by John McElroy
CHAPTER XXI.
SCHEME FOR A NEW REBELLION.--ANDREW JOHNSON AND HIS CO- CONSPIRATORS.--THE GENERAL OF THE ARMY AND SECRETARY OF WAR SAVE THE COUNTRY.--"TOM" ANDERSON'S BRUTAL MURDER.--UNCLE DANIEL DIES.
"Forgiveness to the injured does belong, But they never pardon who have done the wrong." --Dryden
"Jones surrendered to Sherwood. Mobile had fallen Iand all the minorcommands in rebellion were trying to see which could get in first. ThePresident of the Confederacy had been captured by Wellston. Our greatarmies were mustered out of the service, and peace once more reignedthroughout the land. The then President had by his declarations shownsuch bitter hostility toward the leading rebels that they were greatlyalarmed, and many were leaving the country. The General of our armieshad established his headquarters at Washington, and all matterspertaining to the future were now in the hands of the civil authorities.
"Gen. Anderson had returned to my house, where he found joy andhappiness in our little family at his safety after passing throughthe storm of this great struggle. His wife and little Mary, as well aslittle Jennie, seemed as though they would never get through kissinghim. Henry and his wife (Seraine) were now with-us. Lieut. Whitcombreturned to Detroit to his parents. Gen. Anderson and Henry were all whowere left of the eight of my household who had entered the service. Youcan imagine the sadness this brought back to me. David's wife (Jennie)became melancholy and more depressed than usual. She was stricken withfever and died in about three weeks after the General's return. Thisleft this dear child"--pointing to Jennie Wilson--"alone in the world,without a protector, save her poor old grandfather. Mary Anderson, theGeneral, Henry and Seraine were all kind and willing to do anything forher that they could. She was sole heir to her father's farm, which hadbeen left in my hands, and naturally looked to me, and so we have eversince lived together.
"Henry, Seraine, Gen. Anderson and his family stayed with me until theGeneral could determine whether he would remain North or venture toreturn to his old home in Mississippi. Old Ham and Aunt Martha, afterthe murder of Mr. Lincoln, seemed to have lost all energy, and wereunusually silent and melancholy, seldom speaking to any one, save in theexpression of their great joy at the safe return of their Marsa Gen'l.'One day, while we were sitting on the porch, the General said to Ham,who had come to the front of the house:
"'Ham, what is the matter with you and Aunt Martha? You seem to be in aserious mood all the time, since my return?'
"'Yes, Marsa Gen'l, we is monstrous serious, sah. We feels bad 'boutMarsa Lincum, what dem 'Sesh kill. He war our bes' frien', He make usfree, and we feel dat dar am some wrong somewhar, dat dem 'Sesh starvede Union sogers; dey shoots dem when dey wants to, and dey kills ourPresident, and none of dem get hunged for dis. If dis is de way datmatters is a-gwine, what am goin' to 'come of de darkies? Whar am deygwine? What am gwine to 'come ob Marfa and Ham? Dat's what am worryin'us.'
"'Well, Ham, you need not worry about that. You will be taken care of. Iwill see to that.'
"Just then Aunt Martha came into the house, and hearing theconversation, the good old woman became greatly excited. When she heardwhat the General said to Ham she caught hold of the former, and in herway gave expression to her feelings. She said:
"'Marsa Gen'l, I's mighty feered somethin' bad gwine to happen to uspoor colored folks. Dar frien's seem de only ones what get kill, andwhen dey do de folks do nuffln wid de 'Sesh. Dey send dem home agin, sodat dey do jes' what dey please. You mind what Aunt Marfa say, dem 'Seshdo wid de darkies what dey wan' to in less den no time. Dey is free; Iknow dat; but who dey work for? Mus' dey be under de same ones what selldem before de 'bellion? If dey is, den de 'Sesh make dem young darkieswhat's comin' on b'lieve anything dey wants to; and afore dey is growdup dey be helpin' de 'Sesh, and den what we do? I tells you dis bin onmy min' and in Ham's head, too. We trus' in de good Laud; and you, MarsaGen'l, you kin fix dis. I's sure you kin. De good Laud spare you fordis; I know he do. I's sure dar was six mans in dis family, all kill, mygood old missus die, den my good young missus, she die; dey was all killand die 'ceptin' you, and I knows dat you are save to take keer of usdarkies, or you bin kill long afore dis!'
"'Well, aunty, I will do all I can for everybody. You and Ham shall becared for; have no fears about that.'
"'Dat be good. I always know you look after us, Marsa Gen'l, case wesabe you life; but, den, my chillens, Laud knows whar dey is. Ham andme bin talkin' 'bout dat. We wants dem to get long, but we not know dem,nor whar dey am. Maybe we see dem some day.'
"'All right, aunty, we will talk about this hereafter.'
