs. Worthington ; and it is understood that they had been beaten with a trace chain by three men, namely, Mr. Worthington, Contee Warren, and Mr. ITall, overseer of Mrs. Bowie, and that Mrs. Bowie had ordered the punishment on the girl, who was her slave. I do not understand that any law, human or di- vine, confers the right to inflict upon helpless women, black or white, the frightful torture borne by these poor and defenseless negro girls. Moved by pity, and the hope that speedy justice from the strong arm of the Government would be visited upon the cowardly miscreants who have dared to commit so mfamous a crime, my officers arrested Mr. Worthington and Contee War- ren, and brought them to this city, and they are now in the custody of thi-j office until further orders of the War Department are received. I regret to Bay that the officers, not feeling authorized to act as liberators, left the negro girls chained and bleeding in the garret of Worthington's house. Respectfully yours, L. 0. Bakkb, Provost-Marshal of the War Department The captives were released, and, with an expression of the deepest gratitude npon their sad faces, they crawled out 158 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. of the garret, in which they had not room to stand erect, only to suffer again. I was informed that one of them was soon afterward found in the woods, dead, with marks of tlie terrible scourge upon her hody. The only crime of the poor girls was, obeying the instinctive lov^e of freedom, fired into an irresistible impulse at the sight of the " boys in blue." A large rebel mail was found between the beds of Mrs. Ducket's room, and specimen packages of blockade gooda in transitu from Europe were secreted in diSerent parts of the house. Opening the mail, we ascertained that V.r. Waring' s mansion had long been the rendezvous of al] who served the Southern cause, and a post-office for their cor- respondence. Waring was conveyed to Washington, and tried by militar}^ commission, and sentenced to two years in Fort Delaware. On his trial it was shown, that for months he had used his horses and wagons to carry rebel recruits to the Potomac ; and, even the very night of his arrest, he had brought Bowie, in his Confederate dress, to his house for concealment. After his conviction, the Secretary of War directed that all of his animals and other property should be confiscated and sent to Washington. Accordingly, I repaired to tlie plantation, and found one hundred and ten slaves, impatient to be free. Unwilling to act without in- structions, no proclamation of emancipation having then appeared in behalf of the millions in bondage, and in sym- pathy with our cause, upon appealing to Mr. Lincoln, with a detailed account of the case, and saying to him, " I did not like to assume the responsibility of their liberation," he char- acteristically replied : " Baker, let them alone, and they will free themselves!" I took the hint, and returned to the plantation, whither 1 had sent forty Government wagons tu transport to the capital the confiscated property. The more intelligent slaves appointed a committee to wait on me, to inquire what action I intended to take in their case. I reported my interview with "Massa Linkum,'' as they always called him, and his significant remark. It was quite sufficient for them. The next morning, with my train, I started, but refusetl to recognize their escape by affording Government convey- WAKING'S ARREST. 159 ance ; when, in a surprisingly brief time, each family waa eeen with the humble stock of domestic furniture packed, and ready to follow the wagons of "Massa Linkum." Such patient endurance of fatigue, and uncomplaining toil, to secure the coveted boon of liberty, I never before saw; patience in the pursuit of freedom did "its perfect work." It was soon known to the neighbors of Waring that iifa "servants" were en route to Washington, who gathered in large numbers, and, fully armed, demanded from me the return of the caravan of laden fugitives. I, of course, re- fused to do it. The conviction of Waring, and the taking of his property, in my opinion, released the slaves — morally, if nut legally. They then threatened violence, and even attempted to st('p the train. The arrest of the ringleaders quieted the mob, and the refugees arrived safely in ^Vashington. Waring' s arrest, and the consequences to him, have been much criticised, and regarded by the South as an arbitrary act ; but Avlien we consider that he, with his entire family, were engaged directly in the rebel service, the evidence of which was overwhelming, it must appear to all loyal minda that the proceeding was justihable, and even necessary. I copy extracts from the pages of a private journal of the rebel spies captured on the Potomac, which afford a glimpse of life in such adventurous service, that will interest, I am sure, many of my readers : — JAMES R. MILBURN. July 23d, 18G3. Crossed tlie Potomac River, from Md. to Ya. 24th. Virginia Ilouse, Ileatharville, Northumborland Oocnty, Va. ; arrivei^ at Union Wharf, Rap River, 8 p. m. 25lh. Miller's Hotel, soutli side of Rapidan ; started for Richmond in com- pany with Captain Cox, of North Va. ; walked to Princea, thirty-five milefl from Raj-. 26th. Breakfasted at Old Church. Arrived in Richmond 4 p. m., Pow hatan Hotel • wrote home. 27lh, Culled on Mr. Barton. 28th, In Riclimond. "Disconsolate." 20th. Richmond. SOth. Left Richmond for Buffalo Springs, Mecklenburg County, Va , paaaed tl»rough Petersburg, Va., and Weldon, N. 0. 160 FNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. 8l8t. Buffalo Springs, 2 p. m. Room 49, Rowdy Row. Angust Ist. First impressions of Springs not very pleasing. 2d. Formed the acquaintance of several pleasant gentlemeo. 8d. Found more agreeable company. 4th. Took a long walk in company with Mr. Frank Hobbs, of Md. ; Ulked of dear old Maryland. 5th. Large arrivals; unlimited scope for the study of human nature; to me a look, word, or mere motion of body, hand, or head, will often analyre a person's character; first impressions are often lasting, and generally correct. 6th. Each trying to outwit the other. Grouping of nature. 7th. "Wrote to Captain Carlisle, Moseby's Cavalry, and to my friend E. N. Bpiller, Atlanta, Ga. 8tb. Introduced to Mrs. Paxon, wife of the proprietor of Springs. I have closely observed her; think she is well suited to make married life — yes — painfully disagreeable. Some talk of the freedom and bliss of persons before marriage. If this be true, what is the state of one coupled to a disagreeable person ; concentrated hell surely. 9th. Tried to meditate on a portion of the Bible ; mind unsettled ; thoughta like chaflF before the wind. Left cottage for a walk to compose myself. 10th. Drinking the oozings of human nature. 11th. Nothing to do ; yot not like Miss Flora McFlimsey, nothing to wear. 12th. Enjoyed myself by dancing ; find very little intellectual conversation ; thus far during my visit have not heard a solid subject discussed. 18th. Like a butterfly on the wing, pursuing pleasure. 14th. How various are the classifications of the mind; some appear to h% guided by reason, others by a species of brutal instinct. 15th. As a general thing the visitors seem to be friendly. 16th. Ladies very agreeable; endeavor to repay their kindness. 19th. Modesty is a polite accomplishment, and often an attendant upon merit ; it wins the hearts of all. None are more disgusting in company than the impudent and presuming. 20th. What a fine place to show a person's breeding. Train up a cMld^ &c., &o. 21st. This day to me is a memorial one, no one can tell my feelings, perhaps the thoughts of another one the same ; whether it is a day of folly or happi- ness, the future will show. My intention was honest, howsoever this affair may terminate , perhaps sympathy was the cause of my action and words. I must flay, I do not understand myself in this case. "Wrote a long letter to my friend Spiller. 22d. Miss Lucy A. Merritt, of Brunswick County, "Va., returned to Buffalo ; t long walk and confidential talk with her. Having noticed my letter to Mr. Spiller, asked to see it. Miss Merritt had no evil intentions when she mode this request, this I firmly believe ; I complied with her wish, as it seemed to be a teat of friendship. 2'6i. Placid as a lake, nothing unusual transpired. 24th. In some young people the milk of human kindness seems long since to have curdled- I would advise a little soda to correct the acidity of their J. R. MILBURN'8 JOURNAL. 161 nature. A lady should at all times command her tongue, especially in a publit assembly, where a word is au index to intellect and character. 