1st Lieutenant Charles Wright Wills: August 3, 1862

Tuscumbia, Ala., August 3, 1862.

In the last 15 days I have only written you once; partly because I have been so busy, more, because of my laziness. There is but little save rumors that can be of any interest to you from here, and shall not inflict any of them on you, for the newspapers have certainly surfeited everyone's taste for that article. All this blowing and howling we have in the papers of raids everywhere, and overwhelming forces of the enemy confronting us at all points, is, I candidly believe, part of the plan to raise volunteers. It certainly is one grand humbug as far as this field is concerned. Every officer here that knows anything about the condition of the enemy, their positions and numbers, believes that if our army were concentrated and set at the work, we could clear out all the enemy south of this and west of Georgia in a short two months. The soldiers are all anxious to begin, all tired of inaction, all clamoring for the war to be ended by a vigorous campaign, we running our chances of being whipped by the enemy, instead of waiting until next spring, and then being forced by bankruptcy to abandon our work. The way we are scattered in this country now the enemy can take 1,000 or 2,000 of us just any morning they may feel so disposed, and their not doing it lowers them wonderfully in my opinion. There are about 6,000 of us stationed at nine points along 75 miles of railroad, and there is no point that 4,000 men could not reach and attack, and take before assistance could be afforded. But the Rebels don't show any more dash or spirit than we do, so we all rest perfectly easy in our weakness, confiding in their lack of vim, which we gauge by our own. A line drawn through Fulton, Miss., Warrenton, Ala. and thence to Rome, Ga. (at which last place we think the enemy are concentrating) will give you the route over which the enemy are now moving in considerable bodies, while whole brigades of their numerous cavalry pass nearer us, through Newburg, Moulton and Somerville, Ala. ’Twould be so easy for them to detach a division and send it up to this line of road. Buell, with a very respectable force, is near Stephenson in northeastern Alabama moving so slowly that no one can tell in which direction. I wish they'd give Grant the full control of the strings. He would be sure to have somebody whipped, and I'd rather ’twould be us than live much longer in this inactivity. People are most outrageously secesh here, generally, although there are said to be some settlements very Union. I saw two men yesterday who were raising the 1st Union Alabama Regiment. They have two full companies they say, but I'll never believe it until I see the men in blue jackets. This is the most beautiful valley that I ever saw. It lies between the Tennessee river and a spur of the Cumberland mountains, which are craggy and rough, and rocky enough to disgust an Illinoisan after a very short ride over and among them. Howwever, they form a beautiful background for the valley, and are very valuable in their hiding places for the guerrillas who infest them, and sally out every night to maraud, interfere with our management of this railroad and to impress what few able bodied butternuts there are left in their homes. They either cut the wires or tear up a little road track for us every night. We have guards too strong for them at every culvert, bridge and trestle. This country was entirely out of gold and silver until our cotton buyers came in with the army, and every man of money had his little 5-cent, 50-cent, etc., notes of his own for change. Mitchell's men counterfeited some of them and passed thousands of dollars of their bogus on the natives. I send you a couple of samples of what is known here as Mitchell money. The man I got these of had been fooled with over $20 of it. The boys couldn't get the proper vignette so, as you will observe, they used advertising cuts of cabinet warehouses and restaurants. Many of our men have passed Mustang Liniment advertisements on the people, and anything of the kind is eagerly taken if you tell them it is their money; of course I refer to the poor country people, who, if they can read, don't show their learning. This man with $20, like that which I send you, is a sharp, shrewd-looking hotel keeper. His house is larger than the “Peoria House.” General Morgan, who is in command of the infantry here, is a fine man, but lacks vim or something else. He isn't at all positive or energetic. The weather still continues delightful. I have’nt used any linen clothing yet, although I believe there is some in my trunk. We ride down to the Tennessee river every night and bathe, and 'tis so delightful. I don't believe anybody ever had a nicer place than I have, or less reason to be dissatisfied. Well, I do enjoy it; but don't think I'd worry one minute if sent back to my regiment or further back to my old place in the 8th. I believe I have the happy faculty of accommodating myself to cirumstances, and of grumbling at and enjoying everything as it comes. I am still desperately “out” with these secesh, but borrow books from them to while away my spare time. These people, safe in the knowledge of our conciliatory principles, talk their seceshism as boldly as they do in Richmond. Many of our officers have given up all hope of our conquering them and really wish for peace. For myself, I know its a huge thing we have on our hands, but I believe I'd rather see the whole country red with blood, and ruined together than have this 7,000,000 of invalids (these Southerners are nothing else as a people) conquer, or successfully resist the power of the North. I hate them now, as they hate us. I have no idea that we'll ever be one nation, even if we conquer their armies. The feeling is too deep on both sides, for anything but extermination of one or the other of the two parties to cure, and of the two, think the world and civilization will lose the least by losing the South and slavery.

SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, p. 119-121

New Counterfeits

PHILADELPHIA, May 8.

Well executed $100 notes on the Alleghany Bank of Pittsburg, are being pushed on the brokers to-day.  One party has been arrested.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1

Another Fight Expected in Arkansas

ST. LOUIS, April 10. – The Republican’s correspondent with Gen. Curtis says: From facts learned in camp, another battle between the Federal and Rebel armies in that direction is not at all improbable, and that within a short period.

Two hauls of counterfeits were made here yesterday, and $100,000 in bogus U. S. Treasury notes and $10,000 on the State Bank of Indiana, together will a complete set of engraver’s tools, plates, presses, &c., have been captured.  The guilty parties were also arrested.  The bills are well executed and calculated to deceive the best judges.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 3

A Military Bank Robbery

A very adroit bank robbery was recently effected in St. Louis by a young rogue belonging to the 3rd Missouri volunteers.  It was effected in broad daylight.  Below is a protion of the statement of the young robber which shows how it was done:

OFFICE OF PROVOST MARSHAL,

ST. LOUIS, March 29, 1862.

I was born in St. Louis county; will be sixteen years old in May next.  I joined company H, Third Missouri Volunteers, in this city on the 4th inst., and went to Rolla soon afterwards. – On the 20th instant I arrived in this city from Rolla as one of an escort of prisoners of war – escort and prisoners being in charge of Colonel Shepherd, of said regiment.  On the 24th inst., I went to the office of Capt. Leighton (Provost Marshal St. Louis District,) and reported that a cavalry sabre was in possession of one Kuester, living on the Bellefontaine road, six miles from the city.  When I made this report I expected Capt. Leighton (Provost Marshal,) would give me authority to take the sabre, but I was merely informed that the matter would be properly attended to.  On the next day I went to the headquarters of the Eighth Missouri Militia, on Fifth street, near Franklin avenue; said I had been sent by the Provost Marshal to get a guard of five or six men.  The officer in charge gave me five men, and I went with them to the house of Keuster and got the sabre.  On going out I marched the guard to the terminus of the railroad at Bremen, and then took possession of an omnibus, telling the driver to take myself and the guard to the six mile house, on assuring him that the fare would be all right between him and Uncle Sam.  The driver did not object to the terms which I proposed.  After leaving Kuester’s I went to the premises of Col. McLaren and took therefrom a breach loading rifle, a musket, a shot gun, a navy revolver, and a few cartridges.  I then went to the house of John Jennings, and took from a box that I found therein about a dollar in silver.  Not finding any arms in Jennings’ house, in which I was very much disappointed, I directed him to send his wagon with myself and guard to the Six Mile House, which order he complied with.  The money which I obtained from Jennings was barely sufficient to pay the fare of the guard from the six mile house to the city.  I discharged the guard on the sidewalk in front of an eating house on Broadway, kept by on Crozier, sending it to headquarters on Fifth street under the care of one of them, whom I told to act as corporal. – The arms taken in this expedition were deposited by me for safe keeping in Crozier’s establishment.

On the next night between seven and eight o’clock, I proceeded to the headquarters of the City Guard, on Sixth street, and called for a guard of six men, and the same time presenting to Major McConnell an order purporting to have been written by Captain Leighten, Provost Marshal.  I wrote the order in an eating house on Broadway by Miller & True.  As I was quite nervous from the effects of liquor, I could not write very well, and asked Miller to write the order, but True said: “No, if you can do that it will get you and me into trouble; but Redman may write it here, and I will not say anything about it.”  I told True that I was going to get a guard and arrest the proprietors of the Broadway Bank, and that I would soon have money enough to go into partnership with him, to which he replied, “Bully for you; if you do, I will stick to you as long as life lasts.”  Both Miller and True had a pretty good idea of the adventure, although I had not given them the full particulars.  My intentions were, in case I obtained the guard, to rob the bank and arrest the proprietors that night.  Major McConnell refused to give me the guard, and I returned to Miller and True’s eating house, and stayed there that night.  Before retiring for the night, I told True to call me early in the morning, as I intended to arrest the proprietors of the above named bank, and he said he would do so.

