The National Tribune from Washington, District of Columbia • Page 3

THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE: WASHINGTON, D. PEBBUAEY 11, 1882. OUR SOLDIERS. Peace smiles o'er hamlet and city, Peace broods o'er mountain and stream, Our tears of anguish and pity Are a half-forgotten dream. The tempest of battle ended, 4nd our dear delivered land Stands free in the sunshine splendid, No stain upon her hand.

"What shall we do to honor Her dauntless sons to-day, Who shed the glory upon her, Striking her chains away? Fair floats the banner o'er her What did not her children give They cast their lives before her, Dying tliat she might live. Remember them, praise them, love them, The noble hearts, and brave May earth lie lightly above them In many a nameless grave Great was their high endeavor, Great in their glorious need Honor our heroes forever! Serve them with word and deed. Celia Thaxler. in Sword and Pen. COLE THE PIRATE.

HIS ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE MICHIGAN From the Tytfadelphia Press. I. Captain Carter, why in thunder didn't you hang this man to the yard-arm? The situation was thrilling on board the man-of-war Michigan when this forcible question was put to its chief officer by General Heintzelman, commander of the military district of Ohio. As the event was the closing scene in one of the most startling occurrences of the war, it is now of great historical interest. A picture of it has, I believe, never been drawn, nor has the story of the transactions that preceded it ever been fully told.

During the latter part of September, 1864, when this event took place, the Michigan lay moored in Sandusky Bay, the guard-ship of the great lakes and of the prison for confederate officers on Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie. She looked clear and clean on the day in question, and about noon her guns announced the arrival of Major-General John A. Dix, Major-General Heintzelman, and Major-General Hitehcock, commissioners for the exchange of Federal prisoners. They had come to investigate the matters which just then arrested the attention of the whole country, and provoked General Heintzelman's angry interrogation of Captain Carter, for the life of the man who had caused the disturbance. On the deck of the vessel, beside the principal officers of the ship, stood the three distinguished Generals above mentioned.

There was one other man present, and he was naturally the central figure of the group. He was a prisoner, and had been brought from the ward-room to the quarterdeck to be catechised by the three officers who had been summoned to inquire into his conduct, and to ascertain if possible the extent of the conspiracy his capture had disclosed and defeated. As he stood before his accusers there was in his manner an air of indifference as to his fate that amounted almost to bravado. He was a small man, hardly of medium size, but his well proportioned, closely knit frame was sturdy and He had a full round face, and his features were fairly good. His countenance, however, bore a stolid and determined expression, which was augmented by the cold light of his gray eyes.

His hair and moustache were red, but his general appearance was not objectionable. He seemed to he cast in genteel mould, and every lineament of iis face and every line of his form bespoke pluck, courage, and endurance. General Hitchcock opened the investigation by asking: "Major Cole, what part did the twelve citizens of Sandusky whom you have accused play in the conspiracy?" "None whatever," replied the confederate officer, "they are entirely innocent. They knew nothing of my plans and less of my acts." "Then why did you accuse them?" That the men under my command might be warned of my capture and escape in the commotion the arre3t of these men would cause." It was this acknowledgment by Major C. H.

Gole, a captured confederate officer, that forced from General Heintzelman the demand "Captain Carter, why in thunder didn't you hang this man to the yard-arm?" The officer addressed did not directly answer, except by saying that he regarded Major Cole merely as a prisoner of war. There is in the faithful history which this impressive scene introduces that which surpasses any conception of the imagination. I very recently saw the man whom General Heintzelman would have thus had summarily punished. He was afterwards sentenced to death for acts committed just preceding the scene I have described, and, for a year, he lay in prison under the shadow of the gallows. He is now, after a life of marvellous experience, a citizen of the State of Texas, largely interested in the development of its railroad system.