25th. Nothing extraordinary to-day. 26th Preparing to leave Buffalo Springs. 27th. Good-bye, all friends. Confusion to my enemies, if any. 28th. Left Buffalo for Richmond, Va. ; at Linwood House. 29th to 31st. Richmond, Va. September 1st. Enlisted in the Confederate States Navy. 2d. Left Richmond, with Captain John W. Hebb, of Louisiana, for a cmiM > u the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Left the cars at Milford Station; dined at Lloyd's, Caroline County, Virginia; camped at Central Point, Caroline County. 8d. Camped on the Rapidan River, at Mr. Warren's; one meal at 11 p. si. 4th. Lighton's Ferry, Essex County ; breakfast, dinner, supper, 9 p. m. 5th. Crossed the Rap. 3^ p. m. ; one meal, 9 p. m. ; camped in the woods. Camp Rust, Westmoreland County, five miles from Rap. River. 6th. Camp Rust ; two meals. 7th. Received a new supply of arms from Richmond; visited Miss Rust; two meals. 8th. Detailed to go on special duty ; arrested William Hammond, a half- breed Indian, for boating Confederate deserters across the Potomac. In camp, 11 p. M., tired and hungry. 9th. Camp Rust. 10th. Broke camp, 10 a. m., for Nomoni River, twenty-five miles dine<^ ai the road ; camped in Richmond County. 11th. Marched all day; camped, 9 a. m. ; one meal. 12th. Dined at 8 p. m. ; rained all night, half drowned next morning. 13th. Roasted corn early this morning; went out gunning for something to eat, hog, calf, or any thing; nothing procured. 15th. Went to Nomoni Ferry, 5 p. m. ; duck, crab, corn bread, butter, and milk. 16th. Dined with Miss Arnest. 17th. Fight between Manning and Fitzgerald ; drew my pistol to shoot Fitzgerald, who threatened to strike me, while in charge of camp, with a sword. I wisely desisted from the intended blow. Nothing to eat. 18th. No provisions; sent out a party to forage, no success. 19th. Killed a hog early this morning. 20th. All quiet ; truly a placid state. Strolled about e woods as if I had DC l.orae. Home is the dearest place on earth, especially rheu it is impossible U be there. 2l8t. Killed another hog. 22d. On picket, fork of road. 23d About to break camp. 24tl Yanks attacked our forces, at Mathias Point, with infantry and gun* boats ; shelled us out. 25th. Moved camp. 26th. Sick all day. 11 162 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVIOK. 27th, On Nomoni again ; off on an expedition. 28th. Unwell. 29th. Feel better. 80th. Sick. October Ist. Still sick, 2d, Headache, 8d, In hospital at Bethel M, E, Church. 4th and 5th. Chill. 6th to nth. Sick at Mr. Araes'a. 12th. Colonel BlaokwelFs, on Potomac, 13th. Crossed to St. Mary's County, last night. 14th. Patuxent River. 15th to 17th. Calvert County, Maryland. 18th. Sharp's Island, 1 9th to 28th, Tilligman's Island. 81st. Chills. November 1st. Tilligman's Island. 8(1. Tilligman's Island. Captain Hebb captured last night. 4th. Yankee cavalry crossed the bay to Fair Haven, A, A, County, 80th. Cove Point. Cast away, December 1st. Cove Point. Boat repaired. 2d. On the way to the Confederate States, 22d. Calvert County. Slept in an unoccupied house, 23d. do. do. do. Nothing to eat. 29Lh. St. Mary's County. "Went to Rob, Thompson's, cold and hungry , wc-ild not let me warm myself, or give me any thing to eat Slept near Poin^ No point, 80th. Took to the woods; afraid of the Yanks. 81st. In a hogpen; wet and cold, January 1st, 186-i. Live in hope that I may safely reach my destination, ocafident of ultimate success, though every thing seems to oppose. 12th. Pasquith's, Yankee raid from Point Lookout. 14th. do, Yankees gone, 17th. Co.-inth Church, 18th and 19th. Heathsville. (18th. Boat stolen.) 25th. Heathsville, Went to Machota Creek, in woods. February 1st and 2d. Heathsville. Yankees about. 12th. Attempted to cross the Potomoc last night in company with two ladies and Charley ; wind fair from S, W., but too heavy ; compelled to turn back. Slept at Mr, Bailey G. Haynie's. 13th. Wind S.S.E. ; at B. G, Haynie's ; crossed the Potomac; rowed from Precher* Creek, Va,, to Point Lookout ; sailed to Patuxent River ; laijded ladies, 7 a., m, Sunday, 14th. 15th, Plum Point, Calvert County, Md. Slept in an unoccupied house on shore. 0. W. MILBURN'S JOURNAL. 163 CHARLES W. MILBURN. Jnly 284, 1863. Ran the blockade acrosa the Potomac; a little clondy (ftnded at Cone Rive"; slept on the beach the remainder of the night; mos- qaitoes very thick, ani large enough to bite through my coat. 24th. Arrivo.1 at Iloatlisvilie; dined at Virginia Uouse; started at 3 p. m. for Union Wharf, on the Rap. River; arrived too late to get across the river, remained all night. 25th, Crossed the river; started for Bowler's ; procured conveyance from the ferryman to Millar's; dined at Brown's Hotel; impossible to obtain con- veyance to Richmond; after OudiHg a berth in a market- wagon for my bag- gage, I came to the conclusion to walk; started at 4 P. m. ; walked to Mr. Princess's, seventeen jniles ; remained all night. 26th. Started at daybreak for Old Church, 10 miles; arrived at 8.30 a. m. breakfasted ; arrived at Richmond, 4 p. m. ; Powhatan Hotel ; wrote home. 27th. Obtained a pass from General Winder, to pass unmolested in the city for thirty days; called to see Mr. Barton. 80th. Left Richmond for Buffalo Springs, Mecklenburg County, Va. ; passed through Petersburg, Va., and Weldon, N. 0., and arrived at my desti- nation, Slst, at 2 p. M. Slst. Occupying room No. 49; prospect very pleasing. August 7th. Still at Buffalo, enjoying myself wonderfully; wrote to Cap- tain Carlisle, C. S. A., and Mr. Spiller. 22d. Wrote to Mr. Spiller, Atlanta, Qa. ; Miss Lucy A. Merritt returned to Buffalo, stayed till Sunday; had a very pleasant time during her visit. Slst. A beautiful day. Received orders from Captain U. to prepare to leave Richmond to-morrow morning, under command of Captain Walter Bowie, 0. 8. N. September Ist. After arriving at the depot, received another order, to wait until Wednesday. Went to new R. Theatre; a splendid plot, though not well acted. 2d. Left Richmond on the Fn-d. train, with Captain Walter Bowie, twenty-two men in all; dined at Ll^yl's in Caroline County, Va. ; encamped at Center Point, Caroline County, Va 8d. Got sometliing to eat at Sparta, about 11 p. m.; camped on the Rap- pahannock River, at Mr. Warren's. 4th. Camped at Leighton's Ferry, Essex Co., Rappahannock River ; got ■ome cabbage and bacon about 9 a. m. 5th. Acting cook under difRculties; crossed the Rap. River, 3.30 p. m. ; •upped in Westmoreland County, 9 p. m. ; camped in the woods, on Mr. Rnst'e plantation, five miles from Rap. River. 6th. Breakfasted about 9; corn bread and crackers, commonly called "shortcakes;" amused myself by gathering fox-grapes near the camp; cou- •tructed a chebang in the new camp. Captain Hebb arrived with arms and a guard of eight men ; went to sleep at 9 o'clock. 7th. Breakfast sent to me by Miss Lizzie Rust ; accepted an Invitation to diue at Mr, Rust's ; had quite a pleasant time with ladies. 164 [JNITED STATES SECRET SEKVIOE. 8th. Jim, with thirteei. others, detailed, at 8 x. M., to go from camp on special duty; they arrived in camp about 11 P. m., with one prisoner, named William Hammond, who seemed to be very uneasy; on guard from 12 p. m. to 2 o'clock. Beautiful night. 9th. Left camp with Captain Bowie, to make a reconnoissance; break- fasted in camp; returned to camp, about 11 p. m,, tired and hungry; "scone uu iho road." 10th. II. H., a prisoner, started for Richmond in charge of Private Rnsloe , broke up camp at 10 a. m. ; started with Captain Bowie for banks of Potr- mac, Mathias Point; another party, under Captain U., started for Noraoni Kiver; marched all day, without any thing to eat; slept at Mr. McOlanna- han's, Machota Greek. 11th. Marched till about 4 p. m. ; slept at Dr. Ilooes' ; Captain Band and myself had quite a pleasant time with the ladies. 12th. (Japtain B. sent me to "Waterloo, and orders to Lieutenant K., 0. S. S. C. ; started from W. about dusk, for Mathiaa Point. 12th. Raining very hard; slept in rain all night without a blanket. 13th. Capt. B. left abouijt dark, with eight men, for Maryland (beautiful nigat for crossing), leaving me in charge of camp. 14th. Nothing unusual transpired; short of rations; mosquitoes a great plague; no sleeping for them. 15th. Sent out a foraging party; nothing procured. 16th. Impossible to get provisions; prepared to go into Maryland after some. 17th. "Wind high ; no prospect of crossing to-night ; dined with Mr. Wash- ington; sent Phil. Key out to get soinelhiug to eat; obtained very little. 