"Poor old darkies! They both went back to the kitchen better satisfiedand much happier."
Dr. Adams said: "Uncle Daniel, Aunt Martha did not miss it very far, didshe?'
"No; the poor old woman had a presentiment that matters would not be aspeaceful and well for the colored people as was anticipated.
"Just at this time old man Joseph Dent rode up to the gate. He was asglad to see the General as if he had been one of his own family. Wetalked over the war, and praised the old man for the part he hadplayed in assisting us in discovering the plots of the conspirators. Hereturned to the farm greatly delighted that his work was appreciated.
"We all remained at home for some time trying to shake off our manysorrows. Mary Anderson and Seraine tried to make it pleasant for all.The General interested us in giving his experiences, and Henry in turnhis with the conspirators. Time wore on, and finally Gen. Andersonconcluded to go to Colorado for the purpose of seeing what he coulddo in the mines, leaving his wife and daughter still with me. Henryremained with us; he and Seraine visiting occasionally with his friendsat Detroit.
"Congress was engaged in trying to agree upon a plan for thereconstruction of the South, as well as to reorganize the army. When thelaw was passed for the latter purpose I was written to by the Secretaryof War in order to ascertain Gen. Anderson's whereabouts. I wrote him,giving his address. The General was tendered a position in the army.He came home and consulted his wife, but finally declined it. Herecommended Lieut. James Whitcomb, his Aid-de-Camp, Seraine's brother,for a position, and he was appointed a Lieutenant in the cavalry arm ofthe service. He is still alive and in the army, but transferred, as Iunderstand, to a different branch of the service.
"The General concluded to go to Washington city, where he remained someweeks. On returning he thought he would settle there in the practice ofthe law. His wife did not wish to go until he had tried the chances ofsuccess. So it was arranged that his family should remain with me, hiswife wishing to return to her old home when she felt that it was safefor the General. He returned to Washington, and did very well.
"By this time there seemed to be some friction between the President andCongress. This condition of things continued, with ill-feeling, and thebreach still widening. The President differed widely with the Republicanmajority, as well as the Secretary of War and the General of the Army,as to the reconstruction of the States recently in rebellion. Everymeasure that Congress would pass with a view of taking charge of thecolored people or aiding them in their perilous condition, was rejectedby the President, and had to be passed over his veto. It was the samewith matters in reference to reconstruction. He began haranguing thepopulace from the balcony of the Executive Mansion, in order to createan ill-feeling and prejudice in the minds of the people against theirrepresentatives.
"He, however, very suddenly changed his views as to the proper treatmentfor the leaders of the rebellion. Instead of wishing them tried andpunished, as formerly, he thought a portion of Congress should be triedand punished. He turned his back on his Union friends and made theleading rebels and their sympathizers of the North his confidants.Jefferson Davis and all those under arrest for treason were, underhis new programme, released. He denounced leading Republicans asconspirators and traitors. He was cajoled by every conspirator of thelate rebellion. Finally the visits of certain men from Maryland andVirginia became so frequent that it aroused a su
spicion in the minds ofthe Secretary of War and the Chief of Staff to the General of the Army,and very soon this suspicion extended to the General himself that a newconspiracy was being organized. The General was led to believe this,first, on the ground that the President at one time wanted all theleading men who had been paroled by the General arrested and tried bythe U. S. Court in Virginia. This the General of the Army had resistedin such a manner as to cause quite a coolness between the two. Thesame men that he at one time desired to see hanged had now become hiscompanions, confidential friends and advisers.
"Information was received about this time, through a source that couldnot be doubted by the Secretary of War nor by the General of the Army,of a programme which had been agreed upon by the President and certainrebels claiming that their States were sovereign, were States nowas ever, with all their rights--that of representation included. ThePresident determined to issue his proclamation for an election ofSenators and Members of the House of Representatives from all the Stateslately in rebellion, and if they came to Washington claiming theirseats, and should not be admitted by the Republican majority, hewould organize a Congress with the Southern members and the NorthernDemocrats, and as President would recognize them as the Congress of theUnited States and send his messages and communications accordingly. Ifthe Republicans resisted he would disperse them by force, and therebymake them the rebels against the lawful Government, as he claimed, andin that way turn it over to its enemies and their sympathizers, withhimself as their chief instead of Mr. Davis, holding the Capital and allthe Government archives. If he could induce the General of the Army toobey his orders he could carry out this scheme; if not, he would get ridof the General and try and find some other officer upon whom he couldrely. To be prepared in case he could not use the Commander of the Army,a force was to be organized in Maryland and Virginia, which was to sweepdown upon Washington and take possession before outside forces could beorganized against the President's authority, using in connection withthis force such of the army as would obey him. He tested the Generalof the Army and found he could not use him to aid in starting a newrebellion. He then concluded that he would send him away to Mexico, andput in some pliant tool as Secretary of War, and then put this scheme inoperation.