He rarely ever talks of the matters which brought him so prominently before the American people during the war, and had I not secured a good thread of the narrative from another source, I doubtless would never have heard from his lips the remarkable story of hazard and adventure which for years marked his life. Nearly two decades have passed since he stood a prisoner upon the deck of the Michigan. His red moustache is now streaked with gray, and the abundant growth of hair is getting thin. In response to persistent questioning he detailed to me what follows, which is given as nearly as possible in his own language "There was much in the scene on the steamer that September day which no man knew but myself, and therefore could not appreciate. Interesting, suggestive, and dramatic as was the situation to the others, it was doubly so to me.

of course, knew of the coming of the officers, and as I sat in the ward-room waiting to be summoned on deck, I thought over much that had trauspired, and conjectured as to the future. While in a deep reverie I felt the shock of the discharge of the guns. I knew it was the salute in honor of the arrival of the distinguished officers who were coming aboard to ascertain, if possible, who beside myself was engaged in the at tempt to capture the Michigan. They expected, as I afterwards learned, to connect the 'Knights of the Golden and other political organizations, with our scheme for the release of the confederate prisoners and the establishment of confederate authority in the Northwest. "I was quietly smoking my segar when the officer came below to escort me on deck.

Although my government had acted promptly in notifying the Federal authorities that I must be treated only as a prisoner of war, and that they would hold two Union officers as ransoms for me, to be dealt with and treated as I was by the Federal authorities, I had no expectation of saving my life. As I rose to accompany the guard on deck, the thought flashed through my mind 'I may yet accord plish the object of my mission or, at least, sell my life The conclusion was that could I destroy the ship, the confederate officers on Johnson's Island might then release themselves, for there were only GOO soldiers guarding them, and 1,500 navy revolvers were in the possession of the confederate officers confined there. "I knew that in going forward we had to pass directly over the magazine. I pulled vigorously at my segar to get it well lighted, then taking it from my mouth, I held it by my side, and in passing dropped it in the little air-hole which opened into the magazine I therefore reached the deck expecting that every moment the powder would explode and that the ship and all on board would be scattered to the four winds. Can you imagine a feeling of suspense more absorbing than that which jiossessed me while I was being questioned by the three Union Generals? You may also judge what was my mental reply when General Heintzelman asked Captain Carter why he had not hung me to the yard arm II.

"I was," said he to me, when reluctantly speaking of the incidents above related and those to follow, "a member of the Fifth Tennessee confederate regiment, of which my brother was colonel. I was summoned to Richmond, and there regularly commissioned by the confederate government as a military officer in its secret service, and with several others sent to report to the Hon. Jake Thompson, formerly Secretary of the Interior under Buchanan, but who was then the accredited head of the confederate government, with headquarters in Canada. I was assigned to the command of the Department of Ohio, with headquarters at Sandusky. "Major Tom Hinds, now a judge at Bowling Green, Kentucky, had the State of Illinois, with his headquarters at Chic3go.

Major Castleman had Indiana, with his headquarters at Centralia. At all of these places we had Northern allies working in conjunction with us. "At Camp Douglass, near Chicago, there were about 8,000 confederate prisoners; at Camp Chase, near Columbus, Ohio, about 8,000 more, and at Camp Morton, near Indianapolis, about 4,000. On Johnson's Island, in Sandusky Bay, there were about 3,200 confederate officers confined. The object was to simultaneously release all these prisoners, and officer the men in the other three camps with the officers on Johnson's Island.

The time selected for making the assault upon these camps was to be gauged by General Early's attack upon Washington, so as to make it impossible for any of the troops to be sent North to reinforce the limited number of Federal soldiers then in the Northwest. There were not enough there to materially interfere with our plans. If you will remember, the Democratic National Convention was held at Chicago about that time, and it was first intended to take advantage of its meeting to make the attack. We had 4,000 men in Chicago, while the convention was in session, ready to do the work. Early's delay in striking Washington, and the arguments of our Northern allies that the attack should be deferred, caused a postponement.

"I have always thought the delay was a mistake, for there certainly was never a time when there was such a feeling in the Northwest against the war, and such a necessity for troops at the front, as in July, 1864. The Northwest was selected as the basis of our operations because there was great rebellion there against conscriptions and the people were generally tired of the war. Then, too, we had bolder and stronger friends in that section than in the East. Those who were willing to do and dare more to aid us. The 4,000 men in Chicago the time the convention met were not all regular confederates, but many of them were Northern friends ready to assist the confederate authorities commissioned to do the work.

