Q is in Mr. Suydam's hand. I understood him to be a broker. I consigned wool to him, the property of my brother Horace.

R*. This is a letter of my father-in-law; the father of my present wife. S is in Mr. Theo. Morris's handwriting.

Tis in Suydam's writing.

*. So is this.

V*. The card and notice are what I published in Texas.
W. Is signed by me.

DECEMBER 7, 1864.

I reside in Chicago; am at housekeeping; own a house there; have there a wife and children, and nephew; my house is 250 Wabash avenue. I have lived there since March last. I bought the house in February. My wife had boarded in Chicago nearly two years. When the war broke ont, I was living in Galveston, Texas, as was my wife, with some of the children. I then sent my wife, and all but one of the children, North, to Illinois, immediately after the fall of Sumter. I remained in Texas for near 18 months-in Galveston and traveling over the State. I came from Texas, in May, 1862. I got out from a little boat from Sabine Passsail-boat. After leaving the pass I got on board a schooner or sloop loaded with cotton; don't know where from, but suppose from Sabine Pass. I took boat in order to get aboard something. The schooner Went to Jamaica, and then I took steamer to Hayti and New York, and got here on the 4th July, 1862; staid one or two days; ascertained that my wife was in Indianapolis; I joined her at once; took her to Chicago, and thence to Morris, Illinois, and then to Iowa, and was there several weeks. From there I went to Washington, taking letters to the President. I came from Texas to Washington, as the delegate of Union men in Texas, (where part of my family still remained,) viz: a son and some boarders. I wanted to get permission to return to Texas and get out the balance of my family and boarders, and to render aid to the Union people in Texas, and to take to them what they needed to enable them to get away, and to relieve those who could not get away, and to get my property away. My property consisted of accounts, real estate, and cotton; my object was to collect the accounts, to sell the real estate, and convert all into cotton and get it out of the country.

I made a written application to the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, stating my errand and visit. I had a personal interview with Mr. Welles. This was about September or October, 1862. The application was answered verbally, to the effect that the Government would not authorize me to trade with Texas nor to run the blockade, as other nations Would claim the same right. Mr. Welles, to whom I applied, verbally, after the Secretary of War had refused to give me a permit, and to whom I took a letter from the private secretary of the President, said there Was no need of any help from him. The letter I refer to is dated September 27, and is hereto annexed, marked "A." Paper "B" is from private secretary of President to Secretary of War, and is hereto annexed.

The letters of introduction to the President which I took were from Judge Lockwood, Kane County, Illinois; T. C. Moore, the county clerk of the same county, and General Farnsworth, of St. Charles, Kings County, Illinois, now member of Congress. Mr. Welles said he thought I had all the papers I needed. He referred to some standing order to

the fleet to help Union men get away with their property. He said there was no impropriety in taking what would feed people, if I took it to the proper quarter, and carried no contraband of war.

I was in Washington over a month, leaving there in October; came to Providence, Rhode Island. I had met Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, in Washington, and, in consequence of that meeting, and at his suggestion, went to Providence to get him interested in getting me a vessel, and carrying out my project, as I had to depend on parties here for the means. I told Governor Sprague in Washington what my project was. I applied to Governor Sprague for no other reason than that I knew him to be a man of means. Mr. Barrett, the head of the Pension Office, introduced me to Mr. Hay, the President's private secretary. I never saw the President. I don't recollect, but I think exGovernor Bibb, of Ohio, introduced me to Governor Sprague. Mr. Bibb was in the Patent Office.

I met Governor Sprague, by appointment, in Providence. He turned me over to other parties, viz: A. & A. Sprague, and Mr. W. H. Reynolds, and his (Governor Sprague's) cousin, who is now in company with W. H. Reynolds. The letters hereto annexed, and marked “C,” “D,” and “E,” were sent to me by Governor Sprague. I have never seen or conferred with Governor Sprague since.

In Washington Governor Sprague told me to come over to Providence, and said, "I will see what can be done.” I am mistaken about the letters from Governor Sprague; the one to Mr. Welles I got before leaving Washington, and carried with me when I called on Secretary Welles. The other two were sent to me after I had been to Providence; sent to me in New York, I think, under cover to Mr. Frederickson. In Providence I made an arrangement with William H. Reynolds & Co. for the purchase of a schooner in New York, which was purchased, loaded, and sent to Matamoras. It was the schooner Snow Drift. She was bought, I don't know by whom, or of whom, at a cost of about $5,500, when all fitted up. Reynolds & Co. furnished the funds, or, at least, they did the business. I suppose the money came from various persons. Reynolds shipped a supercargo, Mr Brastow. I think he (Brastow) is now in Providence or Colorado. I made a further ar rangement, in case the cargo sold well in Matamoras, to continue business in Matamoras-nothing definite. I think the whole amount of vessel and cargo was $17,000. The cargo consisted in part of two old carding machines, which I put up in Texas, sheeting, Kentucky bagging for cotton bales, rope, bleached cottons, kerosene, lard oil, sperm oil, linseed oil, no arms or ammunition. I went out in her. Mr. Kennedy stopped her. I am not aware that he took anything from her. She was detained several days. I had positive knowledge that there were no arms nor ammunition aboard, except the personal arms of those on board, and they were not taken away. She sailed November 14, for Havana, and discharged her cargo, and sold the whole of it. My knowledge is derived from Mr. Brastow, the supercargo. The eaptain's name was Witham. There was some difficulty with Mr. Shufaldt. Mr. Brastow had a power of attorney to sell the vessel, and had an offer for her of $8,000 in gold. Mr. Shufaldt refused to authorize the sale on the ground that the power of attorney of Brastow had not been acknowledged and certified by a notary. The consul ordered the cargo landed. The supercargo sold schooner and cargo for $ to Mr. Hurlburt, or the house of Ulrise & Varosa, I am not sure. The reason of the sale was that we found the draught too much for the bar at Matamoras. The sale fell through, and Mr. Reynolds then sent a special agent, with