"Just about this time an application was made to the General of theArmy, without coming through the Secretary of War, by the State ofMaryland, for its quota of arms. This at once struck the General asstrange. He went to the Secretary of War, and upon consultation theapplication was placed among the relics of the past. In a day or sothe President inquired of the General if he had received such anapplication. The General said he had, and was asked what he was going todo. He answered that it would be looked into. This seemed to the Generalvery unusual, for a President to be looking after such things.
"I had gone to Washington to look after pay that was due three of mysons when killed. While sitting with Gen. Anderson in his room, soonafter my arrival, a knock was heard at the door. A boy entered with anote from the Secretary of War, saying he had just heard of my arrivaland desired to see me."
"The next morning as soon as I could I went to his office. When I methim he was very cordial with me; conversed about the murder of Mr.Lincoln and the utter collapse of the rebellion, as well as the greatloss in my family. I spoke to him about my business, and he at oncedirected matters so that it would be attended to without delay. TheSecretary then said to me that it was through my direction that Mr.Lincoln and himself had been able to thwart the late conspirators inmany of their diabolical schemes during the war, and that they failedonly in one--that of preventing the murder of the President.
"In speaking of this sad calamity the great tears stood in his eyes.'But,' said he, 'my dear friend Lyon, we are now standing upon the vergeof a volcano, and this time, if the schemes of the conspirators can becarried out, we will be in more danger than ever; and we who have justput this great rebellion down will be compelled to play the part ofrebels ourselves in the next great drama.'
"I was almost struck dumb by this announcement, and thought theSecretary was perhaps unnecessarily alarmed at some minor matter. Herang his bell for a messenger, and sent him across the street for theGeneral of the Army. He soon came in, and after pleasant greetings weall retired to the Secretary's private room. There he was about tomake me acquainted with this whole matter, when the General said to theSecretary that he desired his Chief of Staff to be present. He was sentfor, and soon entered. I was put under a pledge of secrecy, and then thewhole scheme was revealed to me as I have told it to you, except that itwas given to me more in detail. The name of their secret informant wasgiven, and I was then truly surprised and could no longer doubt thefacts as to the conspiracy for the second rebellion. The man who hadunfolded the scheme to the Secretary of War and to the General ofthe Army was a man of reputation in a marked degree; had held a highposition in the Confederate service, but had seen enough of war, andalso respected his parole to the General of our Army.
"The General did not know at what moment he might be relieved from thecommand of the Army, and was therefore anxious that the Secretary of Warmight in some way be prepared for the emergency, should it arise; butsaid that he could not personally be a party to any preparations forsuch an event while he was subject to the orders of the President. So hesaid that he would retire, but would leave his Chief of Staff, who, hesaid, seemed to be belligerent enough for any purpose. When the Generalwithdrew the Secretary said:
"'Now, Mr. Lyon, what can you do to aid us, or what do you suggest?'
"I said: 'Give me until this evening to reflect upon the matter and Iwill meet you gentlemen here at any hour that may be agreed upon.' Soeight o'clock was designated, and we separated.
"During the day I made inquiry of Gen. Anderson about the disbandedsoldiers; how they, or some of them, could be organized in an emergency,and supposed the case of the rebels trying their rebellion over again.He laughed at the idea, but said there was but one condition of thingsthat could possibly bring about such a result, and that was if thePresident should undertake the restoration of all the rebel Stateswithout the action of Congress, as he had heard hinted by some leadingrebels who had recently been in Washington.
"I asked him if it would not be well for some men of influence to be onthe alert.
"'Yes,' he replied; 'there ought to be a secret force in Washington andelsewhere, until the reconstruction of the rebel States is complete.'
"I said no more to him at this time on the subject. Gen. Anderson saidhe would call and see the General of the Army in a day or so, as he hadonly visited him occasionally since in Washington, but that his callswere always made very pleasant.
"At eight o'clock sharp I went to the War Office and found the Secretaryand the Chief of Staff to the General waiting for me. We at once enteredinto conversation on the subject of the conspiracy. I made the samesuggestion that Gen. Anderson had intimated to me, which was at oncediscussed and thought to be a good proposition. But how could it be donewithout the whole matter being made public in some way? The Secretarythought this was a matter that should be kept within the knowledge of avery few discreet men.
"'True,' said I; 'but you must have a nucleus here in Washington if youcan find the man to organize it. I know a man who would be perfectlysafe, but I have a suggestion in connection with him that I thinkbetter. It is this: My son Henry is very anxious to go to the BlackHills, but that country being unsafe, on account of the Indians, I havebeen thinking that a large number of discharged soldiers would jumpat an enterprise of this kind. They could be organized and have it soarranged that they could be got together quickly for any emergency; andif the emergency should not arise, when the danger should be passedthe General of the Army could properly issue an order preventingany organization or combination of men from entering the Black Hillscountry, and instruct the army in that part of the West to carry out theorder. This would let the men at the head of the organization out ofthe scrape, and would afford them an ample excuse for abandoning th
eenterprise.'
