The Union established a naval blockade, damaging the economy of the South which found it essential to procure ships capable of breaking the blockade, and supplies for the ships to carry to beleaguered Southern forces. The Confederacy, under its leader Jefferson Davis, sent representatives to Europe, and particularly to England, for the purpose of raising funds and obtaining supplies and vessels, as well as attempting to gain recognition by European governments. They failed completely in the last, despite their own confidence that Europe was so reliant on the cotton produced by the Southern States, that recognition would be a comparatively easy matter. Indeed, there was great sympathy in England for the Confederacy, though not for slavery. Naturally, the Union States were not going to stand by and let their opponents do what they wanted without knowledge of exactly what they were up to.
Henry Shelton Sanford (1823–91) was born in Connecticut, the son of a successful brass tacks manufacturer. After his education in America, he studied at Heidelberg University, and in 1847 became Secretary to the American Legation in St Petersburg. Over the next two years he held the same position, but in different cities – firstly in Frankfurt, and then in Paris. In 1861 Sanford was appointed as US Minister to Belgium by President Lincoln, and it was then that he first made contact with Ignatius Pollaky. Sanford consulted Freeman Harlow Morse, US Consul in London, on the matter. Morse wrote of Pollaky in a letter to Sanford saying, ‘there may be some risk in dealing with him, but it is a “risky business” anyway & I think we better engage him at once.’ This letter is quoted in full below.
In June 1861, Pollaky was hired by Morse on Sanford’s behalf to carry out surveillance of Confederate activities in Great Britain: to detect, track down, observe and report on all movements of Confederate agents in the British Isles, with particular reference to their attempts to raise money and acquire arms and ships to aid them in their war for the independence of the Southern States. He organised an efficient network of agents to carry out this task, and began to make his reports to Sanford.
Using methods including the bribing of postmen, Pollaky and his men were able to gain information on the intentions of the Confederates. He had a number of successes in tracking down armaments and other supplies, including ships intended for the Southern States, but found himself hampered, not only by lack of funds (he had problems paying for his men’s work, as he himself was not paid regularly by his employers), but also by the clumsy spying of a ‘rival’ team of agents set up by Morse and US Ambassador Francis Adams.
The long and involved correspondence that Pollaky had with Sanford over the next few months would be remembered by the former as being deeply frustrating. Pollaky’s name was bandied about by those in authority in the United States with whom Sanford communicated, as if he was not carrying out his work as he should have been. In January 1862, Benjamin Moran, Assistant Secretary to the US Legation in London wrote of Pollaky in his journal (Vol. 2 p. 96) as, ‘a German Jew [...] who is acting as a detective, and whom S[anford] was so silly as to employ’. It seems that Pollaky had presented Moran with a bill for work done for Sanford and Morse, though this amount, said to be £100, is not mentioned in the Pollaky–Sanford correspondence, where Pollaky seems instead to deem it fairly important that he be paid £15 expenses owing him. The comment written by Moran is, in any case, factually wrong. Pollaky was not German, and Sanford seems to have got better service from him than he paid for.
Pollaky’s letters were very much a one-sided affair. He frequently complained that they were unanswered, and that his investigation was under-resourced and under-funded. And it seems that these complaints were justified. Not for the first or last time he was being treated with a kind of scorn that may have arisen out of prejudice against a foreigner who appeared somewhat exotic in his manner.
And yet, despite all commentary in books since written about the attempts by the Northern States to track Confederate movements in Brtain and Europe, mostly dismissive of Pollaky’s role, his letters show that he was carrying out an investigation under difficult circumstances to the best of his abilities and with successful and useful results.
The Sanford Museum in Sanford, Florida has in their collection three folders of letters (HSS Box 139 Folders 12, 13 and 14) involving Pollaky. Almost all of the documents in 13 and 14 are from Pollaky to Sanford. He made some spelling mistakes but these are due to his not being a native English speaker, combined with the necessity of having to write hastily. In fact, Pollaky’s command of written English is very good on the whole. As with his letters to the British authorities regarding his naturalisation a year or so later, his increased agitation at his perceived mistreatment can be seen in his handwriting as he evidently wrote at ever increasing speed. Folder 12 contains two letters from Morse to Sanford which both discuss Pollaky. Scans of the letters were generously supplied by the Sanford Museum, Florida. Letters from the Sanford Papers are indicated here with the letters HSS followed by the box and folder numbers, and then the scan number as supplied where one exists.
Folder 14 follows chronological order, but folder 13 does not – most of the letters there are undated, or only partially dated. Where it has been possible to find approximate dates, a suggested correct order has been restored.
Another source lies at the University of Rochester, which holds the William Henry Seward Papers in the Rare Books, Special Collections and Preservation Department of the Rush Rhees Library and contain a number of letters regarding Pollaky’s activities. These letters are identified in the following pages with the letters WHSP followed by the date. Seward was President Lincoln’s Secretary of State. The significance of these letters will become apparent.