18th. A slight supper last night ; nothing since, except some green corn. 19th. All quiet on the Potomac ; rmtliing to eat; 8 p. m. crossed the Poto- mac (men in full uniform and arms) ; lamlud in Charles County, Md. 20th. Went, in company with P. K., to visit Dr. 0. ; kindly treated. How glad I am to be once more in old Maryland. 2l8t. This morning two men missing ; supposed to have deserted. 22d. Heard from Captain B. ; a slight skirmish with the Yanks; prepare to return to Virginia. 23d. Two Confederate prisoners escaped from Point Lookout and came to OS to-day. Having procured what we desired, we returned to Virginia. Wrote home before leaving Maryland. Novel ber 20th. Left Baltimore, 1 A. M., on the steamer John Pentz, iot West River. 21st. Fair Haven, Herring Bay, A. A. County, Md., Medley House. 22d. Fair Haven. Set out on my journey. 23d. Plum Point, Calvert County, Md. Breakfasted at a negro hut; slept at S. Y. Dorsey's ; rained all night. 29th. Mr. Bowers. Started for Virginia at dark ; wind overblew me ; forced to beach my boat near Cove Point ; slept in woods. 80th. Cove Point Calvert Count/, Md. LETTER TO PEESIDENT LINCOLN. 166 1 will close this chapter of treason and oppression' g crimes, with a letter to the President, which, I need not say, elicited all the sympathy and aid the great heart and higli position of the President could extend : — Offiob Pbovost-Marshai, War Dkpaetmbht, • Wasuington, September 80, 1863. ( Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States : — Sib — I beg leave respectfully to call your attention to the facts set forth b«low. The colored people, slave and free, of this District and the adjoining coun- ties of Maryland, are daily subjected to a more ferocious despotism, and mor« flagrant and shameless outrages, than were ever before tolerated by any Gov- ernment claiming to be either wise or humane. It is well known to you, sir, that large numbers, owned in Maryland, actua- ted by a supreme desire to participate in the blessings of freedom enjoyed by their fellows in this District, are daily, almost hourly, making attempts to wcape from their masters, and fly to this city. The slave-owners of Maryland, whose plantations are becoming desolat* Dy this constant exodus of their chattels, no longer relying on the protection of their own laws and legally constituted authorities, have, in many cases, formed themselves into armed bands for the purpose of pursuing and recap- turing escaped slaves. Parties of slaves, men, women, and children, have been pursued within the bounds of this District, have been fiercely assailed and shot down, or re- morselessly beaten, and the survivors shut up in prison, or conveyed across the Potomac, within the protecting arms of the rebel Confederacy. Not less than forty slaves (human beings), by these lawless encounters, rere killed ; and I have information, that no less than three dead bodies of slaves, thus cruelly slaughtered, are now lying in the woods almost within flight of your own homes. Not a month since, an armed band of Maryland slave-owners surrounded the house of a free negro woman, less than three miles from the Capitol, broke open the door, presented loaded pistols to the heads of its frightened inmates, and, after exercising all their powers of abuse and insult, took away by vio- lence three free negroes. Visiting this city, and protected by the assumed authority of Mr. Corarais- Boner Cox, these depredators break into the houses of colored citizens, thruRt loaded pistols into the faces or terrified women and screaming children, and, protected by legal papers, bear oflf their victims to the tender mercies of the ash and prison, or the hopeless martyrdom of Southern slavery. Along the borders of the Potomac, below this city, male slaves are now being mustered in gangs, and sent to Virginia, as contributions by their mas- ters to the cause of rebellion ; and if these men make an effort to escape, they are pursued and shot down by their unmerciful owners. There is now in Marlborough jail, a negro man, whose eyes have been ut- terly destroyed b^ a charge of shot fired wantonlT into Ms face ; and, not long 166 UNITED STATES SECRET SERYIOE. •ino«, two colored girla were found chained in the garret of a private Louse, In the neighborhood of this city, who, after having been cruelly beattn by three men, one of them using a trace chain to indict the blows, were left, with their backs one mass o^ festering wounds, to the further horrors of chains and darkness. An instance has just come to my knowledge, of a negro woman and three daughters, owned by a citizen of tliis city still resident here, who were sent to Baltimore a few days before the late Emancipation Act was passed, for the Bole purpose of evading its provisions. One of these daughters, an intelligerit woman, has succeeded in returning to Washington, and is now claimed as a sh ve and threatened with seizure through the agency of Mr. Commissioner Ocx's summary and illegal writs. It can not be that such atrocities will be longer permitted, and that men, whose every sympathy is with slavery, and its legitimate offspring, treason, shall be longer suffered to visit upon the poor slave the hatred they feel to freedom and the Union. I respectfully ask for such instructions as shall enable me effectually to protect the now helpless victims of the slave-masters' vengeance, and the per- jcjed oatha of their friends, official and otherwise, in this city and District. I am, sir, your obedient servant, L. 0. Baker, Oolooel and Provost-Marshal War Department CHAPTER XI. .SLA 7ERr— PLAYING REBEL GENERAL— FIRST DISTRICT CAVAI^r. rhe Qostagea — Mr. Lincoln — Deceiving the Rebels — A Successful Game — Organia* tion of the First District Cavalry — Its Servicea About this time, one hundred rebel citizens, in Lowei Maryland, took possession of two contraband teamsters in my employ, and refused to give any account of tlie reclaimed ])roperty. I immediately arrested and confined two of the leaders, and put them in the Central guard-house, Washing- ton, as hostages, till the former were returned. The indigna- tion, at my assumption that a negro was equal to a white man — especially to one of the chivalry — was intense. An appeal was made to Mr. Lincoln, and I was summoned to report in person to him, which I cheerfully did. lie said: "Well, Baker, you think a white man is as good as a colored man ?" I assured him that in this case, at least, I did ; and pro- \ osed to keep the gentlemen in prison till the free negroes were returned. The President acquiesced in the justice of the arrange ment, and, soon after, the contrabands were restored, and the insulted, excited prisoners set at liberty, to the great relief of tlieir friends, and amusement of the irreverent " Yan- kees," who could not see the superiority of Southern bluod. I shall notice here some incidents which will forcibly show the self-sacrifice of the Maryland secessionists, who \v»M*e vastly in the majority, along with the more important and melancholy truth, that the rebellion could never have suixeeded without the sympathy and assistance of "North- ern friends." In addition to these facts, the means somts- Umes necessary to ascertain who were disloyal, will also be apparent. A few days previous to the rebel Generals Stuart and 167 168 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Early's raid into Pennsylvania, I liad the following paper prepared : — To TRE Friknps op thk South : — The Confederate army ia now on your border. The Stars and Bars can be seen from your hills. The hirelings of the North are fleeing before us! We want your aid. Wo want horses, mules, and wagons. Seventy artillery horses are needed for our batteries. The bearers of this appeal are autho- rized by me to accept of contributions. If I receive the re tall pines in the neighboring woods had fallen before the axes of one party, 'AT d stalwart men, by means of the drag-ropes of a battery, had drawn them out. Another party had, in the mean time, crossed the river on a little float they had fortunately found, and stood on the remaining part of the bridge on the other side. The ropes were thrown to them, and the string-pieces were drawn across the chasm and placed in position. To cover them with rails was but the work of a few moments, and in less than three hours from the time the Maine boys began the' work it was completed, and the column passed over in safety. The division reached City Point on the 19th. During the last nine days it marched, on an average, twenty hours out of the twenty -four, leaving only four hours for rest. It wiU hardly be believed, that in some instances hunger compelled the men to eat raw corn like their horses, but such was the fact. On this raid they cut the Richmond and Danville and FIRST DISTRICT CAVALRY. 