“My God! What brutality and inhuman cruelty! It does seem impossible that such things could have transpired in a civilized community!” said Dr. Adams. “Yes,” continued Uncle Daniel, “it would really seem so. Yet these things did not only take place, but were carried on here in the North by the anti-war party, and were well known by all who were old enough at the time to understand matters; but they are now forgotten. Why, sir, mob violence was resorted to in many places. Inflammatory speeches were made in every community where they would be tolerated. Our people were alarmed everywhere in the North, and were preparing for great trouble at home in the absence of the army. Indiana was stirred up to white heat. Many outrages were perpetrated on the State soldiers who returned home on a furlough, and in many instances they were murdered. One old man by the name of Banty, who had two sons in an Illinois regiment--they being residents of that State at the outbreak of the rebellion--was tied to a tree in the woods some distance from home, and remained in this condition till rescued by his wife. It became so intolerable that troops were held at Indianapolis for protection to the city and country. The Governor, as well as other citizens, were threatened: “In Ohio the same condition of things existed. Camp Chase was about to be attacked. Troops had, of necessity, to be sent for the safe keeping of the prisoners. “At Coleston, Ill., the Knights of the Golden Circle attacked a squad of Union soldiers, who had just returned home from the army on furlough, and killed seven of them. In one county further south in Illinois, the name of which I have forgotten, there were quite a number of soldiers killed in secret. A man by the name of Geo. Akers, who had once been Sheriff of the County, but at the time of which I am speaking was the Head Center of the Golden Circle in that part of the country, was so strongly suspected of having soldiers quietly 'put out of the way,' that a search of his premises was made by a Provost Marshal, and in his mill, which was on his place, were found many suits of Union soldiers' uniforms, evidently taken from dead bodies. He was put in prison, but was aided to escape by his brother conspirators. In the same County a soldier by the name of Stacks, while home on a furlough, was called to his own door in the night and shot by one Honeycliff. I give these instances merely to have you understand the feeling and determination of the men in the North who sympathized with the rebellion, to aid it in all ways and by any means, no matter how foul or vile.” “Uncle Daniel,” said Col. Bush, “I know about Akers and the cases you mention in Illinois, as I was sent there at that time with a battalion to look after those fellows, and you do not tell one-half the trouble there was in that part of the country.” “No, I presume not; I only remember these facts in regard to matters in that State that fastened themselves irrevocably upon my mind.”