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
On Saturday the 26th August (two days prior to the National Democratic
Convention), immense numbers of persons came flocking to Chicago, indeed
at no former time in the history of the city was there such an influx of
strangers; they came in the cars and in wagon trains, and on horseback.
One county alone sent nearly a thousand men. It was a noticeable fact
that almost all persons who came into the city were well armed, and some
of them even brought muskets. Treason was now rampant, and it would not
be difficult, in looking around upon the most unprepossessing groups,
and to hear the language, to fancy one's-self in Charleston, or some
other nest of treason. From all the men who came to the city we did not,
in a single instance, hear one good, hearty expression of Unionism, but
our "Southern brethren and their rights," and this "wicked war," &c.,
&c., were the topics of conversation, and it was safe to set it down,
that this was the Peace wing of that most remarkable bird,--Democracy of
1864.
The writer was in close communication with Col. Sweet, commandant at
Camp Douglas, and by aid of our auxiliaries not an item of information
concerning the hostile intentions of the party transpired, that was not
known instantly by Col. Sweet,--special carriers or orderlies conveying
our dispatches. It must not be supposed that our observations were
confined to Chicago. Our channels of communication with the principal
points in the West were unobstructed; our "telegraphic cable" was in
fine working order, and if those wise heads for a moment fancied
that Col. B.J. Sweet might be caught napping, they were the worst
self-deceived men we have ever seen. Col. Sweet proceeded with all
caution and celerity to make his arrangements, and we beg the Colonel
not to regard it as a breach of confidence in us to say, that the guns
were in such a position and so well managed, that had there been
any attempt to have assaulted the camp, there would not have been
able-bodied traitors enough left, to have carried the killed and wounded
to secure retreats. Almost any officer, perhaps, less cool than Col.
Sweet would have blustered about in such a manner as to have rendered
himself not only positively offensive to the citizens, but would have
placed the city under martial law, and doubtless precipitated the very
event it was wise for a time to avert. Col. Sweet was cool, and
managed the matter with the most perfect military ability and skill. He
compelled everybody, friend and foe, to respect him by his dignified,
gentlemanly bearing, and yet there was that about his appearance that
told plainer than words, that while he was courteous, polite, kind and
willing to do all in his power and consistent with his duty to preserve
the peace, yet had an outbreak been begun, of all men in Chicago, rebels
and sympathisers would prefer to get as far as possible from Col. Sweet,
or the reach of his influence. This gallant officer had his men under
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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