"I think that the action of the convention in declaring the war a failure was, unknown to it, calculated to further increase the discontent then being manifested in various sections of the country. The La Crosse Democrat was established at La Crosse, Wisconsin, for a like purpose, and Jake Thompson gave Brick Pomeroy confederate money to establish it. The temper of the paper, however, was so violent and abusive that it injured rather than aided our cause. "When I was assigned to the command at Sandusky, of course the confederate authorities recognized the fact that the capture of the man-of-war Michigan was of vital importance to their scheme. My instructions, therefore, were to turn my earnest attention to that duty.

"I went down to Erie, where she was lying before she was sent up as guard-ship to the prisoners on Johuson's Island. Through friends I made the acquaintance of the officers, entertained them handsomely, and was invited to the ship, so that when it came to Sandusky I was always a welcome guest aboard of her. "I established myself in Sandusky as an oil speculator, organized the Mount Hope Ofc Company and located a well near Titusville, Pennsylvania. I put about $8,000 of confederate gold into the organization of the company. Judge Filmore, of Buffalo, was made president, and I was elected secretary.

This gave me a business standing, and my position as secretary and practical manager of the company readily accounted for the travel it was necessary for me to do in furtherance of my military duty. It also explained the abundance of money I had and my willingness to spend it. III. Soon after I reported to Mr. Thompson for duty I received from him some $60,000 in gold, a portion of which was deposited to my credit in the bank of Sandusky.

There was also an account kept in Philadelphia with Drexel in the name of John Bell, and I had still another at Belmont, N. Y. The confederacy had plenty of means in its secret-service fund. I believe there was something like $6,000,000 altogether to the credit of the confederate commissioner and his colleague. Most of it was deposited in the bank at Toronto.

of course, turned my attention to cultivating the acquaintance of officers of the steamer Michigan, and all military officers stationed at Sandusky or who came there, as a prerequisite to success in releasing the confederate prisoners. I wined and dined the officers continually, and was on excellent footing with them. "This was all very well in its way, but I soon found it necessary to have some men in my employ on board the Michigan, and also on Johnson's Island. As the United States Government wanted both seamen and soldiers, two confederates were enlisted as seamen and sent aboard the Michigan. Ten of our men were enlisted as soldiers and went on duty as members of the regiment stationed on Johnson's Island.

Besides my good social relations with the officers, you see I was in a position to be fully posted as to what was going on, both on the vessel and on the Island. The men I had enlisted as Federal soldiers were necessarily of infinite value in communicating our purposes and their progress to the confederate officers, and also in getting arms to them. "There were, of course, very many ludicrous, interesting and even thrilling incidents attending the days, weeks, and months of our preparations for the assaults. It would take a volume to record them all. We had to keep up constant communication with Mr.

Thompson, the representative of the confederate government in Canada, from whom we received all our orders. This was the more important, as each confederate commander in the States acted independently of all the rest. Thompson was a man of great nerve. Just such a bold, aggressive spirit as Secretary Stanton. If he had been Secretary of War, as Stanton was, he would have given you just the same kind of an administration.

"Not long before our plans were completed, Mr. Thompson, at one of our conferences in Canada, said he should like to visit and look over the steamer Michigan before we attacked her, and also personally inspect the details of my plan upon the ground. "'If you think it safe, Mr. Thompson, I should be exceedingly glad to have you do "He did not reply, and we parted without my knowing what his intentions were. A few days after, while sitting in my room at the West House, Sandusky, the servant came up and said "'Your aunt is in the parlor, and would like to see "I told Miss Davis, my assistant, to go down and invite her up.

Of course, I knew it was not my aunt, but I was never taken by surprise at anything, and was always on my guard. I supposed possibly it was a female courier with orders or information. Miss Davis went down to the parlor and in a moment returned with an elderly lady, nicely dressed in a style that well became her age. "When her veil was removed there stood Jake Thompson. I was wholly taken aback, as the disguise was perfect, and the assumption of the character easy and graceful.

