Between the Lines Part 12

FILE XV.

General pa.s.s for the schooner "W. H. Travers"--Trip down the bay after blockade runners and mail carriers--Gillock and Lewis, two of my officers, captured by Union pickets--Commodore Foxhall A. Parker--Potomac flotilla-- Arrest of J. B. McWilliams--My watch gone to the mermaids--The ignorance of "poor white trash."

To save delay in getting out of the harbor the following request was made:

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps, Baltimore, June 9, 1864.

Capt. Cornell, Commanding Revenue Cutter, Baltimore Harbor.

Captain.--I have the honor to request that you permit the schooner "W. H. Travers" under command of Lieut. Smith, to pa.s.s your vessel without Custom Clearance. She is employed in the Secret Service Bureau, 8th A.C.

Respy, your most obdt. servt., JOHN WOOLLEY, Lt. Col. and Provost Marshal.

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.

Baltimore, June 9, 1864.

Special Order No. 76.

Lieut. H. B. Smith with detachment of Secret Service Corps, will proceed on schooner "W. H. Travers" to such points on Eastern and Western sh.o.r.e of Maryland, Eastern and Western sh.o.r.e of Virginia, and Southern and Northern sh.o.r.e of the Potomac river, as he deems proper and necessary to further the instructions of the Government.

By command of Major General Wallace, JOHN WOOLLEY, Lt. Col. and Provost Marshal.

The chain of war vessels extending along the Potomac under the command of Commodore Foxhall A. Parker, he having jurisdiction of the waters, was known as the Potomac flotilla.

When I attempted to approach the Commodore on his flag s.h.i.+p I was, in my raiment, a sight. The marines viewed me with curiosity. Upon introducing myself to the Commodore, he laughed. His wife being present, also enjoyed a laugh at my appearance. No "Johnny" ever looked more dilapidated. I presented my orders for the Commodore's endors.e.m.e.nt.

Headquarters, Cavalry Detachment, District of St. Mary's.

Leonardtown, Md., June 16, 1864.

Lieut. H. B. Smith, Chief Detective on board schooner "W. H. Travers."

Some of my scouts last night arrested two men in a boat at the head of Britton's Bay, who claim to be Government detectives, and under your charge. If such is the case I desire that you will in some manner identify them, as they have nothing with them which would lead me to suppose them to be such.

These men give their names as John Gillock, and J. W. Lewis.

I shall hold these men in confinement until I am fully satisfied of the truth of their statements.

I am, Sir, very respy, yours, &c., F. W. d.i.c.kERSON, Lt. Comdg.

These were our boys and they were set at liberty of course. The Lieutenant was doing perfectly right, as our appearance and conduct was suspicious. Our plans always were to appear to be blockade-runners, so we never carried on our persons any evidence of our true character. We carried forged Confederate doc.u.ments when we were going where it was desirable. We could imitate General Winder's signature to pa.s.ses, defying detection, and we had the same kind of paper, a light brown.

The Confederate Government had poor stationery.

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps.

Baltimore, June 23, 1864.

Col. Woolley, Provost Marshal.

Colonel.--I have the honor to report the following on the trip on the schooner "W. H. Travers" down the Bay, and on the Potomac river. I seized about three boxes tobacco (three hundred dollars) on the farm of Mr. Evans, Smith's Creek, St.

Mary's County, Md, which he said was placed in his hay stack by some blockade runners.

I got from the Provost Marshal at Leonardtown, St. Mary's County, the canoe which was seized by Detective White sometime since.

In the Wicomico river, near its mouth, we seized a small yawl containing five men and one woman, who were on their way to Virginia. Wm. H. Hayden owned the boat and was to receive fifty dollars each for conveying the pa.s.sengers over; he is engaged in this business constantly. About one week since he carried over two persons, one a Doctor; they were in the woods a day or so before they started.

Hayden has been carrying a mail to and fro. A small package of letters with a stone attached was found in the boat and I presume they were in Mr. Hayden's charge, as in the letters Mr. Hayden is mentioned as "carrying letters."

Wm. R. Horton, a pa.s.senger, was formerly in the Confederate army; said he was going to return; says he applied in this office for a position a short time since.

Wm. Gellatly and wife, pa.s.sengers, were making their way to Columbia, S. C., Mr. Gellatly says he came within our lines early in April last, but did not report to any Provost Marshal, as he did not wish to bind himself not to return. He claims to be a British subject. They had a small trunk and some other baggage. Both Gellatly and Horton say that they made arrangements with Hayden in Chaptico, St. Mary's County.

I found in the trunk a small revolver. This arrest was made by Detectives Horner and Stern, who were posted as a picket near the mouth of the Wicomico.

There were two more men in the boat who succeeded in making their escape in the dark, and whom all the other pa.s.sengers state were Confederate officers who had escaped from Point Lookout, named Bruce and Howell. I am informed that one of these parties left his horse with a Mr. Dent in Chaptico.

The yawl boat in which they were was very poor, worth about five or six dollars, and I did not bring it to Baltimore as it was not worth towing.

I took from Mr. Hayden a small gold watch. I also arrested Mr.

J. B. McWilliams on the charge of aiding Rebels, contraband traders, &c., and of defrauding the Government. All of which I will state in a separate report.

On the trip we have labored under many disadvantages. The vessel is in no way fit for the business, being too large and a miserable sailer. We could not get about as we ought, we had but one day's fair wind during the whole trip. We started from Wicomico river on Sunday at 3 P. M., and arrived in Baltimore this P. M.

Mrs. Gellatly states that she tried to persuade her husband to remain North but he would not and she was compelled to accompany him. She came to this country about six months since.

I could not get permission from Commodore Parker to enter Virginia on account of the raid then being carried on, but he said under any other circ.u.mstances he would give permission and let a gunboat accompany me.

Hoping that my action in these matters will meet with your approval,

I am, Colonel, Very respy. your obdt. servt., H. B. SMITH, Lt. and Chief.

Office Provost Marshal, Baltimore, June 24, 1864.

Col. Woolley, Provost Marshal.

Colonel.--I have the honor to make the following report in the case of J. B. McWilliams of Charles County, Md., whom I arrested and brought to this prison.