a power of attorney, authorizing the transfer of the schooner and the proceeds of the cargo to me. This special agent was Charles Prescott. He has a middle name; was of Troy, New York. Under Mr. Prescott's arrangement the schooner became mine for the consideration of my accounting to them for the entire proceeds. I was to have full and absolute authority. All I knew of Prescott was that he was an assignee. I met him in Washington before I saw Governor Sprague. I never before had seen him. We met casually at Willard's, and fell into conversation. He came to Providence by my request, and was to have a part in the enterprise, if it continued beyond the first shipment. After the purchase of the schooner, there was the purchase of the steamer Ella Warley, by I don't know whom. Prescott fitted her up. I don't know that she had, or was to have, anything to do with the plan. He went to Providence to help me in my plan. By the arrangement at Providence, he was to come out in a second vessel to Matamoras.

I took the Snow Drift from Havana to Matamoras. She went under the name of Cora, under the British flag. It was thought best to put her under that flag. The American and British consuls were parties to the change. This was after the failure of the sale, of which I have spoken, as objected to by the consul. I took her to Matamoras, instead of Texas, because I did not think myself authorized to run the blockade, though I did think myself authorized to take the goods from Matamoras into Texas by land. I sold all the cargo except the carding machines, which I took into Texas and set them up in Caldwell, town of Prairie, Lee. The proceeds of the cargo for gold dollars enough to pay for twenty bales of cotton, which I bought at Matamoras. Mr. Brastow came out after the schooner had been in some time, to sell her, and he did sell her in my absence in Texas. I was in Texas nearly eighteen months; absent that time from United States, and say about twelve to fourteen months in Texas. Prescott did not bring out anything in the Ella Worley that Was transferred to the Cora. I am not aware that the Ella Worley was to have any part in the enterprise.

No written contracts were signed; one was drawn up, but never exeented.

rate

My brother brought the twenty bales cotton received for the cargo to New York, in what vessel I don't know. I went with the carding machines on wagons to Texas, and set them up, and had them running nearly three months, and then sold them for $3,000 or $4,000 confedemoney-worth about $1,000 gold. I traveled throughout Texas to what preparations were making for resistance. I left Havana in January. I did not visit any post occupied by Union troops. I collected of my own debts over $80,000 in confederate money, and every dollar of it I distributed, getting cotton from the Union men of whom bought cotton, and had it delivered on the Red River, in Arkansas. It was there burned by General Banks. I had it sent there instead of the coast because of news I had from New York that Banks would first there. After buying the cotton I came to New York (in May) from Ma'amoras; reported here to Reynolds & Co. I had not sent out any to at all. Reynolds & Co. made another shipment to Matamoras in April last, on the Caraccas. She was disabled, put into Bermuda, and balance of the cargo sent on the brig Monarch to Matamoras, and there sold, and the proceeds converted into cotton. Part of the cotton, if up to sample, was to be received in gold, at fixed price.

The Monarch was lying off the Rio Grande when I left, which was last August.

I left New York for Matamoras last April, in the Corsica to Havana,

and thence in a Spanish brig to Matamoras, reaching there about middle of May. I sent a young man into Texas to have my cotton forwarded to Red River while I was here in New York. I have a man in there now. In Washington I had a communication with Mr. Chase, the Secretary of the Treasury, and told him my plan, as I did to the other Secretaries. He got offended with me. I spoke of depending on Governor Sprague, and he said if I depended on some one else I need not depend on him for aiding me in my plan. I went to him to ask for official aid. I should not be surprised if my errand to Mr. Chase was to ask for a permit for my project. It may have been; my impression is that it was. I think this was before I saw the other Secretaries. Governor Sprague did not mention Mr. Chase's name to me, nor speak of a pass.

I did not in Texas enter into any contract with insurgent authorities. The purchaser of my carding machines was Wilson Bell, who was going to use them where they were. He was a Union man-carding wool rolls.

I bought those machines in Hartford, I think. I employed Mr. J. W. Boyington, at Hartford, to purchase them, and he shipped them to me here. I made no other purchases of cards; no cotton cards on the Snow Drift.

