Hon. William H. Seward,
Secretary of State, Washington.
Mr. Kimball to Mr. Potter.
United States
Consulate,
Toronto, G. W.,
November 5,
1864.
Sir: I have the honor to report the
following information which I communicated to the provost
marshal of Buffalo, N. Y., under date of November 3. It is given
to me by four different parties, unknown to each other:
First. Messrs. A. M. Smith & Co, and George H. Wyatt informed
me, in answer to my questions, that they have sold the propeller
Georgian, which they owned, to one Bates, from Michigan, who
intends to use her in the lumber trade. They delivered her at
Port Colborne, C. W., on the first or second of this month. They
claim that she is particularly adapted to the lumber trade, as
she carries heavy loads with light draught, and the present
owners intend to strengthen her beams for
towing. I consider they partially admitted that the pay
came through the Ontario Bank, ($16,500,) where I know Colonel
Thompson, the confederate agent, keeps his account.
The second person says he knows this Bates; knew him in
Louisville, Ky. He was at one time a captain of the steamer
Magnolia on the Mississippi river.
A third person, whom I well know, but who has previously
sympathized with the confederates, came to me of his own accord
to reveal what he claims as a great plot, in order to arrest it,
because, he assumes, its success would have a tendency to make
trouble between the United States and Canada. He gives as a
synopsis the following, which he says he received from Captain
Bates himself:
The Georgian is purchased by the confederates. She is to be
strengthened in the bow for a ram somewhere on Lake Huron, after
which she will take on men, cannon, small-arms, and ammunition,
and run into the Michigan off Johnson’s island to sink her; then
make a dash to release the prisoners, who
will at once be furnished with arms if they meet with success;
alter which the Georgian will go on a cruise of destruction,
including Buffalo harbor and other places.
My informant claims to know the details of the whole plot, men
and places, and would reveal the whole of it to the authorities
in the United States, if I, as an officer of the United States
government, would pay his expenses, and he would also expect the
United States to remunerate him. I told him I could not see any
difference between his revealing to me or to the authorities in
Buffalo, and therefore could not comply with his requests, but
if he would give me his information I would transmit it to the
department, and if it was of real service
to them I had no doubt they would do him justice. He would not
consent to this.
A fourth person says he has been solicited to join an expedition
by the confederates. They tell him they have a steamer, but
would not say what one it was, plenty of arms and ammunition,
and they were going to make an attempt to release the prisoners
on Johnson’s island. For the purpose of getting more information
he agreed to meet them at Sarnia this week; would be here on
Monday next, and would see me and give me any further
information he might obtain.
Taking these circumstances altogether, I have no doubt something
of the kind is intended, and therefore immediately communicated
the intelligence as I received it to the authorities in Buffalo,
with the request that they should notify other authorities as
they deem proper.
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. J. KIMBALL, United States Consular
Agent.
Hon. John F. Potter, Consular General, B. N. A P., Montreal, C. E.