181 riontliside Railroad iu six different places, and iuflictfd as aiDount of damage upon the enemy's communications and finny stores wliicli told severely upon them afterwai'd. On their arrival at City Point, both men and horses were much exiiausted. On the 20th the command crossed again to lierinuda Hundred, and went into camp about a mile from (he river. On the 7th of April we embarked on board a fine steamer, witli a pleasant company, for Fortress Monroe, where we arrived at an early hour next morning. For many years Fortress Monroe had been to us a familiar name, but we were not long in discovering that the descriptions of it and its surroundings as they were, conveyed no correct idea of them as they are. Then, there was little to be seen save the formidable walla of the old fort, rising from the sand and rocks, at the dis- tance of a few rods from the water's edge, and the solitary sentry, slowly pacing the lofty parapet ; while scarcely a liuman voice broke the tomb-like silence of the place. Now, a busy scene was presented. Numerous newly con- structed piers had been pushed out into the sparkling waters of the bay, and the grounds outside the walls were occupied with a curious and compact group of buildings of rude archi- tecture, clearly designed for temporary use. The scene on the wharf was one of unusual animation and of picturesque effect. Looking down from the hurricane deck, we beheld a sea of faces, and could not well preserve our gravity as we marked the curious variety it presented. There was the brown-visaged man in dusky gray, the worse for wear, the seedy representative of an humbled aris- tocracy, and there was the lean, lank, sallow, dirty, han;^- dog specimen of the " poor trash" of the South. There were heads adorned with handkerchiefs of many brilliant colors, and heiids that had no covering but wool. There were pre- posterous bonnets and stove-pipe hats, with a " smart sprink- ling" of military and naval headgear. There were rich silk dresses and tow frocks. There was crinoline of enormous proportions, and there were flat feet peering from beneath it, perfectly innocent of either shoes or stockings It was a motley group — big and little, old and young. JS2 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. fcivil and military. While all were "busy and animated, It was easy to see that the whites of southern blood felt least at home, while the negroes were in their element. They talked the most, made the best show of white teetli, and, of all we •could see, seemed decidedly the most comfortable. There is truth in the old adage, that "it is an ill wind hat blows nobody any good." While the "red tape" busi- ness was drawing its " slow length along," some of us took ■a stroll out to Hampton, or rather to the site of that ancient ■and om-e pleasant village. It was but a short walk, leading, for the most part, through a collection of Government storehouses, and huta and tents so disorderly in their arrangements as to suggest the idea of reading the riot act without delay. On the way we noticed one or two handsome ])laces, among them the ;residence of the Hon. Mr, Segar, surround(»d by venerable trees, and commanding as charming a scene as one could •dt^sire, in the beautiful expanse of Hampton Roads, dotted with white sails and stirred by innumerable paddle-wheels. AVe next came to the McClellan Hospital, with its outlying •wards and its broad and beautiful gardens. Hampton was reached by crossing a bridge about four hundred paces long. Before the rebellion it was a jewel of a village, embosomed in noble trees, which threw their wel come shade over the streets and ample grounds which fionted the tasteful residences. Hampton was settled ten years after Jamestown, and was, at the time of its destruction, the oldest Anglo-Saxon settlement then inhabited in the United States. Now it is a scene of utter desolation, inhabited almost exclusively l)y blacks. With the exception of an occasional grocery stoi-e, and a very few dwellings of a more respectable apjiearaiice, the residences were of the rudest description, nearly all of (/lie room, and situated as if they had been thing out of a gieat architectural leather apron. The "Old Church," cruciform in shape, and colonial in date, presented a singularly picturesque appearance, and was almost the only object about the town which indicated its former condition. The tower, from which a noble old bell once pealed out its mellow tones had fallen into a heap FIRST DISTRICT CAVALRY. 183 of nibbish at the western end of the cross, while massive walls rose aloft in gloomy grandeur, A wilderness of young aspens and willows, with here and there a dense growth of hardy roses, disputed the possession of some once cherished graves, with a savage intrusion of undergrowth. Fragraenta of tombs, some with armorial blazonry, were scattered ab(.'ut, and the whole place bore sad evidence of the terrible scourge if war. Nor could we resist the conviction that the peopl who have thus felt it will be slow to invoke it again. Failing of the main object of our expedition, partly, per- haps, from our want of acquaintance with the occult science of ''red tape," we^ returned to Washington, and were there mustered into service, under a special order of the War De- partment. On the 12th of May these six companies, still unmounted, and having drilled only on foot, were ordered to Fortress Monroe. Leaving Washington the next afternoon on board of transports, after touching at Fort Monroe, we proceeded to iSTorfolk, and, reporting to Genei-al Shepley, were ordered to Portsmouth, where we disembarked and went into camp in the rear of the town. On the morning of the 22d we re-embarked on board a transport for James River. Dropping anchor about sunset, opposite Fort Pcwhattan, we passed the night quietly under the protection of the guns of the Atlanta. This craft will be remembered as the strange sea-monster designed by the reb- els to destroy the blockading fleet off Charleston harbor, but, by a higher power, to do good service for the Government. One of the boys thought it "looked like the devil." An- other could see no such resemblance, but said it "looked like a big sea turtle on a raft, with his ' hack up.^ " A short run of about a dozen miles, the next morning, took lis to Bermuda Hundred, where we disembarked, and went into camp about a mile from the landing, beside the oth»^r six companies. The regiment was now together for liie fiist time. At one o' clock a. m. of the 24th, one battalion was ordered to City Point, to take the place of a detachment which had been sent to Fort Powhattan. That fort, manned by colored troops, had been attacked bv a considerable forco under Fita 184 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Hngli Lee. They were, however, galhinvly repulsed, and, before the arrival of the reinforcements, had reti-eated, and the battalion returned. General Butler, commanding the army of the James, c. — The Rnd of Regimental Service. Hitherto one-lialf the regiment had served as infantry. Now, mounted and released from duty in the intrenchments, they were so far prepared to take the field as cavalry. Pro- bably, however, no other regiment in the service took the field in a condition so unfavorable to success. Now if (as we shall hereafter see), notwithstanding all the adverse influences, they were distinguished for their bravery and efficiency on every fiekl in which they fought, the fact will prove the sterling qualities of the men. On the 19th, we broke camp near the breastworks at Bermuda Hundred front, and moved north about five miles, to a point near the James, aljout two miles below Jones's Landing. At four o'clock p. m. of the 20th, an order was received to be ready to march at an hour's notice. At nine o'clock our horse equipments arrived from Washington. The diftVr- eut parts of the saddle were in different boxes, and so unac- quainted were the men with hoi'se gear, that many of them were unable to adjust tlie various parts without assistance. Nor was this strange. Before their enlistment tht-y had no occasion to learn, and subsequently, no opportunity, and yet, three hours later, they started on the celebrated •' Wil- son's Raid." At one o'clock, on the morning of the 21st of June, the regiment moved with the third division of cavalry, under General Kautz, and joined another division from the Army ^f the Potomac. The whole force numbered about eight 190 F1K8T DISTRICT CAVALBY» 191 thousand men, with sixteen pieces of aitilleiy, md was