This is not the place to discuss the history of the American Civil War in detail. However, the letters do shed a fresh light on activities of Confederate agents in England in 1861–62. In particular they seem to show that all parties in the matter were inexperienced amateurs at their game, with the possible exception of Pollaky, who seems to have received very little reward out of the business. Some letters are very difficult to read being very faint, damaged or torn, or in many cases with very untidy handwriting. The underlinings, capitalisations and misspellings are all in the originals.
From these selections, one can see the methods used by an investigator of the period, as well as something of the personalities of the writer, those he was spying on, and the recipients of the letters. That Sanford himself does not particularly shine forth in a favourable light possibly indicates a lack of personal management skills as well as his possession of a single-minded purpose which expected service for its own reward.
The weather for the most part was fine during those months of surveillance, and this made it easier for Pollaky and his agents to remain out of doors for the purposes of spying, but also made it harder to stay undetected by the objects of their watchfulness. This caused them some problems, as we shall see.
Some of the Names Referred to in the Confederate Correspondence
Adams, Francis
US Ambassador to England
Anderson, Maj. Edward Clifford
Oversaw Confederate Army purchases in England
Blakely, Capt. Theophilus Alexander
Irish-born owner and buyer for the Blakely Cannon Company, based in England
Bulloch, Capt. James Dunwoody
Purchasing agent for the Confederate Navy
Fraser, Trenholm & Co.
The Confederacy’s European banker
Huse, Maj. Caleb
Confederate arms procurement agent
Isaac, Campbell & Co.
Army contractors
King, Thomas Butler
Commissioner for the Confederate State of Georgia in Europe
Mann, Dudley Ambrose
Confederate Commissioner
Mason, James
Confederate Commissioner to London
Morse, Freeman Harlow
US Consul in London
Moses Brothers
Merchants – Leadenha
ll Street, London
Slidell, John
Confederate Commissioner to Paris
Yancey, William Lowndes
Confederate Commissioner who spoke in favour of slavery in 1860
Pollaky consistently misspells three of these names: Bulloch as ‘Bullock’, Blakely as ‘Blackley’, and Yancey as ‘Yancy’. These misspellings have not been commented on in the transcriptions. Others are indicated with [sic] in the usual way.
Letters Regarding Surveillance of the Confederates in London
HSS.139.12. Morse to Sanford
The first letter, quoted in full, is from Morse to Sanford. It shows not only the fees expected by Pollaky for undertaking the surveillance required, but also that it was Morse who carried out the negotiations. Of special interest is the information that the job was offered in the first place to Charles Frederick Field who turned it down as he was worried about his police pension – with some justification as later events would show:
London June 29th 1861 [Saturday]
My Dear Sir
Field as I told you in a late [?] letter fears that he cannot enter upon work without endangering his pension &c. Mr Pollacky [sic], his associate has been absent from the city & returned within a day or two[.] Yesterday I had two interviews with him. He seems, if he will prove true just the man but declines to undertake to accomplish what I told him I wanted him to do unless we give him £100 – for say 30 or 40 days close work with such assistance as he may need[.] £25 – to be advanced & in 10 or 15 days 25 more & so on[.] This is to cover all his expense for the time he will work
He is unknown to me except from what you & Field have said & there may be some risk in dealing with him. But it is a ‘risky business’ any way & I think we better engage him at once. I told him that there was no doubt his terms would be acceded to & he better set about it at once. He has promised to look over the whole ground & lay his plans, get introduced to Huse &c but does not consider him self engaged only from day to day until we accept his terms & hand him his advance
Information recd last evening leads me to believe that the rebels are obtaining guns both from London & Birmingham[.] None have yet been shipped, & they have a steamer somewhere in these Northern seas & we must find her. I have sent a first rate man to look after the craft I hinted to you about.
I want to set Pollaky to find 1000 guns which came here from Birmingham last Thursday, said to be for Sweden & Norway but more likely for some wherelse [sic].
Mr Fields charge so far is £6.00.00 [pounds, shillings and pence] which I shall pay him when I next see him. Please write me by return mail & tell me how far I may be authorised to go with Mr Pollaky[.] I think it very important that we engage him fully so that he may be wholly ours, at once[.]
Very Truly Yours
F.H. Morse
HSS.139.12. Morse to Sanford
In this letter to Sanford, written only two weeks later, Morse writes with impatience of Pollaky’s progress to date:
London July 12th 1861 [Friday]
[…]
I had put Polaky [sic] on the track before the receipt of your telegram[.] He is still at work but not with astounding results. He has just reported his doings with Bullock, Huse & Cann [sic] promises good results, & says ‘you will see’ &c. I have had to pay him thus far £56.00.00 & shall have to give him £50,– more soon.
I shall be pleased to see you here when you come over
Yours Truly
F.H. Morse
HSS.139.13.1. Pollaky’s own list
[Undated]
List of [Confederate] conspirators in London.
