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Of vital importance.
As it was of vital importance that the utmost secrecy should be observed, the officers were directed to take lodging in quiet boarding-houses, to avoid the hotels, not to recognize each other on the street, and not to be absent from their rooms for more than half an hour at a time.
Finding
Marshal (J. P.?)
Kane and some of our friends in
Montreal, we set to work to prepare and perfect our arrangements, the first object of the plan being to communicate with the prisoners on
Johnson's Island, informing them that an attempt would be made to release them.
This was effected through a lady from
Baltimore,
a Mrs. P. C. Martin, then residing with her husband and family in
Montreal, and whose husband did all in his power to aid us in every way. She brought a letter from
Baltimore, which General (J. J.)
Archer, who with
Major-General (I. R.)
Trimble, was a prisoner at
Johnson's Island, had sent there to
Beverly Saunders,
Esq., telling us to communicate with him through the personal columns of the New York
Herald, which
Wilkinson very promptly did, telling A. J. L. W. that his solicitude was fully appreciated, and that a few nights after the 4th of November a carriage would be at the door, when all seeming obstacles would be removed, and to be ready.
The obstacles alluded to were the
United States steamship
Michigan and the prison guard.
Our original plan was to go aboard one of the lake steamers at
Windsor, opposite
Detroit, as passengers, and when fairly out on the lake to play the old St. Nicholas game, and, by rising on the officers and crew, take possession and run her to
Johnson's Island, trusting to the prisoners to overpower the guard, while we would be ready to receive them on board for transportation to the
Canada shore; but, finding that the steamers seldom and at irregular interval stopped at
Windsor, or at any point on the
Canada side, we changed the plan at the suggestion of a Canadian named McQuaig, who was introduced to
Kane by
Mr. Hale, of
Tennessee, as a good and reliable Southern sympathizer, engaged in running the blockade, and occupying a high commercial position in
Canada.
He entered into our views with enthusiasm, and we believe that up to the last moment he was heart and soul with us; but more of him directly.
A reliable man was sent to
Sandusky to ascertain the strength of the garrison, position of the guns, etc., and on his return we were delighted to hear that the
United States steamship
Michigan, under
Jack Carter, was lying at anchor about two hundred yards from the island, with her guns (having six reported as
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mounted) bearing upon the prison; that there were but four hundred troops on the island, and no artillery save two small Howitzers, one of which was upon a ferry-boat plying between the island and the city.
