Between the Lines Part 6

The most unfortunate thing in connection with the Department and its management is that it is only a pleasant morning's jaunt by rail from Baltimore to Was.h.i.+ngton. There is another thing you should know, without being left to find it out experimentally, Baltimore is headquarters for a traffic in supplies for the Rebel armies the extent of which is simply incredible. It is an industry the men have nothing to do with. They know better, and leave it entirely to the women, who are cunning beyond belief, and bold on account of their s.e.x. They invent underground lines, too many and too subtly chosen to be picked up by the shrewdest detectives."

General Wallace exactly "fitted the niche," a soldier, lawyer, statesman, and an even tempered man. He so ably administered the Department as to overcome all obstacles. One permanent order was that every prisoner should have a hearing at once. If evidence would stand law, the prisoner was to be held; if not, to be at once released. The Paine case is an apt ill.u.s.tration. I felt sure I could get evidence that he was a spy, but had it not at hand and so had to let him go (I will tell about this later on). There was never a suit for false arrest during General Wallace's administration.

One of my duties was to collate the evidence in cases for trial. I learned what was evidence. I was a witness almost constantly before courts martial and military commissions. It was good experience for me and it has served me ever after in civil life. I am proud to say (but perhaps ought not to) that General Wallace gave me credit for aiding in his able administration of the Department.

No better man could have been found for Provost Marshal General than Colonel Woolley. He was a soldier and a thorough business man.

The Provost Marshal General's Department was located on the southwest corner of Camden and Eutaw Streets. It was in a handsome three-story brick building and had a ma.s.sive marble entrance. Adjoining it was what had formerly been a slave pen. Between the corner building and the slave pen there was an open court which had been used for the slave mart. The slave pen we used for our prison purposes. The first floor of the main house was used as our public offices. The second floor was General Woolley's headquarters. The third floor was my headquarters. In the rear of the main front corner building was a three-story brick extension, running back about a hundred feet (to an alley) in which were quartered the troops (our guards). The buildings were admirably constructed and centrally located for our purposes.

From now on I was a.s.sistant Provost Marshal General and Chief of the Secret Service. I had a corps of about forty (men and women) under my direction. To ill.u.s.trate my general lines of work I will give copies of some memoranda which I have. To give all would take more room than I can spare. In looking these memoranda over the greatest gratification I feel comes from the evident fact that I was not a drone, but tried to do my duty. And fifty years further along in our nation's history it may be a satisfaction to my then living relatives to know it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JOHN WOOLLEY]

FILE X.

Here begins my service as an a.s.sistant provost marshal of the department and chief of the Secret Service--Confederate General Winder's detectives-- E. H. Smith, special officer, War Department--Mrs. Mary E. Sawyer, Confederate mail carrier--W. V. Kremer's report on the "Disloyals" north of Baltimore.

The Secret Service, as its name implies, is the most confidential arm of the service. Its information intelligently guides the commanding general. It gives him to know of the conduct of the enemy and discloses weaknesses, if any exist, in his own armour. There is always a "cloud of mystery" thrown around it by outsiders. But its pursuit, on the inside, is not that of romance, but simply of cold facts; it deals with business propositions. In telling my stories, not being a story writer, I shall tell plain facts, leaving the reader to clothe them with the glamour that a fiction writer would usually apply. Were I to attempt to tell something of all my many stories it would weary a reader; so I will try to select some that are really historic, or interesting from their unusual character.

Provost Marshal's Office, Fort McHenry, Apl. 10, 1864.

Lieut. H. B. Smith, a.s.st. Provost Marshal 8th Army Corps.

I have just been informed by Mrs. Myers that a detective of General Winder's staff from Richmond, Virginia, is in the city in disguise.

Respy., J. W. HOLMES, Capt. and Provost Marshal.

General J. H. Winder commanded the Department of Henrico, headquarters at Richmond, Va. Many of his detectives were Marylanders, among them were John Lutz, Wash Goodrich, T. Woodhall, ---- Taylor, and William Byrne.

I perfectly imitated General John H. Winder's signature to pa.s.ses which we used with success. I had a close imitation of his stationery; only an expert could detect our pa.s.ses. If he is living I am sure he will pardon the liberty I took, for it was all in the game.

Following is one of General Winder's genuine pa.s.ses:

Headquarters, Department of Henrico, Richmond, Va., March 26th, 1864.

Mrs. James Gordon & (3) children, a citizen of Great Britain, having sworn, in good faith, not to reveal, either directly or indirectly, any information that may benefit the enemy, is hereby permitted to pa.s.s beyond the limits of the Confederate States, by the route herein designated: and none other.

Strictly forbid to pa.s.s through General Lee's lines. Go by the lower Rappahannock.

This pa.s.sport is given, subject in all cases to the approval, delays and restrictions of military commanders through whose lines the persons or person may pa.s.s.

By command of the Secretary of War,

JNO. H. WINDER, General Comdg.

Hair: light Eyes: blue.

Age: 33.

Complexion: florid.

Height: ----

Our sources of information were numerous, as our own officers were always on duty, and officers in other departments worked in conjunction with us, thus forming an extended net work.

Baltimore, April 14, 1864.

Lt. Smith,

Sir.--I am very unfortunate in always coming when you are out.

How has Kremer progressed with the case, anything been done? I go to Was.h.i.+ngton per order of the Secretary of War. I am obliged to go to New York within two weeks. I wish the case here might be disposed of before I go to New York. Would you oblige me by writing P. O. Box 62, Was.h.i.+ngton?

Very respy, your obdt servt., E. H. SMITH, Special Officer, War Dept.

The following is Kremer's report of progress:

United States Military Telegraph, War Department, April 17, 1864.

H. B. Smith:

Two men answering description but under different names left here for Leonardtown on the 16th. Shall I follow? If so, answer and send White.

W. V. KREMER.

Headquarters, Middle Department, 8th Army Corps, April 22, 1864.

Special Order No. 43.

Lieut. H. B. Smith, 5th N. Y. Arty., will proceed to Was.h.i.+ngton with Mrs. Mary E. Sawyer, Rebel mail carrier, turn her over to Supt. of Old Capitol Prison, taking receipt for prisoner. Will then deliver to Hon. C. A. Dana, a.s.st. Secy. of War, all the papers in her case, after which he will report without delay at these headquarters.

Quartermasters will furnish transportation.

By command of Major General Lew Wallace.

JOHN WOOLLEY, Col. and Provost Marshal.

Persons were not disturbed in the enjoyment of their opinions so long as they did not become actively disloyal, but it was my duty to learn who were disloyal for the purpose of keeping them under surveillance. The following report I put in to ill.u.s.trate that character of work: