CAPTURE OF FORTS GAINES AND MORGAN.

443

abandoned that fort, and blew up the works, as far as possible, on the night after the capture of the Tennessee. They fled in such haste, that they left the guns behind them. Aware of this, and seeing the National fleet in full possession of the bay, Anderson knew that further resistance would be useless. At nearly 10 o'clock in the morning of the 7th, the fort and its garrison of six hundred men were surren

dered, and the National flag was unfurled over the works. It was greeted by cheers from the fleet.

Stronger Fort Morgan, on Mobile Point, still held out. It was in charge of General Richard L. Page, a Virginian. Being on the main land, he had hopes of receiving re-enforcements. He had signaled to Anderson to "Hold on," and when that officer surrendered Fort Gaines, Page cried out "Coward!" and the entire Confederacy echoed the slander. Page's turn for a similar trial came, and he met it with less honor than did Anderson. Granger's troops were transferred from Dauphin Island to the rear of Fort Morgan, and

4

August 9,
1864.

there lines of investment were constructed across the narrow sand-spit. When every thing was in readiness, the fleet and these batteries' opened fire upon the fort at daylight,

and bombarded it furiously

8 August 22.

about twenty-four hours. The main work was not much injured; but the sturdy light-house, standing near, and

in range of Farragut's guns, was reduced to the condition delineated in the engraving. Page made no resistance after the bombardment was fairly be gun, but simply endured it until the next morning, when he displayed a white flag, and surrendered the post and garrison to Farragut, unconditionally, after damaging the guns and other materials of war to the extent of his ability. With the three forts, the Government came into possession of.

1 Farragut had landed four 9-inch guns, and placed them in battery, under the command of Lieutenant H. B. Tyson, of the Hartford.

"When the Confederate officers were assembled on the outside of the fort, it was discovered that most of the guns within were spiked, many of the gun-carriages wantonly injured, and arms, ammunition, provisions, &c., destroyed. "There was every reason," said Farragut, "to believe that this had been done after the white flag had been raised. It was also discovered that General Page and several of his officers had no swords to deliver up, and further, that some of those which were surrendered, had been broken." Farragut added, that the whole conduct of the officers of Forts Gaines and Morgan presented such a striking contrast in moral principle" that he could not fail to remark it. He mentioned the absolute necessity for a surrender imposed upon Colonel Anderson, and said, "From the moment he hoisted the white flag, he scrupulously kept every thing intact, and in that condition delivered it over; whilst General Page and his officers, with a childish spitefulness, destroyed the guns which they had said they would defend to the last, but which they never defended

444

THE POLITICAL SITUATION.

one hundred and four guns, and fourteen hundred and sixty-four men. By this victory the port of Mobile was effectually closed to blockade-runners, and the land operations against the city which occurred some months later, thereby became easier, and were more speedily successful.

*July 18, 1864.

The victories at Mobile and Atlanta,' following close upon each other, with minor successes elsewhere, and the noble response given to the call of the President a few weeks before," for three hundred thousand men, to re-enforce the two great armies in the field, in Virginia and Georgia, gave assurance that the end of the Civil War and the return of peace were nigh. Because of these triumphs, the President issued' the proclamation, and also the order for salutes of artillery,' mentioned in note 1, on page 395.

Sept. 3.

Let us now turn for a moment to the consideration of the political affairs of the Republic.

While the National armies were struggling desperately, but almost everywhere successfully, during the summer and autumn of 1864, the people in the free-labor States were violently agitated by a political campaign carried on with intense vigor, the object being the election of a President of the Republic, in place of Mr. Lincoln, whose term of office would expire the ensuing spring.

The lines between the Administration and the Opposition parties which the Peace Faction of the latter had distinctly drawn the year before, were now as prominent as then, and more clearly defined. The grand topic for consideration remained, and the questions to be answered at the Presidential election were, Shall the war be prosecuted with vigor until the Rebellion shall be suppressed and the life of the Nation secured? Shall the policy of emancipation and universal freedom and justice be sustained? The Administration was prepared to say Yes, by the ballot; the Opposition party was prepared to say No, by the same potential, but "still, small voice."