"The Secretary said: 'This seems feasible; who could you trust with thismanagement?'
"I replied: 'Gen. Tom Anderson.'
"'Just the man,' replied both gentlemen.
"'The Secretary said: 'This part is in your hands. We do not wish to seeanyone but you on this part of the plan. We will give our confidenceto no one else. We hope you will not delay. We will look out forWashington. You need not hesitate; these two men, Gen. Anderson and yourson, will be amply compensated.'
"The Chief of Staff to the General then remarked: 'I think I know theman to take hold of matters in Washington.' He then named a man who hadbeen a Union officer, and who was then in the city. He was sent forand had an interview the following afternoon with the two gentlemenmentioned. I immediately returned, met Gen. Anderson, and asked himto go with me to my room. When there I laid the case before him fully,imposing entire secrecy, should the terrible threatened disaster beaverted, saying to him that Henry, my son, being young and thoughtless,must not know the inside, but must look upon it merely as a matterof precaution, and with the intention of carrying out the Black Hillsscheme in order to get into that rich mineral country.
"The General readily assented to all, and at once prepared to returnhome with me. He visited the General of the Army the following day.
"The next morning I again visited the Secretary of War, and explainedto him the General's readiness to act. He was delighted with thearrangement, and said to me that I must return in two weeks and let himknow how matters were progressing; that it would not do to communicatein writing. I bade him good-by, and the General and I left for home.
"On our arrival his wife and the two children were greatly delighted, aswell as the rest of the family, including Ham and Aunt Martha. Hiswife, finding that he was to remain at home for some time, was extremelyhappy. Henry was now called into council and put in possession of a partof our plan. They at once went to work diligently, and in a very shorttime had made up a secret organization with a view, as understood, ofgoing to the Black Hills, and by moving about in the country found thatany number of good soldiers could be rendezvoused at Indianapolis readyto move by rail in any direction required, the Black Hills being theobjective.
"Gov. Morton was sent for and had an interview with the Secretary ofWar. What arrangement or understanding was had between them I did notknow, nor did I ever learn. The only thing he ever said to any of us wasto Gen. Anderson, that there were plenty of arms, etc., in Indianapolis,and if he should ever have to start for the Black Hills to let him knowat once. I suspected that he was fully posted.
"I returned in about two weeks to Washington. In the meantime thePresident had attempted to send the General of the Army out of thecountry into Mexico, on some civil mission. The General had positivelyrefused to go. By this time there was quite a bitter feeling. ThePresident expressed himself freely. The General was silent.
"The Secretary of War had been requested to resign, which he had refusedto do, and the excitement was warming up considerably. Many telegramswere coming to the General of the Army from his old soldiers, sayingthey were ready to come to Washington in case of trouble with thePresident on the question of the enforcement of his views against theaction of Congress. The General would destroy these telegrams as fastas they came. I told the Secretary of the progress of Gen. Anderson andHenry in reference to the Black Hills. He was very much gratified at theresult.
"I was invited to come to the War Office at about 8:30 o'clock thatevening. On arriving I was admitted by the Secretary himself. Inside thedoor I found a sentinel with musket in hand, regularly on duty. I saidto the Secretary, 'How is this?' His only reply was: 'It looks warlike,does it not?'
"On entering his private room I found the Chief of Staff to the Generalof the Army and two other gentlemen. One was a man whom I knew well, thesame mentioned by the parties as being the one to take care ofWashington city. The other gentleman I had never seen. He was a residentof Washington city, had been a Colonel in the Union army, and was nowacting as Adjutant-General and organizer under the former. These menremained during every night in the War Department with the Secretary ofWar, having spies out in Baltimore and Richmond, as well as inWashington, and knew of every movement that was going on. They also knewof every meeting of leading rebels with the President. I learned thattheir organization, secretly armed and equipped in Washington, amountedto over 2,000 men, the object of which was not disclosed to the men morethan that it was a military organization in favor of the Union, and tobe ready on call for any emergency.
"If the President had attempted to carry out his scheme, and anymovement had been made from either Baltimore or Richmond, or from anypart of any State, the first prisoner would have been the President. TheSecretary of War determined that his Department should not go into thehands of any one who would be subservient to any set of conspirators, orthe President, who was to be at the head of them.
"I returned home the next day full of alarm for our country. I greatlyfeared another scene of blood and desolation. I was so worried over thesituation that my family thought me ill.