"He informed me that he came to visit the Michigan. "I immediately sent word to the steamer that I had a lady relative who had stopped over a train to visit me; that she had never seen a man-of-war, and that I should like to bring her aboard. They returned a cordial invitation, and that afternoon Mr. Thompson and I went out to the ship. He went all over it, and in a squeaky voice put such questions about her construction and arrangement as a rural female of well advanced years and small opportunities for gleaning information would be likely to propound.

No one suspected him, and the officers were exceedingly polite to the one they afterwards spoke of as My Country "It was, of course, a great risk for Mr. Thompson to run. It took a man of nerve and tact to succeed. He felt a great interest in the capture of the Michigan, for it was his intention to board her soon after she was captured, and really make her the headquarters of the civil power of the confederacy in the Northwest." IV. "Our plans were finally matured and it was decided to make the attack on Monday, the 19th day of September.

The intention was, the moment the Michigan was captured and the confederate officers released, to cut all the telegraph wires leading out of Sandusky, seize a railroad train, run down to Columbus, assist in releasing the prisoners there, then run back to Sandusky and establish the temporary headquarters of the confederate department of the Northwest. General Trimble, of Maryland, who was the ranking confederate officer confined on Johnson's Island, was to be made commander-in-chief, and I had in my pocket a commission from the confederate government appointing him to that position the moment he was released. I was supplied with other commissions in blank, all properly signed and attested, to give to all other men who enlisted in the confederate army for this service. This was done to make them regular confederate soldiers, so that their services would be legitimate acts of warfare so long as they obeyed orders. Major Hinds, who was in command at Chicago, and Majr Castleman, who was in command at Centralia, were to attack Camp Douglass and Camp Morton simultaneously with my attack upon Johnson's Island.

This would release twenty thousand confederate soldiers, and there were thirty-two hundred officers on Johnson's Island ready to command them. Major Hinds at Chicago was also charged with the duty of capturing one of the iron steamers plying between rand Haven, and Milwaukee, Wis. Through some misunderstanding none of the others made the attack, although I telegraphed before leaving Detroit on the morning of the 19th to Charley Walsh, a citizen of Chicago, who was Major Hind's assistant and is now street commissioner of that city, as follows: "Detkoit, September 19, 1864. "Close out all the stock in the Mount Hope Oil Company before three o'clock to-day. Be prompt.

C. H. Cole." "This meant that the attack would be made on the Michigan at five o'clock that evening. "All dispatches relating to our military duties were in relation to the Mount Hope Oil Company, and could be easily translated into their proper significance by any one in the secret. "I left Sandusky for Detroit on Saturday, with all arrangements perfected.

We had previously determined to capture the rhilo Parsons, a vessel plying in the lake trade, for service in transporting our troops, etc. I was to go aboard of her at Detroit, and the men who were to assist in her capture were to get on at the various points at which she touched on the Canadian shore. "I went aboard the Parsons at four o'clock on the evening of September 18th, and spent most of my time with Captain Atwood, her commander. With the capture in view I had made his acquaintance some time before, and frequently came over on his vessel. She left the wharf on the morning of the 19th and touched at her various stopping places on the Canadian side of the Detroit Eiver.

At Windsor and at Maiden my men got on board. Of course I never indicated an acquaintance with any of them. I was in the pilot-house with Captain Atwood when we touched at both places, so that I could note the men as they came on and be where they could see me. At Maiden, Atwood, observing the unusual number of seedy-looking men getting aboard, said: "'How many skedaddlers are coming on this morning? These fellows are all well off; they run out of the United States to escape the draft and are now returning. They look hard, but all of them have means and are men of Yes, poor I replied, they have had a hard We watched them bring on their rickety baggage, and when all were aboard we steamed off.

J. Yates Beale, my second officer, was in readiness for the work, and when we left Maiden I gave him a signal to assign the men to their positions. He did so. A fine engineer, well armed, was placed near the engine, and one of the men, well equipped for the work, appointed to every important place on the boat. I was in the pilot-house with the Captain, for I preferred to deal with him myself.