• May 31.

There were some in the Administration party, who were impatient because of the considerate and cautious policy of the President, and a few of these men, deprecating Mr. Lincoln's re-election on that account, called a National Convention of "The radical men of the nation." It was held at Cleveland, Ohio, and was composed of about three hundred and fifty persons, very few of them regularly chosen delegates. They adopted a "platform of principles," consisting of thirteen resolutions, in which the duty of the Government to suppress the Rebellion by force of arms; the right of free speech and the enjoyment of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus; an amendment of the Constitution so as to prevent the re-establishment of slavery; the wisdom of the "Monroe Doctrine;” gratitude to the soldiers and sailors; the policy of restricting the incumbency of the Presidential office to one term; the election of the President and VicePresident directly by the people; the commission of the business of “recon

at all, and threw away or broke those weapons which they had not the manliness to use against their enemies; for Fort Morgan never fired a gun after the commencement of the bombardment, and the advanced pickets of our army were actually on its glacis."-Farragut's Additional Report, August 25, 1864.

1 See page 394.

2 At Washington, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Baltimore, Newport (Kentucky), St. Louis, New Orleans, Mobile Bay, Pensacola, Hilton Head, and New Berne.

See chapter III.

NATIONAL CONVENTIONS.

445

struction" to the people, and not to the President; and the confiscation of the lands of rebels and their division among soldiers and actual settlers were enjoined. General John C. Fremont was nominated for the Presidency, and General John Cochrane for the Vice-Presidency. When, at a little later period, these candidates were satisfied that their nomination might create divisions in the Union ranks, and saw that another Union Convention had taken equally advanced ground, withdrew.

1864.

The other Convention alluded to, assembled at Baltimore, Maryland, on the 7th of June." It was composed of supporters of the Administration, and was termed the Union National Convention. All the States and Territories were represented by chosen delegates, excepting those in which rebellion existed. A "platform of principles" embraced in eleven resolutions was adopted, in which was given a pledge to sustain the Government in its efforts to suppress the Rebellion; an approval of the determination of the Government not to compromise with the rebels; an approval of the acts of Government in relation to slavery, and of an amendment to the Constitution for the prohibition of slavery; a proffer of thanks to the soldiers and sailors who had helped to save their country; an expression of perfect confidence in Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States, and an indorsement of his acts; a declaration that it was the duty of the Government to give equal protection to all persons in its service without regard to color; that foreign emigration should be encouraged; that a speedy completion of a railway to the Pacific Ocean was desirable; that the National faith in relation to the public debt must be kept inviolate; and that the Monroe Doctrine was wise and just. The Convention then nominated Abraham Lincoln for President, and Andrew Johnson, then Military Governor of Tennessee, for Vice-President.

At about that time, the Democratic or Opposition party had postponed the assembling of a National Convention to nominate a candidate for the Presidency, which had been appointed for the 4th of July, until the 29th of August, when it was to assemble in the city of Chicago. Meanwhile, there was a notable gathering of emissaries and friends of the Conspirators at the "Clifton House," on the Canada side of Niagara Falls,' partly for the purpose of co-operating with the leaders of the Peace Faction, in shaping the future policy of the Opposition which was to be announced at that Convention. Also, for carrying out a scheme for exciting hostile feelings between the United States and Great Britain through operations in Canada ;* for burning Northern Cities; rescuing Confederate prisoners on and near the borders of Canada; spreading contagious diseases in the National mili

1 The chief agents of the Conspirators in Canada, were George N. Sanders, (see page 340, volume I.), Jacob Thompson (see page 45, volume I.), Clement C. Clay (see page 229, volume I.), J. P. Holcombe, and Beverly Tucker.

Oct. 19.

