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
The evening of the 3d of November, 1864, found a large representation of
the Sons of Liberty in their lodge room in Chicago, for as the time drew
near for the Presidential election--the period fixed for the carnival
of crime--the members of the organization realized the importance of the
utmost vigilance--lest their plans should be discovered--and of the most
entire concurrence with their leaders, and concert of action in obeying
the commands that might be given. At this meeting, the Brigadier-General
of the Order was present, as were also Captains and Lieutenants of the
Invincible Club, and a more exciting meeting had rarely ever been held
in the Temple. Speakers were vehement and earnest, and their theme was
the proposed uprising. As had ever been their policy, certain important
facts were withheld from the fledglings in treason, who had not yet
tried their wings, but there was no discord, no dissention, and all
exhibited enthusiasm and confidence. Brig.-Gen. Walsh called a meeting
of the Order, to be held in the hall of the Invincible Club, on Sunday
evening November 6th, the hour being fixed for eight o'clock. All
were exhorted to be "on hand," as the Brig.-General had an important
communication to make. Friday and Saturday an immense number of pistols,
and much ammunition were sold, and many were given away in quarters,
where it was certain material aid might be expected, when the time
should arrive for the inauguration of revolution. To the few of us
having the interests of the country at heart, who were cognisant of
the acts, preparations and intentions of the Order, it will readily be
believed the days were tedious, and the nights sleepless. So well had
the principal secrets of the Order--the details of the uprising---been
kept from the lower degree of the "Sons," that but few of the members
had a definite idea of the infamous part they were expected to perform,
and it was to communicate enough information to secure harmony among the
men, and that concert of action which promised the most complete success
of the terrible scheme of villainy before them, that the meeting was
called for Sabbath evening. It will be seen by the report of Gen.
Sweet's testimony, before the military commission, to what peril the
city was exposed. With but a handful of men to garrison the post,
without the ability to obtain adequate reinforcements, with ten thousand
veteran rebels in a camp, so incomplete in its structure, with the
certainty that our secret enemies were upon the railroads already, and
seeking positions in the post-office, in telegraph offices, if, as there
was good reason to apprehend, the telegraph stations were not already
under their control, that by Judge Morris' official report to the
Temple, two full regiments of Sons of Liberty, all well armed and
disciplined, were ready at an hour's notice, and that a third regiment
was almost complete, the knowledge also that the entire body
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account