Chapter 9:
- An adventure in Pittsburg. -- a mob at Bay. -- an explanation. -- good-feeling restored.
Several influences operated in my mind to induce me to respond at once to this letter, and some of them of a directly personal nature. I had been acquainted with General McClellan for a long time before this, and had been intimately associated with him while engaged upon various important operations connected with the Illinois Central and the Ohio and Mississippi Railroads, of the latter of which he was then president. From the friendship and esteem I entertained for him growing out of my relations with him in those matters, both as an individual and as an executive officer, I felt the more anxious to enter into his service, now that he had assumed the command of a military department, and was about to take an active part in the impending struggle. At Philadelphia I ascertained that Timothy Webster had already departed for Pittsburg, according to previous instructions, and hastily telegraphing to the General that I would instantly respond to his letter in person, I took the first train leading westward and was soon upon my way. [143] Timothy Webster, meanwhile, had proceeded on his journey from Perrysville, and arrived without accident or adventure in Philadelphia. He immediately repaired to the office of Mr. Dunn, who informed him that he had just received a dispatch for him from Chicago. Webster hastily opened the message and found my directions for him to await my return at the city of Pittsburg. Remaining in the Quaker City until the following day, he took the western train and in due time arrived at his destination. On inquiring at the telegraph office in Pittsburg he received another message to the same effect as the first one, and he therefore engaged quarters at a hotel, patiently awaiting my coming. On the second day after his arrival in the Smoky City, which was Sunday, he again went to the telegraph office, where he received information that I would probably arrive there in the course of that day. Returning to the hotel, Webster entered the barroom, and while he was being attended to two men came in, apparently engaged in excited conversation. They advanced to the bar and requested drinks. The excitement in the city, attendant upon the news from Baltimore, had not abated in the least since Webster had passed through several days before, and these two men were discussing the action of the government in regard to this matter. One of them, an excitable, empty-headed fellow, was cursing the President and General Scott, in very loud tones and [144] in unmeasured terms, for not burning the city of Baltimore to ashes, and thus teaching the rebels a lesson they would be apt to remember. The remonstrances of his friend seemed only to excite him still more, and Webster, feeling desirous of avoiding any controversy at that time, started to leave the saloon, when the angry disputant turned to him, and arrogantly demanded his opinion of the matter. “I think,” said Webster, “that the President and General Scott understand their duties much better than I can inform them, and I suppose they do not wish to destroy the property of many who are true to the government.” “That is all nonsense,” replied the other, sharply, “there is not a single Union man in the whole city.” “I think you are mistaken,” said Webster, coolly. “I am sure there are thousands of them there.” This answer seemed to infuriate the man, and striding up to Webster, he asked, with an air of impertinence :
Are you a Southern man?“No, sir, I was born in New York,” was the reply. “What is your name?” impudently demanded the fellow. “You will find my name upon the register of the hotel, if you desire it, and as I do not wish to have any further controversy with you, I bid you good morning,” replied Webster, still remaining cool and unruffled. By this time a crowd of about twenty men had [145] gathered about them, and as Webster turned to leave the room, one of them demanded to know the contents of the telegram he had just received. This demand, added to the previous suggestion that Webster was a Southern man, was sufficient to excite the entire crowd, who had been living upon excitement for more than a week, and they began to press around him in a threatening manner, one of them calling out:
I believe he is a d-d spy; let us see what he has got!Webster broke loose from those nearest to him, and retreating backwards toward the door, exclaimed, in a determined voice:
Gentlemen, I am no spy, and if any of you attempt to trouble me further, some of you will assuredly get hurt!At this the crowd grew boisterous and violent, and several called out, “Hang him!” “Hang the spy!” while some of them made a rush toward where he stood. Drawing his revolver, Webster faced his angry assailants, who drew back involuntarily when they saw that he was both well armed and undismayed. “Gentlemen, we have had enough of this nonsense. You can talk about hanging me, and perhaps there are enough of you to do it, but, by God, the first one that attempts to put his hands upon me is a dead man!” [146] Matters began to look serious. It seemed evident that these excited people were determined to resort to violence, and that there would be bloodshed in consequence. Webster, whose relations with the government were of so intensely loyal a character, was filled with regret at having allowed himself to become a party to a conversation which would lead to such serious consequences. He was resolved, however, to maintain his position. To show signs of weakness, therefore, would be dangerous, if not fatal, to him, and he stood bravely in front of the angry mob, who had drawn back at the sight of the revolver which was leveled so menacingly at them. Only for a moment, however, did the crowd stand awed and irresolute-one moment of silence, in which every man appeared to be deciding for himself his course of action. Then one tall, stalwart man stepped from their midst, and waving his hand toward his companions, he cried out:
