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
To aid Mr. Thompson in his nefarious efforts in Canada, several officers
of various ranks were detailed from the Rebel army, by the Richmond
government, most prominent among these were Col. St. Leger Grenfell,
an Englishman of great military experience and daring, and Capt. T.H.
Hines, a young officer, who having been one of Gen. John A. Morgan's
pets, was recommended by him for the position he held in Canada, but
who was possessed of no more than ordinary military talents or genius,
unless his shrewdness in getting other and better persons involved in
difficulty, and condemned either to prison or death, and getting himself
out, evidenced military prowess. In connection with these men, were a
great many citizens, of both the United States and the South, who while
they were not authorized to act in any way by the Rebel government, yet
showed their zeal in the cause of the rebellion, by aiding and advising
with Mr. Thompson, and advising and exhorting all the rebel soldiers
in Canada, and the refugees from the Northern States, to take an active
part in the different schemes there on foot, to harass the northern
border of the United States. The most prominent of this class were
George N. Sanders, C.C. Clay, formerly Representative in the United
States Congress from Alabama, Col. Steele and Daniel Hibber. There was
still another secret agent of the rebels on special duty in Canada,
viz., Judge Holcombe of Virginia, who was sent there for the purpose of
secretly establishing agencies for the returning of rebel soldiers, who
desired to go South. However much Mr. Holcombe's mission removed
him from military matters, he nevertheless approved of the different
expeditions which were then being organized, and did more perhaps, than
any one else, to cause the irritation now existing between the Canadians
and the citizens of the United States. His policy in establishing
agencies in Canada, was to get some prominent and influential citizens
of the country who sympathized with his government, to act as agents
to furnish rebel soldiers who had escaped to Canada, and who desired to
return South, with all the necessary clothing, rations and money, &c.,
to enable them to go to Montreal or Quebec, where there were regularly
established rebel agencies, who upon the arrival of such soldiers
so furnished with money, for all the money so advanced, with perhaps
interest, was returned. In this way Mr. Holcombe enlisted, besides the
feelings, the interests of a great many prominent business men, whose
means had been advanced to rebels, and all along the Grand Trunk
and Great Western railway, in all the principal towns and cities,
he succeeded in establishing such agencies, which although at first
intended only for those who were rebel soldiers, finally became nothing
more than recruiting rendezvous for the rebel army, which all the
skedadlers, refugees from the Northern and Border States who wished
to join the Southern army, were received, fed, clothed and quietly
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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