and I could scarcely restrain my desire to be an active participant in the great and exciting scenes I thought were about to take place.
I afterwards wished that I had remained, for I felt confident that had I been in Sandusky when the appointed time for striking the blow came, and had been intrusted with the direction of affairs, there would have been no such miserable fizzle as actually did occur.
The Proposed Lake Shore Raid, and the Cause of its Failure.
The general plan, as the reader has already been told, was to organize a raid along the lake shores, to release the prisoners, to gather about us all the Southern sympathizers who could be induced to join us, and to make such a diversion in the Federal rear as would compel the withdrawal of a large force from the front. We also placed great reliance on the effects of the panic which, it was hoped, would be created, and also on British intervention, which it was expected would be brought about by a border war, in which it would be impossible to prevent trespass upon British territory.
In addition to this, the Indians were to be stirred up to acts of hostility all along the frontier, from the lakes to the gulf.
The prisoners, as they effected their escape, were to act according to circumstances. Those at Sandusky, and at places nearest to that point, were to unite with the outsiders, and form an army to operate along the lake shores, and as far into the adjacent country as they could penetrate, while others were to endeavor to effect a junction with Price and Quantrell in Missouri, and to march under their orders.
The execution of this scheme was to begin at a certain time, after the prisoners had been made acquainted with such details of the general plan as were necessary to be known by them, by the capture of the Federal gunboat Michigan, and of such other steamers as the Confederates could overpower by stratagem or force. This being done, the prisoners on Johnson's Island were to be notified by a pre-arranged signal, and were to make a break and overpower their guards, with the assistance of the boats. The prisoners once free, the organization of both military and naval forces was to be proceeded with as rapidly as possible, and all the damage done to the enemy that could be done with the means at hand.
