partment as usual. But its importance in the eyes of the Confederate agents had led to its being prepared for transportation with uncommon care. It was placed between two thicknesses of the pair of reinforced cavalry trousers which the messenger wore, and sewed up, so that when he was mounted it was held between his thigh and the saddle.
Having been carefully ripped out and opened, the despatch was immediately carried to Mr. Stanton, who was confined to his house by a cold. He read it. "This is serious, " he said. "Go over to the White House, and ask the President to come here."
Mr. Lincoln was found dressing to go to church, and he was soon driven to Mr. Stanton's house. After discussing the subject in every aspect, and considering thoroughly the probability that to keep the despatch would put an end to communications by this channel, they determined that it must be kept. The conclusive reason for this step was that it established, beyond question, the fact that the Confederates, while sheltering themselves behind the British government in Canada, had organized and fitted out a military expedition against the United States. But while the despatch afforded evidence that could not be gainsaid, the mere possession of it was not sufficient. It must be found in the possession of the Confederate despatch-bearer, and the circumstances attending its capture must be established in such a manner that the British Foreign Office would not be able to dispute the genuineness of the document. "We must have this paper for Seward," said Mr. Lincoln. "As for the young man, get him out of the scrape, if you can."
Accordingly, the paper was taken back to the War Department, and sewed up again in the trousers whence it had been taken three hours before. The bearer was instructed to start at dusk on the road which he usually took in passing through the lines; to be at a certain tavern outside of Alexandria at nine o'clock in the evening; and to stop there to water his horse. Then information was sent through Major-General Augur, commandant of Washington and the surrounding region, to Colonel Henry H. Wells, then Provost Marshal General of the Defenses South of the Potomac, stationed at Alexandria, directing him to be at this tavern at nine o'clock in the evening and arrest a Confederate despatch-bearer, concerning whom authentic information had been received at the War Department and whose description was furnished for his (Wells's) guidance.
He was to do the messenger no injury, but was to make sure of his person and of all papers that he might have upon him, and to bring him under a sufficient guard directly to the War Department. And General Augur was directed to be present there, in order to assist in the examination of the prisoner and so be in a position to afterwards verify any despatches that might be found.
Accordingly, just before midnight, a carriage drove up to the door of the War Department with a soldier on the box and two soldiers on the front seat within, while the back seat was occupied by Colonel Wells and the prisoner. Of course, no one but the two or three who had been in the secret was aware that this gentleman had walked quietly out of the War Department only a few hours previously, and that the paper which was the cause of the entire ceremony had been sewed up in his clothes just before his departure. Colonel Wells reported that, while the prisoner had offered no resistance, he was very violent and outrageous in his language, and that he boasted fiercely of his devotion to the Confederacy and his detestation of the Union. During the examination which now followed, he said nothing except in answer to a few questions, but his bearing—patient, scornful, undaunted—was that of an incomparable actor. If Mr. Clay and Mr. Benjamin had been present, they would have been more than ever certain that he was one of their noblest young men. His hat, boots, and other articles of his clothing were taken off one by one. The hat and boots were first searched, and finally the despatch was found in his trousers and taken out. Its nature and the method of its capture were stated in a memorandum, which was drawn up on the spot and signed by General Augur and Colonel Wells, and one or two other officers who were there for the purpose; and then the despatch-bearer himself was sent off to the Old Capitol Prison.
The despatch, with the documents of verification, was handed over to Mr. Seward for use in London, and a day or two afte ward the warden of the Old Capitol Prison was directed to give the despatch-bearer an opportunity of escaping, with a proper show of attempt at prevention. One afternoon he walked into my office. "Ah," said I, "you have run away!"
"Yes, sir," he answered.
"Did they shoot at you?"
"They did, and didn't hit me; but I didn't think that would answer the purpose. So I shot myself through the arm."