"Gen. Anderson returned that night from Indianapolis, and Henry fromnear Fayette. I told the General what I had seen and learned. When Itold him how the gentleman in charge of the secret forces in Washingtonseemed to feel, and that he would make the President a prisoner thefirst thing if any move was made, he remarked:
"'That is the way to do it! Cut off the head the first blow, and thebody will soon die.'
"Things went on in this way for a time. The President had copies oftelegrams given him from the telegraph office, which were sent fromdifferent parts of the country, tendering the services of differentorganizations of soldiers to the General of the Army. He also discoveredin some way that he would be in danger should he attempt the use offorce.
"The House of Representatives now presented articles of impeachmentagainst him. This alarmed his co-conspirators, and the embryo rebellioncollapsed.
"I have no doubt that if the President at that time had had a Generalof the Army and a Secretary of War who could have been used by him tofurther his and his co-conspirators' schemes, within ninety days fromthe time when I first went to Washington, as stated, this country wouldhave been plunged into another bloody rebellion with an unscrupulous,courageous and desperate man at the head of it, and at the same timein possession of the Capital of the Nation. The country has never knownwhat it escaped and what it owes to those men--the Secretary of War andthe General of the Army and his Chief of Staff--for standing as they didagainst these machinations."
"Uncle Daniel," said Dr. Adams, "why was this matter kept so profoundlysecret?"
"There were two reasons: First, the country was easily excited at thetime, and on that account, when the danger was passed, it was thoughtbest to say nothing, and all who knew of it had been put upon theirhonor not to disclose it. Second, it could not be verified as to theco-conspirators in Maryland and Virginia, and the plan agreed upon bythem, without involving a man heretofore mentioned, in high positionamong the very persons who were conspiring to do the deed. His exposurewould doubtless have cost him his life; and I hope you will not now askme to say whether he is living or dead."
"I will inquire no further on this subject," said Dr. Adams, "but wouldlike to know what became of the Black Hills scheme?"
"That scheme failed at or about the same time of the collapse of the newrebellion.
"Time passed, and finally the country got rid of this President byelecting the General of the Army. We all, or many of us at least,breathed more freely. The reorganization of the South became a fixedfact, and the machinery moved smoothly for awhile. My son Henry wasstill anxious to go to work and try his fortune in the Black Hillscountry. About this time his wife bore him a fine son. He therefore lefther with me and started fortune hunting.
"Gen. Anderson made a visit to his old home in Mississippi and was,to all outward appearance, well received. He returned home, and, aftertalking the matter over with his wife, t
hey thought it would be safeto return. The Union men were at that time in power in Mississippi, andmany Northern people were flocking there and purchasing property.Very soon the General and his family got ready to leave Allentown forJackson, Miss. When the time came for them to leave, the sorrow withus all was very great. Mary Anderson and Seraine wept, and held to oneanother, instinctively fearing that this separation was forever. The twochildren, little Mary and Jennie, shrieked and screamed, and begged notto be separated. The scene was heartrending. I felt as though my lastfriend was leaving me. The General and I acted like children. We bothwept and embraced each other--neither could speak. I held poor littleMary in my arms and bathed her blessed cheeks with my tears. Old Hamand Aunt Martha would go with 'Marsa Gen'l' They both wept and heapedblessings upon us all. As far off as we could see the poor old people,they were bowing and bidding us good-by. God bless their poor souls;they were as good and as kind a couple as ever lived!
"Seraine and I had procured good help before they left, and were, inthat particular, in excellent shape; but when the General, his wife,little Mary and the old couple left, it was desolate, sure enough. Wewere lonely in the extreme. We had been so long together, and had passedthrough so many trials, had grieved, and had experienced so many sorrowstogether, that no one could describe our feelings. The General, however,felt that he could do well again at his old home, and he thought thepeople down there were reconstructed and satisfied with their wrongcourse.
"I spent most of my time out at the farm. I would take my Jennie, as Icalled my granddaughter, with me and explain everything to her, asmuch to employ my own mind as hers. Henry wrote us very often. He wasdelighted with the country and was doing quite well; had made money,and was investing it in property in Yankton. Seraine's father and mothervisited us frequently, and we were living as happily as we could underall the circumstances.
"In a few months Gen. Anderson visited us. He was feeling satisfied withhis home and was doing well. He gave a glowing description of oldHam and Aunt Martha's happiness now that they could see other coloredpeople. The President had offered him (Anderson) a foreign mission,which he had declined on account of his fine prospects in his professionin Mississippi.
"The next year after Henry left us he returned, but was determined tomake his new home his permanent one, and insisted on Jennie and I goingwith him. He said he would not leave us alone, and would stay in Indianaif we could not go with him and Seraine. He could not think of leavingSeraine and his fine baby boy any more. I thought I ought not tointerfere with the boy's prospects, so I agreed to go with them. Irented my house, made arrangements about the farm, and we all leftfor Yankton. Henry had purchased a nice place, and we lived there veryhappily together. We kept up our correspondence with Gen. Anderson andhis family.
