Secrets of the Late Rebellion, Now Revealed for the First Time

by Jacob R. Freese

Writing of the disloyalty and treachery of many who surrounded the throne of William and Mary at that time (1691), Macaulay says: "Wicked and base as their conduct was, there was nothing in it surprising. They did after their kind. The times were troubled. A thick cloud was upon the future. The most sagacious and experienced politician could not see with any clearness three months before him. To a man of virtue and honor, indeed, this mattered little. His uncertainty as to what the morrow would bring forth, might make him anxious, but could not make him perfidious. Though left in utter darkness as to what concerned his interests, he had the sure guidance of his principles. But, unhappily, men of virtue and honor were not numerous among the courtiers of that age. Whitehall had been, during thirty years, a seminary of every public and private vice, and swarmed with low-minded, double-dealing, self-seeking politicians. The politicians now acted as it was natural that men profoundly immoral should act at a crisis of which none could predict the issue. Some of them might have a slight predilection for William; others a slight predilection for James; but it was not by any such predilection that the conduct of any of the breed was guided. If it had seemed certain that William would stand, they would all have been for William. If it had seemed certain that James would be restored, they would all have been for James. But what was to be done when the chances appeared to be almost exactly balanced? There were honest men of one party who would have answered, 'To stand by the true king and the true church, and, if necessary, die for them like Laud.' There were honest men of the other party who would have answered, 'To stand by the liberties of England and the Protestant religion, and, if necessary, die for them like Sidney.' But such consistency was unintelligible to many of the noble and the powerful. Their object was to be safe in every event. They therefore openly took the oath of allegiance to one king, and secretly plighted their word to the other. They were indefatigable in obtaining commissions, patents of peerage, pensions, grants of crown land, under the great seal of William, and they had in their secret drawers promises of pardon in the handwriting of James."

Now let the reader turn back and read this extract and the one preceding it about Marlborough, both from Macaulay's History of England, over again, carefully and considerately—putting the name of Abraham Lincoln in the place of William, wherever it occurs; and the name of Jefferson Davis in place of James, wherever it occurs, and whatever name he pleases in place of Marlborough's, and he will, we think, be entirely competent to draw his own similitudes, and to understand the causes of many things heretofore related in this volume, and of some which we purpose to relate in this chapter.

Another class of cases occasionally brought before the Provost-Court, at Alexandria, related to loyalty. To relate the details of one or two of these cases will give to the reader a general conception of the whole.

Mr. E.'s usual residence was in Sussex County, New Jersey, but in some way, and at some time, he became the owner of a farm not many miles from Alexandria, Virginia. In throwing up earth-works at Munson's Hill and at other points, with a view to protect Washington and Alexandria, it so happened that Mr. E.'s farm was left about one mile outside of the Union lines. And it so happened, too, that the Confederates, in establishing their picket-line and temporary works of defence, made them about one mile the other side of Mr. E.'s farm. This left him literally "between two fires," for the mounted cannon on either side could throw a ball into his house at any moment, and squads of cavalry from both sides occasionally visited his house. Had he continued to look after his farming operations, and those only, he would probably not have been seriously disturbed by either side; but the love of the almighty dollar so far prevailed over his better judgment and his loyalty, that he concluded to try merchandising, in a surreptitious way, at his own farm-house. For years previous he had been in the habit of purchasing the supplies for his farm in Alexandria, which, with the fact that he was a Northern man and was presumed to be, as he professed to be, entirely loyal to the United States government, made it no trouble for him to procure passes in and out of the Union lines, whenever he had occasion to use them. After awhile it was observed that he passed in and out of the lines much oftener than he had been in the habit of doing when the line was first established, and that he usually drove a two-horse wagon, with a cloth cover over it, and apparently well filled within. It was observed, too, by officers, with their field-glasses, from the works at Munson's Hill, that Confederate cavalry visited Mr. E.'s house much oftener than they had been in the habit of doing during the first months of the war, and how many, both of cavalry and infantry, visited his place at night, of course they had no means of knowing. When Union cavalry or infantry visited his house, they never saw anything more than was usual about farm-houses, and he always welcomed them with the utmost cordiality. He regretted, he said, that Confederate soldiers visited his house so often. They seemed, he said, to suspicion that he was too intensely Union, but he quieted them by saying that while, of course, he was a Union man, and could be nothing else, yet he meant to be entirely neutral so long as the war continued, and, while he could do nothing for them, he would do nothing against them. The peculiarity of his situation, between the two lines, made this answer seem entirely reasonable to the Unionists who visited him, or who questioned him at any time, and passes continued to be issued to him whenever he applied for them.

