The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling DetailsAyer, I. Winslow
History
The Great North-Western Conspiracy in All Its Startling Details
Ayer, I. Winslow
Knights of the Golden Circle; Northwestern Conspiracy, 1864
At this memorable meeting, as it was the last meeting of this body ever
held in Chicago, it was agreed that at the time of the uprising, friends
(rebels and copperheads) should appear with red and white badges, and
the property of such persons would also be saved from destruction by
displaying from their buildings the Confederate flag. Thus were ample
and definite arrangements made, and as that meeting adjourned it was the
deliberate end and aim of all the persons there assembled (with a single
exception) to effect their objects at all hazards. All who were present,
as well as the rebels then in Richmond, conceded that of all points in
the several States embraced in the proposition with which Col. Barrett
was entrusted, Chicago was by far the most important post, and the one
which, of all others, should first fall. The facility and ease with
which Camp Douglas could be taken, was a matter of remark among the
traitors in every section, and it was understood that communication
could readily be made with the prisoners, as Mrs. Morris, wife of
Judge Morris, and others who were known to be in the interest of
the Confederacy, had never been denied access to the camp, and such
prohibition was scarcely expected, as of course the plans of the
conspirators must be a dead secret from the commander of the post. In
the temples of the Sons of Liberty it was a matter of congratulation
that it was impossible for a detective to obtain their secrets, yet all
this time Col. B.J. Sweet was well acquainted with every move that had
the least importance, for the writer made it an invariable custom
to send dispatches regularly to Col. Sweet, who thus came into full
possession of the plans and designs of the Order, as soon as they were
announced, and hence was at all times in a position that he could not
have been surprised by any assault upon the Camp. The Colonel is at all
times perfectly cool and self-possessed, prudent in the highest degree,
and inflexible in purpose, when once resolved upon a line of action. His
arrangements were made with all celerity and completeness, and though
his little force was quite too small to offer great resistance in case
of surprise had not the facts been known to the commandant, yet the
interior arrangement of the camp, the disposition of his forces, and
above all, the perfect discipline which had ever been maintained by him,
now offered a silent barrier which caused the conspirators to entertain
direful apprehensions, as to the disaster to themselves when they should
make the undertaking, for the movements of the camp were noticed
from the observatories near by, and on one occasion Brig. Gen. Walsh,
accompanied by an attaché of the Chicago _Times_, made a personal visit
to the camp, and being received as gentlemen by the gallant Colonel,
they were able to make certain discoveries of a disagreeable nature.
The greatest precaution, of course, was observed in the transmission of
dispatches by the writer to Col.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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