"One day Henry came into the house very much excited, saying that he hadjust seen Wintergreen on the street, who pretended not to recognize him.The town was settling up and growing very fast. Many people from theSouth were coming into the Territory as well as the town. I told Henryto beware of this man; that he, knowing that Henry had his secrets,might, through fear, if nothing else, do him some harm. One day therewere quite a number of persons near a billiard hall, in a dispute aboutsome matter. Wintergreen was in the midst of the crowd. Henry steppedup out of curiosity to ascertain the cause of the trouble. Wintergreenspied him, drew his revolver, and shot him dead.'
Dr. Adams exclaimed, "My God! Your last son!"
"Yes," said Uncle Daniel with a tremulous voice, "this was the last ofmy dear family. So you see, gentlemen, as I first stated, my home isdesolate. Why should I wish to buffet the world longer? This was thefulfillment of my good wife's dream--the seven fingers were now gone.
"Wintergreen escaped. The distress of Henry's wife, as well as myown grief, I will not undertake to describe. We conveyed his body toAllentown and there laid him to rest with his mother and brothers. Gen.Anderson, learning of our affliction, met us at our old home. Seraineand I remained with our little family at Allentown, I getting back myhouse. I broke down under this last sorrow, and was confined to thehouse for more than a year. Seraine cared for me as she would for herown father, and this child here, my dear Jennie, was with me and by mybedside nearly the whole time of my sickness. God bless her!"
"So say we all!" was the response from those present.
"Gen. Anderson visited me several times during my illness. His wife andlittle daughter came and spent a month with us, which added greatly towhat happiness we could then enjoy.
"The men who had been in rebellion now began to show their feeling andtake hold of the politics of the South. Gen. Anderson was very prominentas a lawyer and a leader in political affairs in Mississippi. The rebelsnow commenced to organize secret societies similar to those that were inthe North during the war. Another Presidential canvass came on, and thethen President was re-elected. Very soon political matters in that partof the country, in State affairs, became very exciting. Prominent menwere threatened; colored men were whipped and driven away from meetings;raids were made upon their houses in the night-time and many weremurdered--some white men sharing the same fate.
"Gen. Anderson used all of his influence to stay this tide of oppressionand wrong. He was threatened with violence, but did not believe theywould assault him. He was a brave man, and could not think of leavinghis friends, but determined to stand by them. Quite a number of Northernmen were driven from that part of the country, and their propertydestroyed. A perfect reign of terror prevailed.
"The General moved into another county, so as to be out of theexcitement as much as possible. At a political meeting near the capitalof the State, Gen. McKee, a Northern man, without any provocationwhatever, was brutally assaulted and almost murdered for making aRepublican speech. This character of conduct continued until one day incourt, where some of these men were being tried for their outrages,the General denounced this course as brutal, and such as ought tomake barbarians blush. A mob collected around the court-house and madethreats of violence against him, denouncing him as a ----- Yank and notfit to live. They then and there notified him to leave the State withinfive days, and that if found there longer than this his life should paythe forfeit.
"He had determined not to leave, so he prepared himself and remained athome. At the end of the five days a mob collected about his house anddemanded that he leave at once. They were boisterous and threatening.One of his neighbors was at his house and prepared to assist the Generalin defense of his home and family. His wife and little girl were somuch alarmed that they screamed and cried for help. Finally the General,standing in his door, flatly refused to leave. A volley was fired athim, one shot taking effect in his right thigh. His little daughter ranto him and threw her arms about his neck, shrieking and begging for herpapa. His neighbor fired from a window, wounding one of the mob.
Murderous assault upon Gen. Anderson and family 449]
"This was like fanning the flame. They rushed upon the house, firingindiscriminately. The General was shot three times and fell dead. Hislittle daughter, with her arms about his neck, received a shot in herleft breast, from which she died in a few minutes. His neighbor, Gibson,was as brutally murdered in the house, being riddled with bullets. OldHam ran out of the kitchen to make his escape and was shot dead in theyard. Mary Anderson fell senseless to the floor. Old Aunt Martha was theonly soul left to do anything. She was on her knees praying while themob was doing their desperate and bloody work. They retired yelling likeIndians after taking scalps. Poor old Martha ran to one of the neighborsfor help, but could get none from white people. A few old colored peoplegathered at the house and cared as best they could for the dead.
"For two days this family of dead and stricken lay without a whiteperson coming to the house to aid or assist. The enemies would not, andthe few friends were afraid to do so. The General, little Mary, and Mr.Gibson were buried by the colored people in the best manner they could.Mary Anderson became a raving maniac and died in about one week after,and was buried by
the side of her husband and daughter, a minister and afew women having come to look after her since the interment of theother dead. Old Ham was laid away by the colored people. Aunt Marthawas grieved beyond expression, and alarmed for fear she also would bemurdered. She prayed night and day to be brought back to her 'MarsaLyon.'