When Beale had everything in readiness he gave the signal and I clapped my revolver, which I wore beneath my overcoat, to Captain Atwood's head and said: Captain, you are my "'What's the matter, he asked, in great astonishment. "'You are my prisoner. I take possession of this ship in the name of the Confederate States Government. Go The arrest of the captain was immediately followed by the capture of the men by other soldiers. When they were all secured we sent them below, put the hatches downand were safe from any interruption from that quarter.

As soon as possible the passengers were assured that they should not be molested. The American flag was then hauled down and the stars and bars run up, with the announcement This flag is a guarantee of protection to women and children." "This assurance was sacredly kept, although it cost some effort. The regular confederate soldiers who were with me were perfect gentlemen, but some of those hired from Philadelphia, New York, and other cities, were not. It was necessary to put some of them overboard to make good the promise given when the confederate flag was hoisted. They went.

"About half-past twelve, after we had everything running smoothly on the Parsons, we sighted Put-in-Bay Island. The Island Queen, bound for Cleveland, was lying at the wharf unloading freight. She carried a large number of passengers, among them three hundred unarmed soldiers, going to Cleveland to get mus tered out. We run alongside of her, made fast and captured her, as we had done the Parsons, giving and keeping the same assurances of protection to passengers, especially women and children. We then steered the two steamers toward Fighting Island, and put the passengers ashore.

There was no possible means of escape, and therefore no danger that they would give warning. We then steamed off toward the Michigan, which lay in sight." "Were your men well armed?" "Yes. They had plenty of first-class revolvers, and each man carried a hatchet. When I was on trial they undertook to put a false construction upon the object for which these weapons were carried. They were simply to be used in case of a fight, to resist boarders who might undertake to attack the vessel in small boats.

As forcibly as I would have protected the passengers of the ships and the women and children, so would I have forbidden any cruelty or other acts not well recognized as legitimate in modern warfare. Y. "Before going to Detroit I had arranged to give the officers of the Michigan an entertainment on board that evening at five o'clock, and had sent the wine and other requisites to the vessel before I left Sandusky. Therefore my coming on board that day excited no suspicion. I left the Parsons in a small boat and rowed directly to the Michigan.

Our plan was to capture the ship by strategy. Consequently I had arranged this entertainment so as to be on board when the work was done. The men selected to make the capture were to come out from the shore in small boats, ostensibly fistnng, and surround the Michigan. When I went aboard they were to draw nearer to the ship, and at a given signal from me they were to board her, put down the hatches, and the vessel would be ours without firing a gun. Everything worked like a charm, but I was sanguine of success and delayed giving the signal just one moment too long.

I was captured myself, instead of capturing the Michigan. Looking back upon the whole thing now it seems like a divine interposition in behalf of the Union cause. The guns of the Michigan were always shotted, and I carried on my person primers with which to fire them. Had we captured her, our demand for the surrender of the island with the prisoners on it could not have been refused. With the only armed vessel on the lakes in our possession, the towns and cities on their banks would have been virtually at our mercy.

With the Parsons and Island Queen we had captured, and the Georgian we had purchased some time before, and which was now plying along the Canada shore loadedj.with arms, we had ample transportation facilities, and with an iron vessel on Lake 'Michigan the whole commerce of the lakes would have been absolutely at our command. With a confederate army of 20,000 men added to this water advantage stationed in a section where our cause had many friends, and where discontent at the war was daily spreading, this would have given us an advantage that could not have been overthrown. There were the men all ready and wondering why the signal was not given. There were the Parsons and Island Queen lying in sight in the hands of friends. On Johnson's Island were our three thousand Confederate officers well informed of our plans, with fifteen hundred navy revolvers distributed among them, and but sixhundred soldiers guarding them.