com- manded by General Wilson. The object of the movement, like that of similar ones which had preceded it, was not to fight, but to weaken the ^^nemy by cutting his communications, and by destroying army stores and other public property. The Army of the Potomac was now intrenched on the south side of Richmond. All supplies for tiie rebel capital must be drawn from the South and West. The question of its reduction was only a question of time, while every inter- ruption of its communications, and every diminution of ita supplies, would hasten the time. On the night of the 21st, the command bivouacked at Blanford, on the Suffolk Railroad, four miles south of Petersburg. Of the use of tliis road the enemy had already been depiived. Passing on the 22d to Prince George's Court-house, thence marching in a southerly direction, they struck the Weldon Railroad at Reams' s Station, twelve miles from Petersburg. The place was guarded by a small hudy of militia. A portion of them were captured and the remainder dispersed. Here the sad but necessary work of destruction began. All the buildings at the station, together with a locomotive, and a train of five or six cars, wei'e consigned to the Hames. After tearing up the road for a considerable distance, the command marched to Ford's Station, on the South Side Railroad, eighteen miles southwest from Petersburg. Here the work of destruction was resumed. The public build- ings, together with three locomotives and fifteen cars, shared the fate of those at Reams' s Station. On the 23d, they advanced to Black's and White's, fif teeji miles southwest, on the same road, destroying the Ihrea intervening stations, and tearing up the road along their line of march. On the morning of the 24th, a march of eight miles led them to Notaway Court-house, where they destroyed a rail- road station, together with a large storehouse, filled with cotton. Resuming the line of march, they advanced to Keysvillo, on the Richmond and Danville Railroad, leaving behind 192 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. theni a track of sniouldHring ruins, as far as the public pro})(-rty of the eueiiiy furnished combustible matter. Nor is it to be denied that, within certain limits, a good deal of foraging was done. In a lieallhy subject, fi-ee exercise in the open air, espe daily on horseback, tends to give an appetite, whose cravings notliing can appease but food. This was the expel ience of our boys. And if their haversacks were sometimes empty, and tliey were fain to gnaw the raw corn, '* whicli the horses did eat," their appetites were all the more clamorous when they came within reach of food. At such times, bread, and meat, and butter, and milk, and eggs, and cream, in a word, whatever the smoke-house, or the si)iing-house, or the field, or garden, or stall, or pasture of a rebel contained, which was capable of being readily con- verted into good food, was remorselessly appropriated, without waiting for either commissary or quartermaster process. Tliese acts of the hoys were never denied ; and yet, for the life of us, we could never discover any signs of penitence on account of them. It should be stated, how- ever, that the law of magnanimity was not entirely ignored. The boys were one day in want of meat, and, as they had no other means of getting it, they "confiscated" the con- tents of a smoke-house ou the plantation of a wealthy rebel. While the distribution was going on, the victim demanded, in no very pleasant tones, whether he was to have none for himself. "Certainly," a quiet Yankee replied. "Now is your time. Pitch in, pitch in, and take your share, while it is going !" After passing Drake's Depot, eight miles further soutli, and paying it the same compliments they had paid to other&v, they approached Roanoke Bridge, which crosses the Staun- ton River, at the mouth of the Little Roanoke. As this was a point of great importance to the enemy, it was fortified and strongly guarded. Ou this side of the river, at the distance of about three-fourths of a mile, running parallel with it, was a range of hills. Between the hills and the river, the ground was open and level. At the left of the railroad was a broad Held of wheat, while on the right a luxuriant growth FIRST DISTRICT CAVALRY. 103 Of iirass and weeds, rising nearly to the height of a man's Lulders covered the ground. The bluti- on the opposite Jde tie rWerwas lined with earthworks, and bnstled ;th cannon, both above and below the bndge, wbde a stron "line of the enemy's skirmishers had been thrown \rrn^% the bridcre, and deployed along the shore. ■"' Willon' object was fo Ln tl.e bridge and L.eu^nt- Cclonel Conger, of the First District of Columbia Cualrj, was de a led to do it. The regiment was composed of new recruits, with little experience, and had received ess in- str, ction than any other regiment in the command. Tl>^ , ertahin.. was a perilous one. Its wisdom the reader will be 1 ke ly to question. And yet, when the «-' orde. wa dven to charge across the level ground, in the face of the ? W batteriel the gallant First District of Col umbux moved forward in splendid styU, dismounted (except the mtrei i CoT.-er, who being lame from previous wounds, was com- BeUed to ride). The advance squadron, commanded by Taain Benson, had not advanced far, when, from the line of he enemy's works in front, a murderous storm of grape Id caniste/was hurled into their ranks -^t'' '-" ^^ ^^_ Officers and men went down m large numbers. StiH, with out the least protection, in the face of that withering he and at too great a distance from the enemy to effect much by tl^lr own. fhose brave men pressed on till near the bridge. Efforts were made to burn it, but they were ""successful The rec-iment did but little actual fighting here, for the simple reason that they could not get at the enemy, bu he cannonading was rapid and heavy. The '""^ P''-- "f,;^ line of fire and smoke, and the earth '"'"^ d wtl the terrific concussions. Shells screamed across the horuon, bursting into deadly iron hail-the gnm forms o snd. - masked men, the gleam of burnished guns n ' « "^j"^^* field, where the men were not engaged, and "'^ U'^ '> ' fue sabers where they were, with horsemen n t e d stame sweeping to and fro, formed a scene of exc. ing grandtui such as few of onr men had ever witnessed before When at length it was discovered that the "'_^'"; ™>; ' not be accomplished but at too great a sacrifice of hfe the advance was ordered back, and, as nothing else was to b. 194 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. done in this direction, the return march was commenced The enemy followed all day, but made no attack. After a march of thirty-two miles directly east, through Greens- borough, the column lialted for the night near Oak Grovf^. A march of tliirty-eight miles brought them to the Iron Bridge across Stony Creek, at about ten o'clock on the morning of the 28th. Here a heavy force of cavalry and artillery was found in position to dispute the crossing. The cavalry consisted of Hampton's command, together with thai of Fitz Hugh Lee. A severe engagement took place, in which this regimeni lost about eighty men in killed, wounded, and missing. The result was indecisive. The enemy was pressed back, while our column turned to the left and crossed the creek at a point above. General Kautz's division had the advance, this regiment moving at the head of the column, and the Eleventh Penn- sylvania next. On approaching Reams' s Station, which had been sup- posed to be in our possession, General Kautz found himself confronted by the enemy, both infjintry and artillery. Mahone's whole division, and one brigade from another division, had been sent out to intercept Wilson's command, which was now outnumbered tAVO to one,* The enemy was drawn up in strong line of battle, extending from the Nofa- way River, on our right, to a point far out on our left. This regiment and the Eleventh Pennsylvania charged directly through. General Wilson, however, instead of following on, fell back, abandoned his artillery, wagons, and ambu- lances, and, by making a wide detour, avoided the enemy and abandoned these two regiments to their fate. Kautz had marched but a short distance, when he found himself in a triangle, two sides of which, including liis rear and left front, were held by the enemj'' in overwhelming numbers. Extending along his right front was the railroad, running through a cut from ten to twelve feet in depth. ♦ Stung to madness by the previous daring and destructive raids of Kautz, Lee 18 said to have doclpred that he would crush these raiders, if it cost him his whole XTOiy FIRST DISTPwIOT CAVALRY. 