"The colored people, having great respect for the General and hisfamily, made up money enough to send Aunt Martha back to my house. Ayoung colored man ventured to come with her, for which I remuneratedhim. This poor old woman's story was enough to melt the most obdurateheart. She talked constantly of the General, his wife, little Mary, andpoor old Ham, and felt that the 'good Laud' had deserted them for somereason."
We were all dumfounded at the recital of these barbarous murders.
"My God!" exclaimed Dr. Adams, "what is this people coming to?"
Col. Bush shed tears, but could not speak. All were silent. Uncle Danielleft the room, but returned in a few moments and said:
"My friends, you can now see why I so often have said, 'What have I tolive for?' Why should I desire to remain here and brood over my greatmisfortunes and sorrows longer?"
Finally Col. Bush walked the floor, and in a most subdued tone, said:"For such a man and so noble a family to die in such a villainousmanner! Did no one suffer punishment for this diabolical crime?"
"No, not one was punished. The matter was investigated, but that wasall."
"Well, I have asked myself heretofore the question, why did I give myright arm for such a Government? That such a man, who had served hiscountry as faithfully as he, could be thus brutally murdered, with hisfamily, and no one punished for it, is a marvel to me; and no doubt someof his murderers are now holding high official position!"
"Yes," said Uncle Daniel, "one of the instigators of this crime has heldoffice ever since, as a Southern patriot who nobly assisted in riddingthe South of one of those Northern Yankees."
"Uncle Daniel, what became of Aunt Martha?" inquired Maj. Clymer.
"Poor old woman, she lived with Seraine and me for about three yearsafter her return, when she sickened and died. When she spoke on anysubject she would finally get to those murders. They preyed upon hermind constantly, and I think hastened her death."
"How strange that all who were connected with your household during thewar should have had such a fate!"
"Yes, my friends, it has been the one unaccountable mystery in my life.Poor old Joseph Dent died in the same year, and I was left almost alone.My dear Jennie, a few years ago, married Mr. Wilson, and I came to livewith them in Oakland. Seraine went to her father and mother in Michigan.They are both alive and she remains with them. Her son Harvey--named forhis uncle, my youngest son, who was murdered at the battle of the Gaps,if you remember--is now in Chicago working as one of the cash-boys in adry-goods store. I thought, as he was the last link in our family, thatthe Government owed it to us to send him to the West Point MilitaryAcademy, but I could not get him into the school. The member from herewas not favorable, inasmuch as he was an anti-war Democrat during therebellion. Harvey is making his own living now and I hope he may havea bright future. He often comes to see us. Poor Seraine; when the boycould not get into West Point, it almost broke her heart. She said tome:
"'Father, how shallow is this world. You, his grandfather, lost sevensons, six in the army. This boy's father was starved near unto death inPine Forest Prison. I, his mother, risked my life in going throughthe rebel lines to obtain his release. He was murdered by one of theconspirators; and now we are forgotten. No one cares what we sufferedduring and since the war. My son cannot even have the poor privilege ofbeing educated by the Government, when the sons of nearly every rebelGeneral who tried to destroy the Union are now under the guardianship ofthe Government, being educated either at West Point for the army, or atAnnapolis for the navy.'"
Dr. Adams said: "This is hard; it is uncharitable, and shows agreat want of the proper gratitude that should be due under thecircumstances."
Col. Bush said: "What does the Government or people care for those whomade the sacrifices? We are so far away from the war now in space oftime, that we are not only forgotten, but regarded as pests in society.Are the people not grumbling about what has been done for the soldiers?Do they not complain about our pensions? A few years more, however, andall of us cripples, one-armed and one-legged and those who are whollyarmless and legless, will have passed away out of sight. The recognitionnow is not to the victors, but to the vanquished. If you wish to berespected by a certain class, North or South, only make it appear thatyou headed a band of marauders during the war, dealing death toUnion men and destroying their property, and you will be invited toagricultural shows, to the lecture halls, and upon the stump; and ifstill living in the South, you will either be sent to the United StatesSenate, made Governor, or sent on some foreign mission."
"Uncle Daniel, what became of Thomlinson and Carey, the Canadianconspirators," inquired Inglesby.
"They are both dead, and many of their co-workers also. There has been avery great mortality among the leaders of the rebellion. That is to say,the older men--those who were somewhat advanced in years when it began."
"Are many of the Northern men of whom you have spoken in your narrativesas rebel sympathizers, Knights of the Golden Circle, or Sons of Liberty,still living?"
"Yes, they were generally young or middle-aged men, and with fewexceptions are still living, and are, almost without an exception, insome official position--some of them in the highest and most honorablein our Nation."