Thus matters went on for weeks and months, until one day, when he was about passing a sentinel's post, the sentinel had the curiosity, not only to inquire, but to make a careful examination, of what he had in his wagon. He found barrels of sugar, bags of coffee, chests of tea, sacks of salt, barrels of whiskey, and such other articles as are usually kept and sold at country stores. The sentinel asked Mr. E. if he did not keep a store? Oh, no, he said, he bought these things all for his own use and for the use of his servants on the farm, of whom he had a large number. He never sold an ounce of anything to anybody, and kept his supplies so concealed that when rebels came to his house, as they did sometimes, they never could see anything. On no consideration would he sell or give anything to the rebels, and the Union soldiers, of course, never had occasion to buy anything outside of their lines.

His manner, as well as his words, still further excited the suspicion of the sentinel, and so soon as he was relieved he went to his captain and told him all that had occurred. The captain reported the facts to his colonel, and received orders from him to instruct the sentinel on that post that when Mr. E. next attempted to pass out of the lines with a load of groceries to halt him, and bring him and his wagon to the regimental headquarters. Only a few days elapsed, when Mr. E. again attempted to pass out with a heavier load than at any time previous. When he showed his pass, as usual, the sentinel replied that his orders were to halt him until he could call the corporal of the guard. Mr. E. protested against the unnecessary detention, but, as the sentinel would not yield, he could do nothing else than wait until the corporal came. The corporal informed him that he must turn his team about and accompany him to the regimental headquarters. Mr. E. was now more alarmed than ever, and tried first to cajole and then to bribe the corporal and the sentinel to let him pass, but they would not listen to his overtures. Finding no other way, he turned his team about and accompanied the corporal to the regimental headquarters. The colonel examined Mr. E.'s load and found that it consisted principally of groceries. In reply to the question, What he did with them? he answered the colonel, as he had before answered the sentinel, that he used them for himself and the servants on his farm; that he did not sell an ounce to the rebels; would not, under any circumstances, etc., etc. The colonel listened respectfully to all that Mr. E. said, but did not believe a word of it. When he had finished, the colonel replied, very calmly but very determinately, that as Mr. E. was a private citizen, and could not, therefore, be tried by a court-martial, he must accompany him next morning to Alexandria, that all the facts of the case might be laid before the Provost-Judge of that city for such action as he might think proper. Meanwhile, his team and his goods would be well taken care of, and he should regard himself as in arrest. Mr. E. protested, but soon became satisfied that he was in the hands of one who could not be cajoled or trifled with, and that submission was his only course.

Next morning the colonel, accompanied by Mr. E., the corporal, and the two sentinels—the one who had examined Mr. E.'s load the first time and the one who had detained him last—went to Alexandria, reaching there about nine o'clock. They went direct to the general, headquarters, and the colonel at once communicated all the facts to Judge Freese. He replied that the provost-court met at ten o'clock, and that so soon as all other cases had been adjudicated this case should be heard, and that the colonel, his prisoner, and his witnesses should be in attendance.

Promptly at ten o'clock the court opened. A dozen or more cases were heard and adjudicated, after which the case of Mr. E. was called. The first witness—the first sentinel—gave in his testimony just as detailed heretofore. The second sentinel and the corporal did the same. The colonel then related all that he knew about the case, and in the course of his testimony, said that he had known of Mr. E. ever since encamped where he then was; that he had frequently heard other officers speak of him; that he, with others, had often watched Mr. E.'s house through their field-glasses, and frequently seen rebel officers and privates coming and going; that for a week previous Mr. E. had gone backwards and forwards through the lines every day or two, usually in a two-horse covered wagon, and dressed as a hard-working farmer; that he always had with him a permit from the general commanding to pass in and out, and that his sentinels had never thought to question his right so to do until after the one sentinel took the liberty of looking in Mr. E.'s wagon, and found it filled with boxes and barrels; that since then he had talked the matter over with the general and several other officers, and all agreed in the opinion that Mr. E. was selling these supplies to the enemy; that, thereupon, he had directed the sentinel upon that post to be instructed to arrest him and bring him to his headquarters should he again attempt to pass with a loaded wagon; that his wagon, when so arrested, was loaded, as heavily as two horses could well draw, with groceries, liquors, etc., and that the team, wagon, groceries, and liquors were now in his camp subject to any order the court might make.

Mr. E. was then called upon by the court to present any witnesses he might have, or to offer himself as a witness, or to say anything he could in his own defence, or all together, if he chose.

Mr. E. replied that he had no witnesses to offer, but, if the court please, would like to make a statement. He then repeated about the same story he had told the sentinel and the colonel, and added, that in Sussex County, New Jersey, where he was well known, nobody doubted his loyalty; that his father had, at one time, been a member of Congress from that State, and that he himself would probably have raised a company or a regiment of volunteers when the war commenced had he not owned this plantation in Virginia and had it to look after. He insisted upon his loyalty, and strongly urged his immediate release from arrest.