The Michigan was the only enemy on the lakes and the only one that could be gotten there. I was in the ward-room drinking wine with the officers, and was just making an excuse to go on deck to give the signal when an officer from Johnson's Island stepped aboard the Michigan and approaching me, said Captain Cole, you are my prisoner." "'Captain of I asked with a laugh 'certainly no one accuses me of being a soldier." it replied the officer, whom I knew well but here is a telegram saying you are a confederate spy, and are in a conspiracy to capture Johnson's Island. It orders your arrest. We must, at least, take you into custody." Oh, that's all right," I answered, although I felt it was all up with us. A moment later, however, and it would have been all up with them.

"'Sergeant, search him!" ordered the officer. The sergeant began his work, and almost the first thing he found was my commission from the confederate government. Of course, that was enough. I was put under arrest and closely guarded." What became of your men The moment it was found I was an enemy they demanded to know who, beside myself, were in the conspiracy. Quick as a flash I thought: 'Here is a chance to save the I named twelve of the most prominent citizens of Sandusky I could think of, knowing that they would be at once arrested, and suspecting that my female accomplice in the city, who was watching the bay for the signal of success, would be warned of my capture and doubtless alarm the men in the boats.

I was not mistaken. The first man arrested was Mr. West, who kept the hotel where we stopped. She knew I had failed the moment it occured. Quickly slipping from the hotel she took a small boat, rowed out and gave the alarm to the men in the fishing boats, and they to the Parsons and Queen.

Beale scuttled the Queen and sunk her in sight of the Michigan, and running the Parsons over to the Canada shore sunk her too. Every man but myself escaped. Anna Davis also got away, but she was captured a day or two after when she came back to bring notice from the confederate government that they would hold two officers as a ransome for me, and would execute them if I was dealt with except as a confederate soldier engaged in legitimate acts of warfare. "After arrest I was kept confined onboard the Michigan until after General Dix, General Heintzelman, and General Hitchcock came to make the investigation. I was then removed to Johnson's Island.

"I had some $3,000 in gold and something over $2,000 in greenbacks, which the Government confiscated, as it did the steamer Georgian after the failure of our enterprise. Before leaving Detroit to capture the Parsons I transferred to Anna Davis all my interest in the Mount Hope Oil Company, as she was a British subject and could hold them, as I could not after the attack, whether I was successful or unsuccessful." TTo be OLD GUARD IAEDALS. The Grant Guard of the Chicago Convention, the memorable 306, are to be made immortal in bronze, by the presentation of a large medal to each, prepared in St. Louis, under the direction of Mr. Filley.

A St. Louis dispatch to the World thus describes the medal: "On the centre is a profile head of General Grant, which is a perfect likeness. Underneath and extending round the head is a wreath of laurel and oak leaves. Eound this is a slightly raised circle, outside of which is the record of the Grant ballots arranged in a complete circle, the number of each ballot and the cast being set down in separate spaces. The record begins at the exact centre of the bottom, when the medal is held in its proper position, and reads as follows 304, 305, 305, 305, 305, 305, 305, 306, 306, 305, 305,304, 305, 305, 306, 306, 303, 305, 305, 306, 305, 305, 304, 305, 302, 303, 306, 307, 305, 307, 308, 309, 309, 312, 313, 306.

Between the first and thirty-sixth ballots, which meet at the bottom of the ring, a star is engraved. After the seventeenth, which reaches the point diametrically opposite the star, the numbers reverse so that the figures can be read without turning the medal round. Outside the record and along the rim a wreath of fleur de lis is handsomely worked, completing the face. On the reverse side, inscribed in the centre circle, are these words Commemoration of the thirty-six ballots of the Old Guard for Ulysses S. Grant for President, Republican National Convention, Chicago, June, All the lines are straight save the first and last, which curve gracefully, parallel with the edge.

Surrounding the lettering is a simple border, completing the reverse side. At the centre of the top is a hole in which to place a ribbon." General Lucius F. Hubbard, the new Governor of Minnesota, commanded a brigade at the battle of Nashville. In the heat of the fight General Thomas directed Hubbard to double-quick, in the face of a murderous fire, to a rebel battery on a hilltop. The charge was one of the most daring of the war.

Hubbard took the battery, but lost many of his men and himself got an ugly wound..