195 Bey(>nd it, and running nearly parallel with it, was a randdy stream of considerable deptli, and beyond tliat, an extensive Bwanip, supposed to be impassable. The enemy now thought himself sure of his prey. Under the circumstances, almost any other man Avould haye sur rendered. Not so the indomitable Kautz. It was a wild and exciting scene to see those mounted men slide down that steep embankment to the railroad track, and scramble up the opposite bank, and dash down the next declivity into the stream, and wallow through mire and water, the horses in some instances rolling over, and the men going under, amid the thunder of artillery, and with solid shot plunging, and shells exploding, and grape and canister raining, and musket balls whistling around them, tiii they reached the o])posite shore, and disappeared in the swamp. F'ollowing their indefatigable commander, they pressed their wriy through, and reached their old camp at Jones's Landing, the next day.* Lieutenant-Colonel Conger, ^fajor Curtis, and Captain Sanford were severely wounded. Captains Benson and Chase, who had been wounded at Roanoke Bridge, fell into the enemy's hands as prisoners, when the ambulances were abandoned at Stony Creek. The damage to the enemy by this raid was immense. Besides the destruction of buildings, of cotton, of commis- sary stores, and rolling stock, Richmond and Petersburg wero cut off from all railroad communication for several weeks. The whole Army of the Potomac wa§ now in front of Petersburg, and was intrenching in the direction of the South Side Railroad. One of our companies was on duty in Fort Pride. AVith this exception, the history of the regiment, for the next few weeks, is little else than a history of alternate rest and drill. Once or twice it was ordered out on reconnoissance, and once on foot to repel an expected assault, which, however, was not made. ♦ ThiH STvamp had been made paasabla bj a drouth o*" ahnoet unprecedented •©verity '9b UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. On the 27tli, of'I.ms "were received to be read}? to move At six o'clock, p. JtL, witli three days' rations. The whole cavalry forc-e, tog(;nier witli the second corps of infantry, liad been ordered to the north side of the James. The object rras to diaw the enemy from Petersburg, where an assault was to be made in connection with the mine explosion. The head of Sher'idan's column arrived from the west side 01 the x\ppomaUox at nine; p. m. At three o'clock, a. m., the Pirst District of Columbia joined the rear, and, after march- mg to Jones'y Landing, halted for the command to cross tlie pontoon bridf;,e. Late in the day the crossing was effected, •\nd the reglraent bivouacked for the night. Some skirmishing occurred on the next day, in which Lieutenant McBride, of Company C, was wounded. On the 30th, the regiment returned to camp, and on the same afternoon marched to the west side of the Appomattox. On the 2d of August, it was ordered on picket near the enemy's lines, on the extreme left of the army. Our main line of works in front of Petersburg conformed very nearly to that of the enemy on the left, bending south- ward, so as to face the Weldon Railroad. A picket line extended from the left of our line of fortifications, in an easterly direction, through Prince George's Court-IIouse, Lee's Mills, Sycamore Church, and Cox's Mills. On the 3d of August, the headquarters of the regiment were estab- lished at Sycamore Church, Major Baker commanding. This place was abotit ten miles southeast from City Point. From the 8th to the 21st of August, the regiment was on picket duty on tlm Weldon Railroad, four miles fiom Peters- burg. On the ]8ih, while a demonstration was made on tlie i.orth side of the James, in front of Richmond, by Generals (jJregg and Harcot-k, Avitli their res])ective commands of cavalry and infautiy, and while a portion of the uAn-l troops were withdiawn from our front to meet the eniergeiicy, the lifth corps of infantry advanced and took p()sse.li ington, when the owner and driver of the load remonslratrd, and said, with an oath : " Let the niggers walk to Washington," I said, "No. You brought them here, and must carry til em back." The poor captives sank on their knees ; the venerable old man exclaiming, with uplifted hands, "Bless God !" and the mother adding, " God bless Colonel Baker !" I took them to my headquarters and set them at liberty. This transaction, of course, brought upon my head the cnrses of the slaveholders of Lower Maryland. But I had violated no law, on account of the fortunate presence of the baby. A delegation called on Mr. Lincoln the next morning, pro- testing against the arbitrary act, producing, as before, the sacred parchment. I was summoned to the White House. The President said : "Baker, a serious charge is preferred against you;" directing my attention to the document, with the inquiry, " What do yon know about the case f I briefly made my statement, giving prominence to the iiumber of the slaves, and the juvenile supernumerary. Tlie Chief-Magistrate, worthy of the nation he repre sented, replied jocosely : " Well, Baker, I guess the baby saves you!" and dismissed the whole aflair, leaving the "contrabands" at large, and myself to the prosecution of my thankless profession. CHAPTER XIV. ENGLISH SYMPATHY WITH THE SOUTH— NEGRO-HATE QT WASHINGTON. ftj English Emissary of the South — FTe Deceives the Secretary of State — My Ao qiiaintance with Him — The Fruitless Efifort to Betray Me — The Journey to the Old Capitol Prison — Negro-hate in the National Capital. Mncir has been said and written abont English sympatliy and co-operation with the South. Perliaps nothing can give the extent and success of this alliance a more just prominence in the record of the war than some account of its practical operations, involving tlie highest official position, but with- out the least intimation of inability or disloyalty. On the contrary, the narrative only reveals the deliberate and skillful conspiracy of the abettors of treason in the "mother coun- try," deceiving the most intelligent statesmanship, because it seemed impossible that tlie betrayal of confidence could appear in the disguise of culture, friendship, and appreciated courtesies from the most eminent men in the Government. During the iirst years of the rebellion, an Englishman made his appearance in Washington, whose apparent interest in the loyal cause, and his open denunciations of the rebel leaders, attracted the attention of our able Secretary of State. He gained ready access to other officers of the Gov ernment. So completely had he won the confidence of ISfr. Sewaid that he received letters to the commander of tlie Department of the Shenandoah Valley. With them he waited upon that officer, and was shown the usual attentions which follow such an introduction. From the commanding general he received a carte hlanclie to visit the outposts whenever he thought proper. Disregarding the obligations such favors imposed, he passed the Federal lines beyond Winchester, and boMIy entered the camp of Stonewall Jackson boasting 14 209 210 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. of his deception, and receiving similar civilities to those shown him by the Union officers. He remained several days on liostile soil, and then returned to Washington, after having received from Jackson permission to cross his lines at any time, day or night. AVliile he was in Washington, he soon, by his suspicious bearing, his secret meetings with well-known secessionists, awakened my suspicions. Upon inquiry, I learned tliat he \ was a sympathizer with the South, and a reputed correspond- ent of a London paper. In tlie prosecution of my inquiries, I ascertained that he was an accredited writ^^r for the English press, and was assured that the stranger was a reliable gentleman. But believing that, if my British friend had facilities for passing the lines of both armies, he could give me important intelli- gence, I decided to cultivate his acquaintance. I accordingly wrote Inm a friendly note requesting him to call at my head- quarters, which he soon after did. He opened the conversa- tion by an effort to impress my mind with liis importance as a detective in the Union service, being able to cross both lines at pleasure. He further informed me that he had just returned fi-om Stonewall Jackson's camp, and had given to our Gen- eral B. valuable information. He claimed to occupy neu- tral ground, and naturally had but little interest in either side. Still, if I would employ and pay him, he could rendei great service to the Bepublic ; and he could obtain a cer- tificate from the British minister which would give him free entry even to the rebel capitid. During the interview, I detected in his conduct a revelation of his real character. Notwithstanding his indorsement by Government, I was sure of his treasonable designs. If so, he was clearly a dangerous man, and I determined to know more about nim. T desired him to obtain the certificate from tlie English minis- ter referred to by him. An examination of it convinced me it was a forgery. I applied to the minister, who informed me that he knew of no such man in Washington. At our next meeting, upon the succeeding day, I expressed my regret that I had not the means of getting to rebel camps wLdch he had ; adding, that with them, how easily I could AN ARTFUL ENGLISHMAN. 