"This could not have occurred in any other Government than ours, and ispassing strange," said Dr. Adams.
"Yes, that is true; but do you not remember my mentioning the fact thatHibbard, who was connected with one of the rebel prisons during the war,came North last Fall to teach us our duty? I also said that probably hewould be sent abroad to impress some foreign country with our Christiancivilization."
"Yes, I well remember what you said."
"Well, I see by the papers that he has been appointed to a ForeignMission. I also see that a man of great brutality, who is said to havebeen connected with one of the prisons in Richmond, has been putin charge of all appointments in the greatest Department of theGovernment--the Treasury."
"Are these things so? Can it be possible?"
"Yes, these are truths. This is merely testing us in order to see howmuch the people will bear; and they seem to bear these things without amurmur. The next will be stronger. If the people of the South see thatthey are sustained in this by the people of the large cities North, onaccount of a fear that they may lose Southern trade, what may they notdemand? Certainly, very soon nothing less than Vice-President will beaccepted, and the same people who sustain these things now will cry outthat this is right!"
"It does look so. I have been studying this question since you have beenreciting your experiences and giving the views of yourself and others,and am now prepared to agree that greed is at the bottom of allthis. This same greed is one of the several dangers that threatenour country's institutions to-day. It causes crimes and wrongs to beoverlooked, and in many cases defended, in order to gain influence withthe people who are determined by any means in their power to control theGovernment."
"Yes; and see the progress they are making in this direction. As Ihave said, there is not a man, with but very few exceptions, North, whodenounced the war and those who were engaged in prosecuting it, who isnot in some official position. Turn to the South. So far as they areconcerned it may seem natural for them to select from their own class;but why should the North fall in with them? You have given, in youranswer to me, the only reasonable answer--that of greed and gain; but tosee this great change in the minds of the people in so short a time isstrange indeed. Twenty years ago they were thundering at the very gatesof our Capital. To-day they control the country. There is not a man,save the President of the Southern Confederacy and a very few of theleaders in the war made to destroy our Government, who is not now insome honorable position if
he wishes to be. We find them representingus in the first-class missions abroad, in the second-class and in thethird-class; and there not being high places enough of this kind, thatthe world may know the Confederacy has been recognized fully by ourpeople since its downfall, those who were in high positions under it nowtake to the Consulships and are accepting them as rapidly as can well bedone.
"You find your Cabinet largely represented by their leading men, andmany of your Auditors, your Assistant Secretaries, Bureau officers,etc., are of them. This not being satisfactory, all the otherappointments South are made up of those men to the exclusion of everyone who was a Union man before, during, or since the war. The Governmentnot furnishing places enough, all the State, county, and city officesSouth are filled in the same manner by this same class. This still doesnot satisfy, and all men sent to the United States Senate or tothe House of Representatives from the South, with only one or twoexceptions, are of the same class. In fact all of Jeff. Davis's Cabinet,his Senate and House of Representatives, and his Generals that areliving, and who desire, are holding official positions of some kind.What does this argue? Does it not notify us who have made sacrificesfor this Union that our services are no longer desired, and that we arewaste material, of no further use for any purpose?
"Who could have believed, while the war was going on, that this stateof things could ever have existed? Suppose this picture had been heldup before my seven dead sons when they entered the service. Supposethey could have seen their mother's dream realized--all in their gravesbeside their mother, and their father living on the charities of agrandchild, laughed at in the streets by young men when speaking ofthe wrongs inflicted by the rebellion, and told that this is of thepast--how many of them do you suppose would have gone right up to theenemy's guns and been shot down in their young manhood?
"Suppose Gen. Tom Anderson could have seen a howling mob murdering hisfamily and no punishment for the murderers; would he have risked hislife hunting up the Knights of the Golden Circle and chancing it inbattle, as he did, for his country, that the rebels might control it,and that, too, through the influence of the North, whose all was atstake, and whose fortunes were saved and protected by such men as he? Idoubt if patriotism would have gone so far. Can you find me the patriotto-day that, deep down in his heart, likes this condition of things?"
"Yes; but Uncle Daniel, these men are not rebels now. They areDemocrats," said Maj. Clymer.
"Yes, true; but they are no more Democrats now than they were then, andthey were no less Democrats then than they are now. But I should not saymore; I have had trouble enough. Why should I grieve for the conditionof things which were not expected? I and mine have paid dearly for thislesson. I hope it may never fall to the lot of any one else to passthrough such an experience. I shall see but little more trouble. May Godforgive all and protect the right."
Death of Uncle Daniel 456]
Uncle Daniel here ceased speaking and sank back in his chair. Hisgranddaughter came into the room. Seeing him, she screamed and fell uponhis neck. We moved quickly to him. He was dead.
THE END.