An an early hour on Thursday morning, I went to the headquarters of the City Guard, and presented to the Lieutenant in charge another order purporting to be from Captain Leighton, for a guard of six men.  The Lieutenant said the order was not good and refused to place the guard under my charge.  I then went to Benton Barracks, and after a few judicious inquiries, learned that a German company attached to the Seventeenth Wisconsin Volunteers, was stationed in Barrack No. 68; so I informed myself of the Captain’s name and went to his quarters, and told him that I had been sent to him by the Provost Marshal for a guard of six men.  He said it was strange that I had not brought a written order, but gave me the guard quite readily.  My idea was that I could get the guard more surely from a German than from an American officer and the result showed that I had reasoned correctly.  Upon getting the guard I marched them to the Broadway Bank, arrested the proprietor thereof, and sent him under guard to the Broadway Garden; after which, finding I could not unlock the safe – it having a combination lock – I went to the Garden and told him he must come down and open the safe, as I had orders to see that all his papers were thoroughly searched.  He came down to the bank with me and opened the safe, and then I sent him back to the Garden, giving directions to have him kept in close custody until further orders were received from me.  After his departure I went to the safe and helped myself to quite a large amount of money – the exact sum I do not know.  I then locked the door of the Bank and gave the key to a sentinel which I had previously stationed on the sidewalk for the purpose of keeping the crowd back, telling him to deliver it to the sergeant of the guard, and to tell the sergeant not to let any one have it except myself or a commissioned officer.  I also gave the sentinel a ten dollar bill and told him to hand it to the sergeant of the guard, and have it spent for the benefit of the guard in the way of paying for beer and food.  I had previously paid the sergeant a dollar or two to pay the fare of the guard and that of my prisoner from the Bank to the Garden.

Upon leaving the Bank I stated to the crowd in front of the door that I had seized a quantity of counterfeit Treasury notes, and was going to take them to the office of the Provost Marshal, but I immediately started in search of a man named Jerry Welch, (who had previously been introduced to me by the name of Wetzel,) whom I found on Fifth Street, near the Melodeon.  We stepped into an alley, and I told him what I had done.  He said, “Bully for you; you have carried the thing out better than I have ever heard of anything being done before.”  I then gave him part of the money which I had taken from the Bank, and told him that I had two others to divide with.  I do not know how much I gave him.  I then divided with Miller and True, but do not know what sums I gave them respectively.  My opinion is that Miller got more of the money than True did.  I kept only a comparatively small amount.  The understanding was that Miller and True were to meet me in Chicago, where I intended to go the day following the robbery.

The idea of getting money from the Broadway Bank was original with me, but I spoke of it to Welch, Miller and True, and they encouraged it.  I told Welch that I thought of bringing a charge against the proprietors of the Bank, and have it investigated by the Provost Marshal.  Pending the examination, I expected to find time and opportunity to rob the Bank.  Welch said that scheme would not work, and advised me to get a guard and arrest the banker, and have him confined in some place where there were no commissioned officers.

The Broadway Garden being the only suitable place that I knew of, I selected it as a temporary prison for the banker, and expected he would remain there in confinement at least twenty-four hours.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 5, 1862, p. 2

New Counterfeits

A new elegantly executed counterfeit on the Bank of America, New York City, has just made its appearance and were shoved quite extensively in the city last night.

5s, in centre a female seated with a spread eagle, a shield on which is ‘E Pluribus Unum.”  The bill is printed in blue with bright red ends.  Large 5 on right end, and V on left.  Signatures engraved.  It is a facsimilie [sic] of the genuine, and would deceive good judges.  Refuse all 5s on this bank.

Look out, also, for 5s on the Bull’s Head Bank, New York.  They are an exact imitation of the genuine – [illegible] a man buying a paper of a news boy.

The following banks have been thrown out by some of the bankers here, and are looked upon with suspicion: Real Estate Bank, Delaware Consolidation Bank, Philadelphia –{McElroy’s Chicago Bank Note Reporter.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 31, 1862, p. 1

ST. LOUIS, [April] 10 [1862].

The Republican correspondent with Gen. Curtis says, from facts learned in camp, another battle between federal and rebel army in that direction is not all that improbable, and that within a short period.

Two counterfeit establishments were overhauled here, at St. Louis, yesterday, and $1000,000 in United States Treasury notes, $10,000 on the State Bank of Indiana, together with complete sets of engraving tools, plates, presses, &c., have been captured, and the guilty parties arrested.  The bills are well executed and calculated to deceive the best judges.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, April 12, 1862, p. 1

Iowa Items

The Muscatine Journal thinks that town pays an excellent price for an awfully poor article of gas.  $4.50 is the figures [sic] paid, while “A cat’s eyes” would make a good illuminator.  Bad state of affairs for our neighbors.

The Nonpareil says that Broadway street, Council Bluffs, is now navigable for small craft – mud fourteen inches in the channel and rising.

The McGregor Times says that the northern communities of Iowa will export through McGregor during the year, products to the value of six million dollars! and in return will purchase supplies to very near the same amount.

