During the whole course of the rebellion Canada was a place of refuge for numerous rebels of all grades, from the special minister and envoy to foreign powers, or the quasi general, to the lowest incendiary, who by a certain party were all well treated, and allowed social privileges. Many plots were there formed, for the purpose of inflicting injury on the American cause, all of which found warm sympathizers and abettors among the anti Federal Canadians.
Early in October a party of Confederates was organized by Bennet H. Young, an officer holding a commission from Jefferson Davis, who appointed a rendezvous on the Canada line, for the purpose of crossing to Vermont and robbing the banks at St. Albans.
St. Albans is a flourishing town, situated three miles east of Lake Champlain, twenty-three miles from Rouse’s point—where the railroads converge, going north—and sixteen miles from the Canada line. The raid was made upon it on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 19th October. Business hours had not passed and the banks were still open. The attacking party numbered twenty-five or thirty persons. These men had come over from Canada and quietly congregated at the various hotels in St. Albans, holding no noticeable communication and awakening no suspicion. Their plan was a bold one, and was successfully executed. On the day mentioned, at about three o’clock in the afternoon, they suddenly congregated, in squads, and made a simultaneous attack on the St. Albans, the Franklin county, and the First National Banks. At each bank they drew their revolvers, threatening instant death to all the officers present if any resistance was made. They then robbed the drawers and vaults of all specie, bills, and other valuable articles that they could lay their hands upon.
At the St. Albans bank these ruffians compelled the tellers to take the oath of allegiance to the Confederate Government. At the Franklin bank they thrust the cashier, Mr. Beardsley, together with a Mr. Clark, into the safe, and left them, where they must infallibly have suffocated, but for the timely arrival of assistance, after the robbers had decamped.
At the First National bank some resistance was made to them, by Mr. Blaisdell, one of the bank officers. But, in general, they met with no opposition. The attack was so sudden and unexpected that at first the citizens were panic-stricken, and the utmost confusion prevailed in the town.
Parties of the raiders rushed about, from place to place, discharging their pistols in every direction. Their weapons were seven-shooters, and each man carried several of them. A number of citizens were killed—the first victim being Mr. E. J. Morrison, who was shot down at the door of Mrs. Beattie’s millinery store. Among the killed were a woman and a little girl.
Having completely pillaged the banks, and murdered a number of the citizens of St. Albans, they closed their foul work by seizing horses from the farmers’ wagons and from livery stables, and so made good their escape. Within half an hour from the beginning of the raid they galloped away from the town.
The raiders were promptly pursued by a party of armed citizens of St. Albans, under Captain Conger. The pursuit lay in the direction of Sheldon Creek, at which point the flying robbers set fire to the bridge, in order to protect their retreat. They were, however, followed into Canada, where fourteen of them were captured by the pursuing party, and surrendered to the Canadian authorities. These men were claimed by the United States, under the extradition treaty, as burglars and robbers. Their examination was commenced at St. Johns, before an ordinary magistrate, who set them at liberty, and restored to the robbers the plunder which had been taken from them. This unwarrantable decision was overruled by higher colonial authorities, and some of the raiders were again arrested and a new trial instituted. The men were released, however, and the only concession made was the surrender of that portion of the money which had been obtained from the robbers, and lodged in the Canada banks.