DECEMBER 7, 1864.

I reside in Chicago; am at house-keeping; own a house there; have there a wife and three children and nephew; my house is No. 250 Wabash avenue. I have lived there since March last. I bought the house in February. My wife had boarded in Chicago nearly two years. When the war broke out I was living in Galveston, Texas, as was my wife, with some of the children. I then sent my wife and all but one of the children North, to Illinois, immediately after the fall of Sumter. I remained in Texas for near eighteen months, in Galveston and traveling over the State. I came from Texas in May, 1862; I got out in a little boat from Sabine Pass-sail boat. After leaving the pass I got aboard a schooner or sloop, loaded with cotton; don't know where from, but suppose from Sabine Pass. I took boat in order to get aboard something. The schooner went to Jamaica, and there I took steamer to Hayti and New York, and got here on the 4th of July, 1862; staid one or two days; ascertained that my wife was in Indianapolis. I joined her at once; took her to Chicago, and thence to Morris, Illinois, and thence to Iowa, and was there several weeks. From there I went to Washington, taking letters to the President. I came from Texas to Washington as the delegate of the Union men in Texas, (where part of my family still remained,) viz: a son and some boarders.

My

I wanted to get permission to return to Texas and get out the balance of my family and boarders, and to render aid to the Union people in Texas; to take to them what they needed to enable them to get away, and to relieve those who could not get away, and to get my property away. My property consisted of accounts, real estate, and cotton. object was to collect the accounts, to sell the real estate, and convert all into cotton, and get it out of the country. I made a written application to the Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, stating my errand and wish. I had a personal interview with Mr. Welles; this was about September or October, 1862. The application was answered verbally, to the effect that the Government could not authorize me to trade with Texas, nor to run the blockade, as other nations would claim the same right. Mr. Welles, to whom I applied verbally after the Secretary of War had re

fused to give me a permit, and to whom I took a letter from the private secretary of the President, said there was no need of any help from him. (The letter I refer to is dated September 27, and is hereto annexed, marked "A." Paper "B" is from private secretary of President, to the Secretary of War, and is hereto annexed.) The letters of introduction to the President, which I took, were from Judge Lockwood, Kane County, Illinois, T. C. Moore, the county clerk of the same county, and General Farnsworth, of St. Charles, King County, Illinois, now member of Congress.

Mr. Welles said he thought I had all the papers I needed. He referred to some standing order to the fleet to help Union men get away with their property. He said that there was no impropriety in taking what would feed people, if I took it to the proper quarter, and carried no contraband of war.

I was in Washington over a month, leaving there in October. Came to Providence, Rhode Island. I had met Governor Sprague, of Rhode Island, in Washington, and in consequence of that meeting, and at his suggestion, I went to Providence to get him interested in getting me a Tessel and carrying out my project, as I had to depend on parties here for the means. I told Governor Sprague, in Washington, what my project was. I applied to Governor Sprague for no other reason than that I knew him to be a man of means. Mr. Barrett, the head of the Pension Office, introduced me to Mr. Hay, the President's private secretary. I never saw the President. I don't recollect, but I think ex-Governor Bibb, of Ohio, introduced me to Governor Sprague. Mr. Bibb was in the Patent Office.

I met Governor Sprague by appointment in Providence. He turned me over to the other parties, viz: A. & A. Sprague, and Mr. W. H. Reynolds, and his, Governor Sprague's cousin, who is now in company with W. H. Reynolds.

The letters hereto annexed, and marked C and D and E, were sent to me by Governor Sprague. I have never seen or conferred with Governor Sprague since. In Washington, Governor Sprague had told me to come over to Providence, and said, "I will see what can be done.”

I am mistaken about the letter from Governor Sprague; the one to Mr. Welles I got before leaving Washington, and carried with me when I called on Secretary Welles. The other two were sent to me after I had been to Providence-sent to me in New York-I think under cover to Mr. Frederickson.

In Providence I made an arrangement with William H. Reynolds & Co. for the purchase of a schooner in New York, which was purchased, loaded, and sent to Matamoras. It was the schooner Snow Drift; she was bought, I don't know by whom, nor of whom, at a cost of about 85500, when all fitted up. Reynolds & Co. furnished the funds, or at least they did the business. I suppose that the money came from Various persons. Reynolds shipped a supercargo, Mr. Brastow; I think e, Brastow, is now in Providence, or Colorado. I made a further arrangement, in case the cargo sold well in Matamoras, to continue business in Matamoras-nothing definite. I think the whole amount of Tessel and cargo was $17,000. The cargo consisted, in part: Two old carling machines, (which I put up in Texas,) sheeting, Kentucky bagging for cotton bales, rope, bleached cottons, kerosene, lard oil, sperm oil, linseed oil-no arms or ammunition. I went out in her. Mr. Kennedy stopped her. I am not aware that he took anything from her. She was detained several days. I have positive knowledge that there were no arms or ammunition aboard, except the personal arms of those on board, and those were not taken away.