p Chase
in Ohio, by their friend, the Grand Commander of the Sons of Liberty,
that a great many very excellent Confederate officers had made their
escape, and were ready at any time to take command of men whenever their
friends were ready, and that those officers were brave and fearless men
ready to undertake any kind of enterprise or daring exploit. He did
not look for any more foolish expeditions like the one made by Gen.
Morganson. That it was not successful is easily understood. The Southern
people were in too great haste in trying raids by large bodies of men
where there were no lines of escape or retreat."

"Yes," said Col. Bush; "they counted their chickens before they were
hatched."

"I think they were stale eggs," said Capt. Inglesby.

"Mr. Carey said," continued Uncle Daniel, 'We have now entered upon
a system of small raids and destruction of property, so as to be very
effective. And although we fear that we cannot repair our loss in
the kind of material we had secured and had on board of the
Will-o'-the-Wisp, yet we may, by good management, in some degree
compensate for it, and, in order that you may understand how we propose
to operate, I will read to you the order of the Secretary of War of
the Confederate States to one J. C. S. Blackman, the brother of Dr.
Blackman, whose poisoned goods were lost on the Will-o'-the-Wisp. The
order is dated Richmond, 1863, and signed J. A. Seddon, Secretary of
War, C. S. A., authorizing Blackman to enlist a company of men, not to
exceed fifty in number, for special service on the Mississippi River. In
lieu of pay or other compensation they are to receive such percentage of
the value of all property of the United States or loyal people destroyed
by them as may be awarded by an officer selected by the Department in
charge of such duty, but in no case to exceed fifty per centum of the
value.'

"Carey said that under this order it was understood as soon as Blackman
should enlist twenty-five men for this purpose he was to receive a
commission in the provisional army without pay. This commission was for
his protection in case he should be captured. Said he:

"'We are now issuing quite a number of these commissions, and much
good has already resulted. Blackman has destroyed a great quantity of
property on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. A man by the name of J.
G. Beall, who holds a like commission, has destroyed a great amount of
supplies and other property on the Chesapea