2 They proceeded to organize plundering raids into the border States. One of these, composed of nearly thirty well-armed Confederates, crossed the border into Vermont, penetrated to the village of St. Albans, robbed the bank of $50,000, stole horses enough to mount the whole party, fired upon unarmed citizens, wounding three (one mortally), and setting fire to one of the hotels. Thirteen of them were arrested on their return to Canada, but were released by a sympathizing judge at Mon. treal. The British minister (Lord Lyons) did all in his power to bring the offenders to justice, but the Cana dian authorities threw over them their sheltering arms.

See note 2, page 367.

4 Johnson's Island, in Lake Erie, not far from Sandusky, Ohio, was made a prison-camp, chiefly for Confederate officers. Several thousand captives were there in the summer of 1864. The agents and friends of the

446

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

tary camps; and ultimately, as circumstantial evidence seems to show, for the assassination of the President and his Cabinet, and other leading men near the head of the Government. These agents were visited by members of the Peace Faction; and when the Opposition Convention met at Chicago, that city swarmed with the enemies of the Republic, who dared to openly express sympathy with the Confederates.

Meanwhile, the Confederate agents, at the suggestion, it is said, of a conspicuous leader of the Peace Faction, arranged a scheme for making the great majority of the loyal people, who were earnestly yearning for an end of war, dissatisfied with the Administration, by placing the President and his friends in an attitude of hostility to measures calculated to insure peace. If that could be done, the election of the Chicago nominee might be secured, and the way would be thus opened for the independence of the "Confederate States," and the permanent dissolution of the Union. To do this, a letter was addressed to Horace Greeley, of New York, from the "Clifton House," Canada, by George N. Sanders, a politician of the baser sort, and then high in the confidence of the Conspirators, who said that himself and C. C. Clay, of Alabama, and J. P. Holcombe, of Virginia, were authorized to go to Washington City, in the interest of peace, if full protection should be guarantied to them.

• July 5, 1864.

This letter was sent by Mr. Greeley to the President, together with a "Plan of Adjustment" drawn up by the former, and he urged Mr. Lincoln to respond to it. The sagacious President was satisfied that not only was there no hope for any adjustment with the Conspirators on terms compatible with the dignity of the Government and the integrity of the Union, but that there was a covered trick in the matter. Yet he was unwilling to seem heedless of any proposition for peace, and he deputed Mr. Greeley to bring to him any person or persons "professing to have any proposition of Jeffer son Davis, in writing, for peace, embracing the restoration of the Union and abandonment of slavery," with an assurance of safe conduct for him or them, each way. Considerable correspondence ensued. Mr. Greeley went to Niagara Falls. Then there was, on the part of Davis's agents, real or pretended misunderstanding. The matter became vexatious, and the President put an end to the unofficial negotiations by sending instructions to Mr. Greeley, explicitly prescribing what kind of a proposition he would receive

Conspirators, in Canada, attempted their release in September. When the passenger steamer Philo Parsons wAS on her way from Detroit to Sandusky, she stopped at Malden, where twenty passengers went on Sept. 19. board of her. At six o'clock that evening they declared themselves to be Confederate soldiers, and seized the boat. They then captured and destroyed another steamer, the Island Queen, and stood in for Sandusky, where they expected to be joined by secret and armed allies in capturing the National gun-boat Michigan, lying there, and with her effect the release of the prisoners. Their signals were not answered, and the expected re-enforcements were not seen, so they hastened to the Detroit River, and running the boat ashore near Sandwich, escaped.

1 A physician, named Blackburn, was employed in gathering up clothing taken from the victims of small-por and yellow fever, and sending them to National camps. Some of these were sent to New Berne, North Carolina, and produced great mortality among the soldiers and citizens. Jacob Thompson (see page 367, volume L) seems to have been more directly concerned in this part of the business of the Confederate agents, than any of the others.

2 See page 340, volume I.

This plan contemplated a restoration of the Union; the abolition of slavery; a complete amnesty for all political offenses, and a restoration of all the inhabitants in States wherein rebellion existed, to all privileges, as if rebellion had never occurred; the payment by the Government of $400,000,000 to the owners of the emancipated slaves; a change in representation of the slave-labor States; and a National Convention to ratify and settle in detail, such adjustment.