Come on, he is only one against twenty, and we will take him dead, or alive!The crowd took a few steps in advance, and Webster had braced himself to receive their attack, when suddenly, close, beside him stood a form, and a loud voice called out:
Stop, gentlemen, where you are! This man is no traitor, and I will defend him with my life!and the muzzles of two revolvers ranged themselves beside [147] that presented by the suspected, but undismayed detective. Involuntarily the crowd stood still at this unexpected arrival of reinforcements, and Webster, who had recognized the voice, looked up in surprise and relief at this unlooked-for, though timely, assistance. I had arrived just in the nick of time, and I was resolved to defend my undaunted operative to the last. At this moment the proprietor of the hotel entered the saloon, and in a calm voice and quiet manner attempted to subdue the angry feelings of the bystanders. “Gentlemen,” said he, “there need be no trouble about this matter; Mr. Webster can fully explain his position, and I think the best plan would be for you all to repair to the office of the mayor, where any explanation can be given.” “ I am perfectly willing to do that,” said I; “I know this man, and will answer for him under any circumstances; we will accompany you to the office of the mayor at once, and I think I can convince him that he is no spy.” This proposition was eagerly accepted by some, and reluctantly by others, and finally the entire party marched out of the hotel on their way to the office of the chief magistrate of the city; Webster and myself walking together. [148] The crowd increased as we went on, and frequent calls were still made to “hang the traitor,” but no further attempts were made to molest us, and we reached the office without any event of a troublesome nature occurring. The noise of the crowd attracted the attention of the chief of police, who, during the temporary absence of the mayor, was in charge of affairs of this nature, and he came to the door to ascertain the occasion of the tumult. As the crowd, with Webster and myself in the van, reached the steps which led up to the municipal office, I at once recognized the chief of police, having been connected with him some time before in the detection of some burglars from the city of Pittsburg, and that officer was not slow to identify me as the detective, who had frequently enabled him to secure the desperate criminals whom the law had at various times pursued. As we reached the platform where the officer was standing, I stretched forth my hand, which the chief cordially grasped. “ Why, Mr. Pinkerton, what are you doing here?” inquired the chief, with some surprise. “I have come to defend one of my men, whom these people insist upon hanging as a rebel spy, but who is loyal to the core,” I answered, laughingly. “ I will take care of that,” replied the chief, “and your word is sufficient for me,” at the same time extending [149] his disengaged hand and warmly greeting Webster, who stood beside me. As the crowd noticed the evident acquaintance and good-feeling that existed between the reputed spy and their chief of police, they drew back instinctively, while some of them looked as if they were not insensible to a feeling of shame. The chief realized the state of affairs at once, and turning to the now crestfallen and subdued gathering, he addressed them:
Gentlemen, I will be responsible for the loyalty and integrity of these gentlemen, and you will instantly disperse.The leaders of this assault on Webster looked terribly ashamed of themselves when they found how ridiculously they had been acting, and as the door of the chief's office closed on our retreating figures, they slowly and silently retired. In an hour afterwards, when Webster and I returned to the hotel, we found the gentlemen who a short time before were anxious to hang him, awaiting our arrival, and we received from them their heartfelt apologies for their hasty and inconsiderate conduct, all of which were received with a spirit of good nature that won the regards of all present, and when the time of our departure arrived, they accompanied us to the depot in a body, and cheered us lustily as the train slowly moved away. Thus an adventure, which promised to be very [150] serious in its results, terminated in a manner satisfactory to all, and Webster and myself, instead of being lynched by a Pittsburg mob, departed in safety on our journey, and arrived in Cincinnati upon the following day, prepared to receive from General McClellan such instructions as were deemed necessary by him for the furtherance of the cause in which he was engaged.
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| Betrayed by his boots. |