1 Capt Bullock
58 Jermyn St
2 Capt Blackley
Montpellier St Hyde Park
3 Capt [sic] Huse
58 Jermyn St
4 Lieut Hughes
Dtto
5 Capt Field
107, 108 Jermyn St
6 Major Anderson
58 Jermyn St & Hatchetts Hotel [Piccadilly, London]
7 Major Gore
Hatchetts Hotel
8 Mr Bingley
40 Albermarle St
9 Mrs Bingley
Dtto
10 Mr King
45 Albermarle St
11 Mr Yancy
15 Half Moon St
12 Capt Wallace
Liverpool
13 Capt Fairclough
Liverpool
14 Mr Mann & Son
40 Albermarle St
15 Junior
[ditto]
16 Mr Neil
[Address unreadable]
17 Isaac Campbell
Jersey St
Undated letters include information on 20,000 muskets in Hamburg bound for the States, Pollaky’s work setting up his network of agents, and the whereabouts of some of the Confederate agents:
HSS.139.13.12. Pollaky to Sanford
[Undated]
From 70 to 80 cannons (9 to 10 batteries) are on board and on the way to the Bahama [sic]. 3 Batteries (24 cannons) were stored in a warehouse on the river and are for the Bahama [sic]. All are cannons for light artillery, new, six and twelve pounders, some are plain trap cannons and some rifled bronze colored. They have all the name Bronn (where they were manufactured) on the ring of the thick end. The wooden work is painted dark green. Seats are brown (leather cloth).
Brought on board the Bahama Friday last: 242 pkgs. with muskets marked N.E. Johns. and 215 boxes muskets (new musket boxes) with no mark.
HSS.139.13.14. Pollaky to Sanford
Pollaky finding a lack of funds, found it necessary to start making conditions. Working without a proper contract of employment, he felt it necessary to write the final sentence:
[Undated – Possibly early August 1861; Sanford responded
on 21 August.]
According to the very low estimate You have of the Manns – I gave them up and did not watch them although I begun to hooK the Younger one. It appears now however that Mann Junior is a very active agent and that he is under direct guidance of Mr Yancy.
Have You as yet got any answer from Washington, because matters now assume a very great proportion and which can only be effectually met by a vast organisation to meet which our means are still inadequate – I shall also have to request You to give me at least one weeks notice in the case of your intention to discontinue the surveillance[.]
HSS.139.13.17. Pollaky to Sanford
Information about movements of Confederate agents. Pollaky states that he will now be too busy to send Sanford copies of his reports, and expects that Mr M. will forward them:
[Undated]
Sir!
The researches after the man Neil have only elicited that he has left his customary lodging & haunts[;] his landlady says he is gone to America[. I]f this is the case I hope Mr Morse has acted on my instruction, and given his full description as furnished to the Authority in U.S. – in which case his capture might be certain he is supposed to have Dispatches from Yancy & King.
You will surely not take it amiss if I tell You that after this week it will be utterly impossible for me to send You copies of Reports. As my time is fully taken up in discharge of my duties in Your service – (outdoors) Mr M … I doubt not will (if You desire him to do so) forward Your Originals & Copies.
HSS.139.13.18. Pollaky to Sanford
[Undated]
A printed form with handwritten responses detailing the specifications of a particular (though unspecified) Iron Screw Steamer ship.
HSS.139.13.20. Pollaky to Sanford
[Undated]
A report on the movements of various Confederate ships, and on armaments being taken on board to be carried to the Southern States. Pollaky regrets that he has had no communication from Sanford, and also says that he has had to relax slightly the watch on Bulloch’s residence (58 Jermyn Street), as it has ‘attracted the notice of the Parties’. He finishes with the usual request: ‘Please let me have a line, so that I may know if you got my letters[.]’
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HSS.139.14.1. Pollaky to Sanford
A telegram from Pollaky, who was staying at the Old Ship in Brighton, to Sanford who was in Dover:
10th day of August 1861 [Saturday]
It is impossible to reach Dover before the leaving of the steamer. I only received your message five Pm. It will nevertheless be highly urgent that I see you before you leave as something fresh has turned up since yesterday if you remain in Dover I will come if properly advised.
WHSP Sanford to Seward
Dover. Sunday, 12 August 1861
Private & Confidential
My Dear Seward:
I have stopped here on my way back from London (where I have been vainly seeking the means to secure thos[e] mentioned in my official), I met Pollaky, our head man in the secret serv[ice] & have gone over with him very fully the ground he has been on for the past six or seven weeks, and as I wish you to have some idea of the nature of his operations, I send you a general sketch, which he has just written at my request, of what he has been doing & what can be done. [Pollaky’s ‘sketch’ is not present.]
[…]
My cordial greetings to you & Mrs Seward
Truly Yours H.S. Sanford
Paddington' Pollaky, Private Detective Page 6