Between the Lines Part 11

I brought to our office Messrs. Kelly & Piet, but did not lock them up. I have the key of their store in my possession.

I am Colonel, Very respy. your obdt. servant, H. B. SMITH, Lieut. Comdg. D. C.

List:

90 a.s.sortments of photos. 212 total.

19 Vols. Morgan and His Men.

2 Vols. Life Stonewall Jackson.

1 Vol. 1st Year of the War.

4 Vols. 2nd Year of the War.

97 Pamphlets Trial Abraham Lincoln.

2 Vols. Rebel Rhymes.

4 Vols. Three months in Southern States.

5 Vols. Confed. Reports of Battles.

3 Vols. Southern History of the War.

1 Package note paper, Rebel flag.

1 Package envelopes, Rebel flag.

8 Steel Engravings, Rebel Generals.

57 Packages Playing Cards, Confed.

All of this was inflammable matter.

The Captain Bailey, spoken of in the succeeding report, was the same Bailey that I captured in March previous. I had found him to be an excellent sailing master, and a man whom I could trust. The sloop "R. B.

Tennis" was one of my fleet.

Office Provost Marshal, Baltimore, May 28, 1864.

Major H. Z. Hayner, Provost Marshal.

Major.--I have the honor to submit the following brief report of the seizure made by sloop "R. B. Tennis," Capt. Bailey, with three detective officers on board.

Enclosed I hand you report of Detective Lewis, who was placed in charge, which report is not quite so full as it should be, covering all remarks and acknowledgments made by the prisoners.

I will state that they said several times that they were blockade runners by occupation.

Enclosed is the statement made to me by Fred. E. Smith, who, I think, is rather faint hearted in his profession.

Harrison acknowledged to have run the blockade several times, but don't seem willing to talk much, as he thinks "he might implicate some near and dear friends," he has talked a deal to some of the officers, whose statements I shall get when they return to the city.

Alexander refuses to talk, but I shall be able to get it all out of them soon.

I received from Detective Lewis the following which he states was all that was taken from the parties:

Gold and silver, $188.75.

U. S. Currency, $159.00.

Southern States money, $190.00.

Northern States money, $1.00.

1 gold watch.

1 silver watch.

23 large and 2 small boxes tobacco.

1 large yawl boat.

I have stored the tobacco in the store of W. W. Janney, a receipt for which is annexed. The boat is in charge of guard on board the schooner "Travers."

I will get fuller statements from all the detectives as soon as possible, and give to you. The prisoners are Fred. E.

Smith, Powell Harrison and Robert Alexander.

I am, Major, Very respy. your obdt. servant, H. B. SMITH, Lieut. and Chief.

Attached to this report is a memorandum of statements made to me:

Fredk. Smith:

"I am from Northumberland County, Va. I left Northumberland County on Wednesday last. I was with Mr. Harrison and Mr.

Alexander, no one else with us. I am a citizen. I have been about eight months in Va., all of that time in Northumberland County. I was formerly from Caroline Co., Md. I started to come North for clothes and things. I had some orders for goods for families in Northumberland County, which I threw overboard after we were hailed, also had twenty odd boxes tobacco.

Mr. Harrison has lived in Northumberland County since I have been there, but has been north of the Potomac three or four times.

I don't know much, of Mr. Alexander, except that he came from Maryland with Mr. Harrison on one of his (Harrison's) trips.

I came over as a pa.s.senger with Harrison and Alexander. Some of the tobacco belongs to me. I had about $250 in gold, and about $100 or more in greenbacks, and $50 or $60 in Virginia money. Had no particular point of destination. I was to pay Harrison and Alexander $200 for my fare. I think they intended to land on the Eastern sh.o.r.e, Md., or perhaps on Western sh.o.r.e. I think Harrison and Alexander are blockade runners by profession. They intended to return to Virginia. I think we were about going into Choptank river. I think at about James Point.

I started for Little River, Virginia. I think another party of two or three started at about the same time; they had some tobacco. I did not know their names; they were in a little sloop, dark color. I saw them again about Point Lookout. I think perhaps they had about two or three thousand pounds. The sloop and sail looked rather old. It was Wednesday night that I last saw the sloop. I think Mr. Harrison was over about three or four weeks since."

Powell Harrison:

"Northumberland County, Virginia. I am a farmer, I have lived there about three or four years. I have been north of the Potomac three times since the War."

Robert Alexander: (Made no statement.)

You will notice the brevity of Harrison's statement, and that Alexander made no statement. Alexander and one other man, named Bollman (if I remember right) were the only ones who defeated me in my efforts to learn something about them from their own lips.

The tobacco was best Virginia plug, worth about one dollar per pound (about three thousand dollars' worth). This little yawl (with a dirty sail), worth about twenty or thirty dollars, was earning two hundred dollars in one night in carrying Smith and his tobacco over.

As I said before, the Potomac was patrolled by gunboats, and the north sh.o.r.e was garrisoned at many points with troops, yet these little fellows would creep right in between them. My plan was to go equipped as they were, and meet them on their level.

We did not consider the neck between the Potomac and the Rappahannock as the enemy's country, yet the Confederates had a signal station on the Potomac all through the war; it was in charge of Harry Brogden, whom I knew. When I get along in my stories to June 30th, I will show you how well it was understood in the Confederacy.