211 get the plans and movements of the enemy. The bait was a Buccess. He replied : "Nothing is easier. Go with me, and I will pass you along as a friend, and associate correspondent." lie detailed minutely the plan, and we agreed to leave in company the next morning for Harper's Ferry, en route to General Jackson's quarters. About eleven o'clock that night, when leaving my office, I received the following note, handed me by a colored man : — Colonel Bakeb: — Bewaro of that Englishman! He baa devised a plot to betray you. For God's sake, don't go with him. Mrs. •. The missive was written by a true-hearted Union woman, d seamstress in one of the aristocratic secession families of Washington. This revelation increased my anxiety to become his trav- eling companion. I left Washington with him, according to appointment, and reached Winchester in due time, by rail. The rebel picket-line was between that place and Stanton. Remaining incog, myself, my friend proceeded to General B.'s headquarters and procured passes for both. Hiring a horse and l)uggy, we proceeded toward Stonewall Jack- son's headquarters, he suggesting that it would not probably be safe to go directly to them without giving notice of our arrival witliin the lines. Four miles from them, we halted at a farm-house, where he said he was acquainted, and pro- posed to send the message to camp. I was introduced prop- erly, and, after an excellent supper, a letter was written and read to me by him, addressed to the rebel chief, announcing our proximity, and that we would report to him in the morn- ing. A trusted house servant was called, and received his instructions in regard to the delivery of the note. Carelessly sauntering forth into the yard, I followed him by a circuitous route to his shanty, and asked him if he had the letter. " Yes, massa," he replied ; " which of de letters?" hand- ing me two — the one which I had seen, and another to the Chief of Staff, running thus : — 2! 2 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. Have just arrived, and am nt Mr. \ house. U&ve with me th« Yankee detectivo, Balier. Send and capture as both. 1 took these notes, sealed the envelopes, gave them to the bearer, and told him to hurry as fast as possible. He left, and I returned to the dwelling, where my companion was conversing with the lady of the house. It was seventeen miles to the rebel headquarters, and I knew the servant could not get back until morning. I de- termined to await the issue. I occupied the same bed with the Englishman ; but passed a sleepless niglit. He was singularljT- restless toward morning, often going to the win- dow, to catch a glimpse of tlie expected cavalry, or hear the echo of the hoofs. He complained of being ill. At seven o'clock the messenger arrived; I had detected, from the movements of all around me, some great event was expected. The servant was eagerly questioned, who said he had delivered tlie letters according to orders. Breakfast was dispatched, and nine o'clock came, when I proposed to my associate that we wait no longer for a special invitation, but go forward to General Jackson's camp. He acquiesced ; our carriage was brought to the door, the farewell spoken to the family, and we were on .our way. Great surprise was expressed by my friend that no reply had been received to the note. I apologized for the ap- parent neglect, on the ground of urgent business, and urged that we hasten on. When about four miles from our hospitable home for the night, we came to four corners, and I inquired : — " Which road leads to Winchester?" He pointed with his whip, saving : "That one." 1 said : " Stop a moment !" sprang from the buggy, drew and cocked my six-shooter within six inches of his head, exclaiming : " You scoundrel, you are my prisoner. I have only been waiting to see how far you would go, and what shape your base design would take." He turned deadly pale, and tried to speak, when I added : "Don't open your mouth; if you do, I'll blow your brains out." THE TABLES TUKNED. 215 Directing liim to alight, I drew a pair of handcnifs from my pocket, wrapped in a newspaper, wliich I deliberately nnrolled ; and with my pistol in my left hand, with my right T clasped the manacles on his wrist, and said : — "You have attempted to betray me; if you make an effort to alarm any one, or try to indicate who I am, I will shoot you dead. If you go quietly along, you shall not be hurt. Now, get into the buggy." I took my pistol, put the muzzle under the cushion of the Beat, and with my left hand drove the horse. Fortunately, we met no rebel soldiers, and not a word was spoken until we came to within half a mile of the rebel picket-line, when I drove to the side of the fence, told my prisoner to alight, and entered with him a strip of woods, passed safely the picket, and at four o'clock the following morning we were at Win- chester. I handed the traitor temporarily over to the military authorities,, and sought repose. A few hours later, I started for Washington, and upon my arrival placed him in the Old Capitol prison, whose records will disclose his name. In this connection, chronologically, one or two incidents will present in bold relief the unparalleled malignity of feeling cherished by the rebels and their friends toward an unoffending race, because it was the providential occasion of their troubles, and true to the instincts of humanity in its desire for freedom ; a malignity intensified by the despotic possession and control of the body, and, so far as possible, of the soul of the enslaved. One day I was riding toward the railway depot in Wash ington, when I noticed a crowd, and saw blows descending upon the form of a colored boy. Upon getting nearer, I found that a large and brutal man was amusing himself and the spectators by beating a well-dressed mulatto lad, who was bitterly crying. I sprang from the carriage, and, taking the ruffian by the arm, inquired what he was about. Turn- ing a savage look upon me, he drew back to strike ; but it has been my custom, when necessary to use weapons of defense, to get the Jlrsi blow or shot. Before he could take his aim, he was lying on his back under my feet. The injured child ran away, while a comrade, who somehow 216 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. recognized me, followed, repeating my name. I then re entered the carriage and drove on unmolested. There was another instance of fiendish hate, in which a woman was the principal actor. I was crossing the street, upon a dismal night, when just hefore me walked a lady in splendid attire, attended by a gentleman. Further on wa a poor colored girl, clearing the pavement, as well as sh could with her dilapidated broom, from the snow water and mud, for the penny any passer-by might drop into her hand. She stepped back at the approach of the couple referred to, and extended her hand. The Southern lady leaned toward the little mendicant, and, with a spiteful push, laid her tiat in the flooded street. She rose again, dripping and shiver- ing. I confess I was angry ; and, going before her, I re- marked : — " That was very unladylike ; a specimen of the politeness of the chivalry, I suppose?" She replied excitedly: "How dare you speak thus to me !" adding epithets of scorn toward the abolitionist. Her escort then took up the gauntlet, and inquired my name, handing me his card. I told him, and invited him to call. Both parties were bound for the post-office, where we again met, and again the lady' s friend demanded satisfaction. I gave him a glimpse of my six-shooter, and intimated that he had better drop the subject, which he decided to do, and I heard no more from him. CHAPTER XV. GIGANTIC VICES OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL Gambling and the Gamblers — The Purpose to Break up the Lens Discouraged— Th« Midnight Raid — Results — Drinking and Liquor Saloons — The Descent upon them — Broken up — Licentiousness and its Patrons — The Raid on their Haunts at Dead of Night — The Arrests. I HAVE made some disclosures respecting the contraband trade in gaming-cards ; but it remains now to record tlie prevalence and ruinous effects of the vice of gambling itself, during the war, pre-eminently in the National capital. I have no desire to exaggerate the evils that lurk in the high or low places of society ; to speak of Washington in a carp- ing tone, as if it had been, or is, a Sodom beyond redemp tion ; nor do I wish to magnify my ofRce at the expense of any man's fair fame, whatever his position. But I can not be true to myself, the bureau I represented, nor yet to the people for whose sake I send forth these annals, and omit a narrative which will surprise and sadden thousands. And may the country we love, the families, the youth of the land, profit by the recital. It is well known, that there have always been in large cities what are called "gambling hells" — costly houses, fitted up with elegance, and furnished with everything to attract the eye, and lend fascination to the destructive pastime. Indeed, many virtu- ous citizens earnestly defend the existence of this and other unblushing vices as necessary evils ; when, there can be no crime which the law should not reach, and will, if fearlessly wielded by its officers, and they, in turn, are sustained by the people. In Washington, gambling increased naturally and inev- itably, with the progress of the war. It is not a pleasant thing to say, that the patronage of the gaming-table had been drawn largely from members of Congress; to whom 218 UNITED STATES SECRET SEKYIOE. were added, with the increasing number of officers gathering to the capital, many high in military command. With the jdemand for such haunts of "sporting men," their number multiplied until I had a list of more than a hundred houses, many of which were gorgeous beyond description. The fitting up of a single place of this kind cost twenty-five thousand dollars. The terrible fact which drew my attention to the subject was the discovery that nine in every ten of the defalcations by paymasters, and others in the employment of the Govern- ment, were occasioned in every instance by losses at the card table. I recovered forty thousand dollars which had passed into the hands of gamblers from those of a trusted and respected official. I called on the military commander of the district, and was discouraged in my purpose of testing the statute on gaming in the capital. The popular acquiescence in this state of things, the patronage of distinguished men, and the character of the proprietors of the "hells," were the argu ments used by that officer. Still, I was not convinced, but the more decided to proceed to business. I accordingly mustered my entire force of assistants, and detailed to them my plans. We were to move at the same moment, surround the dozen or more gaming-houses on Pennsylvania Avenue, and at the designated time, to pre- vent any concert of action by the proprietors, or conceal- ment of their business, to enter and break them up. It was half-past two o'clock in the morning, when the dash was made, the gamblers arrested, and their houses closed. The next morning brought intense excitement among tbe sporting gentlemen — some denouncing the interference, and others offiiring bribes. A number of them raised a sum of more than twenty thousand dollars for me, if I would allow them to resume their lucrative calling. It is scarcely neces- sary to say, that I refused to pause in the reform commenced. Mr. Lincoln sent for me, and I repaired to the White House, to find him carelessly sitting in shirt-sleeves and slippers, ready to receive me. He said : — "Well, Baker, what is the trouble between you and the gamblers 1" GAMBLING AND GAMBLERS. 219 1 told my story. He laiiglied, and said : — "I used to play penny-ante when I ran a flat-boat out U est, but for many years liave not touched a card." I stated to him tlie havoc gambling was making with the army, alluded to before, when he approved my course, but reminded me of the difficulties in the way of reform. I replied : "I can not fight the gamblers and the Govern- ment both." The President replied : "You won't have to fight /Tie." I added : " It i5 a fight ; and all I ask is fair play : that the Government will let me alone, and I will break up the business." And, with this perfect understanding, we parted for the tdme. Remarked one of the gamesters to me : " After all, I don't care ; it has cost me five thousand dollars a month to keep officers still." Tlie result was, the business was effectually spoiled in Washington, and some of the leaders in it removed to other cities ; the power of wholesome law was vindicated, the offend- ers punished, and Washington saved, for the time, from one of its greatest curses ; men of commanding position exposed, and young men saved from the serpent' s charm and fang. I shall leave this topic with the final report made to the proper authority : — Offiob Provost-Marshal Wak DErARXMENT, 1 Washington, ^((t/(«< 26, ls63. f Hon. E. A. Stanton, Secretary of War : — Sib — I have the honor to submit the following statement in relation to certain illegal establishments in this city, and the steps taken by me for their suppression. I refer to the gambling-houses of Washington. The evils that grow lirectly out of tlie unrestrained practice of gambling are too apparent, and ave beer, too often and elotiuently described, to require more than the mere mention to awaken the indignation of all honest and true men, and call forth the most strenuous eftor1,s for their suppression. The peculiar character of the population of this city, com{)osed largely of young men renioved from the restraiuta of home, and the influences of the fiimily circle, offers inducements to the gambling fraternity by which they have thus far largely profited. There are more professional gamblers in this city to-day, than in the city of New York, and two weeks since there were more gambling-houses. I have had reoorted to me no less than pie hundred and sixty- three of 220 UNITED STATES SECRET SERVICE. those establishraentg, where games of ch.ince were openly permitted, anO w here gathered niglitly, hundreds, and I might perhaps say with truth, thoa- sands of the young and middle-aged men of this city, including always a larga pioi)ortion of persons in Government employ. In such dens of ruin could be found almost every night officers of all grades, paymasters and other disbura- Irig officers, clerks in the ditTerent departments, and persons whose escape from certain ruin lay in the direction of abusing the public trusts confided to them, and retrieving their losses at the expense of the Government. I might cite cases of this nature where disgraced officials of prominent standing have openly pointed to gamblers and garabling-hou-es as the cause* of ineir downfall ; and in more than one instance Government money to A large amount has been recovered from parties who knew perfectly well that tlieir plunder was the proceeds of official crime and dishonor. So gigantic had this evil become, so utterly, through powerful local influ- ences, beyond the control of the civil authorities, so intense the desire for its suppression by those who know its significance as a leading inducement to crime, and the most prominent element in demoralizing both the officers and men of our armies, that I resolved upon the adoption of the only remedy available and sure of success, and that was to peremptorily close every known gambling-house in the city. About two weeks since I received orders and detailed officers for that purpose, and those orders have been so eflTectively carried into execution, that public gambling has entirely ceased, and will not be resumed so long as the control of the matter is left to me. It is true that the men who have carried on this infamous business still remain in the city, that they are labor- ing, by every means that money can purchase or influence command, to pro- cure a reversal of ray orders, and recommence their depredations upon Gov- ernment officials, under the shadow of Government authority. 1 am credibly informed tiiat movements are being made, by parties claim- ing higli consideration in official quarters, with the view of protecting tho Interests of the unemi)loyed gamblers, and reopening the doors of those gambling hells which I have summarily closed, but which, if unlocked, will again be filled with crowds of swindlers and their unliappy victims. I have tliought it my