OPPOSITION CONVENTION AT CHICAGO.

447

and consider.

This was precisely what the Conspirators and their emissaries wanted. They knew Mr. Lincoln would not consider any other proposition than an unconditional surrender, which they were firmly resolved never to accept voluntarily; so they used his declaration to "fire the Southern heart," and to sow the seeds of discontent among the loyal people of the land.

But on this, as on other occasions, the purposes of the enemies of the Government were frustrated by their own machinations. The peace errand to Niagara Falls thereby evoked, and made in good faith by a patriotic citizen, in connection with another peace errand to Richmond, at the same time, brought before the excited public mind the clear enunciation by the President and the chief Conspirator, the terms, in sharp-cut language, on which peace might be made. No room was left for doubt as to duty, on the part of a lover of the Union and his country; and the question of loyalty and disloyalty to the Republic was fairly before the people in the ensuing canvass. It was clearly perceived that, if the life of the Nation was to be preserved, the Administration must be sustained, and the war prosecuted with vigor. These services were nobly performed by the people.

3

The Opposition, or Democratic National Convention, assembled at Chicago, on the 29th of August, and Horatio Seymour, of New York, was chosen its president. His address, on taking the chair, gave the key-note to the proceedings of the Convention. It was extremely hostile to the Government and condemnatory of the war for the Union, and gave encouragement to the open and secret foes of the Republic. The latter were then crowding Chicago, and represented, in large numbers, according to a report of the Judge-Advocate of the United States, the membership of a conspiracy in the form of a military organization, west of the Alleghanies. It was composed, at the time of this Convention, of about half a million men, with a commander-in-chief, and general and subordinate officers, all bound to a blind obedience to the orders of their superiors, and pledged "to take up arms

1 The instructions, dated the 18th of July, were as follows:-" To whom it may concern :-Any proposition which embraces the restoration of peace, the integrity of the whole Union, and the abandonment of slavery, and which comes by and with an authority that can control the armies now at war against the United States, will be received and considered by the Executive Government of the United States, and will be met by liberal terms on substantial and collateral points; and the bearer or bearers thereof shall have safe conduct both ways." 2 At about the time of Mr. Greeley's unofficial mission to Niagara, two other citizens were on a secret peace missior, at Richmond, whither they went clandestinely, without the President's permission, but with his knowledge. The men engaged in the errand were Colonel J. F. Jaques, of the Seventy-third Illinois, and J. R. Gilmore, a civilian, of New York. They were allowed to pass through the Union lines, and at Richmond they obtained an interview, first with Benjamin, Secretary of State," and then with Jefferson Davis. They held a free talk with the latter, who said, after declaring that he had tried to avert the war, "Now it must go on till the last man of this generation falls in his tracks, and his children seize his musket and fight our battle, unless you acknowledge our right to self-government. We are not fighting for slavery. We are fighting for Independence; and that, or extermination, we will have!"

The bitterness of that hostility was everywhere conspicuous, and seemed to increase with the manifest gains of the National forces over those in rebellion. In no way was that hostility more offensively and inappropriately manifested than by the Mayor of the City of New York, C. Godfrey Gunther, who took the occasion of officially announcing the proclamation of the President, setting apart the 4th of August as a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer to Almighty God, to make an unseemly attack on the great body of the clergy of that city. The following sentence, excepting a few lines setting forth that it had become his duty to call attention" to the President's proclamation, was the whole of the mayor's communication on the subject:-"To the ministers of the various churches on whom will devolve the duty of offering prayer in the presence of their congregations, and especially those ministers who have inculcated the doctrine of war and blood, so much at variance with the teachings of their Divine Master, I would humbly recommend that they will, on that solemn occasion, invoke the mercy of Heaven to hasten the relief of our suffering people, by turning the hearts of those in authority to the blessed ways of peace."