The Keokuk Constitution says that the 17^th regiment now at that city, has received its colors, descriptive and pay rolls, army regulations, &c., for the entire regiment.  Col. Rankin has been advised that his regiment as soon as organized, would be ordered to St. Louis and armed.

The Ottumwa Courier says that a Dr. Stark, who formerly resided in Wapello county, and was always very much enamored of the lovely system of slavery, at the breaking out of the war traded his farm for one in a northern county of Missouri.  When he arrived there, he and his son began to broach their secessionism among their neighbors.  It happened, however, that they had fallen among Union men, and a Minnie ball put a finale to the son’s treason, while the old man was notified that his gray hairs alone saved him from a similar fate, and was notified to leave the neighborhood, which he did.

FATAL ACCIDENT. – A portion of a train on the C. I. & N. RR. was thrown from the track on the 29^th ult., caused by a defective tie, producing the instant death of Mr. William Haney, of Clinton, a brakeman, who was thrown from the top of one of the cars and instantly crushed to death.

A deck-hand fell from the Hawkeye State at Keokuk, last Wednesday, and was drowned.  His name was not ascertained.

A. Ingalls, of Independence, Buchanan Co., has invented within the past two years a tire heater, corn husker, rat trap, iron upsetter, evaporator, can crusher, rotary harrow and seed sower.

The Burlington Hawkeye says that a man named John Duling was arrested on Saturday for passing a counterfeit bill on the State Bank of Iowa.  Upon searching him fifty dollars more of the same sort of currency were found on his person.

The river is three miles wide at Burlington, and still rising at the rate of a foot per day.  The Hawkeye says that the ferry boat now runs through the woods and over cultivated fields to Oquawka junction, a distance of seven miles!

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 9, 1862, p. 2

Counterfeiting Rebel Treasury Notes

The Washington correspondent of the Philadelphia Inquirer says:

A few days ago the Government detectives found that an ingenious Yankee was printing a large amount of rebel treasury notes, of different amounts, mostly, however, of large denominations.  They arranged a time, and made a descent upon the “Yank,” when he was surrounded with all his Confederates, papers, &c.  He seemed surprised at the appearance of the officers, but quietly went with them.  He said he was engaged in crippling the rebel treasury, and thought it very strange he should be molested, as he thought that was their weakest point.  “How is this?” asked the astonished officer.  “You see” said the Yank,” “these are better than the original article; the originals are worthless; they are unauthorized by law; so I am not counterfeiting.  I have not attempted to pass them for money, and really cannot see how I am doing wrong.”  “Ah!” said the detective, “of course you were not going to pass them, but you are going to furnish them to the enemy.”

The “Yank” then owned up that he was sending them down to flood the South, and destroy the confidence of the people, when they suddenly found the whole country flooded with a spurious issue, and their only circulation rendered worthless.  An investigation showed that he had really sent several hundred thousand dollars through the South, via Tennessee, and sold them at from thirty to fifty cents on the dollar.  The case was duly reported to Secretary Seward, the whole apparatus seized and the man allowed to go on his parole for the present.  The Secretary frankly admits that this is the toughest case he has met during the war, and he forthwith turned it over to the Secretary of War, who has not yet concluded what to do with the case.  Samples of genuine and bogus are here, and it is freely admitted that the “yank” has got up a superior article, which is very difficult to detect.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, March 18, 1862, p. 2

Counterfeit Treasury Notes

NEW YORK, March 1.

Counterfeit five dollar treasury notes made their appearance in this city yesterday.  They are excellent imitations of the genuine, but they can be detected.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, March 3, 1862, p. 1

The Cincinnati Commercial of Monday says . . .

. . . several persons have been arrested within a day or two past, for offering and passing the counterfeit 1s of the State Bank of Indiana in that city.  There is need of caution, as the bills are calculated to deceive all ordinary observers.  In the engraving and quality of the paper, the counterfeits are heavier and courser than the genuine.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, February 15, 1862, p. 2

A new counterfeit $3 note . . .

. . . State Bank of Ohio, Piqua Branch, has just made its appearance. They are easily detected. The word “Prest.” Is badly printed, being nearly one third larger than on the genuine notes. The counterfeit is intended to be a fac simile of the genuine.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport Iowa, Friday Morning, April 25, 1862, p. 2

Late Southern News

The Richmond Examiner’s Charleston correspondent, under date of the 30th ult., writes as follows:

Since the drawn battle between the Monitor and Virginia, we have made up our minds that the strength of the batteries of Fort Sumter will, within the next three months, be tested by half a score of iron-sheathed monsters. We are now doing something to get ready fro them. The gunboat fever, just now so universal among the unconquerable women of the South, seems to have awakened the Navy Department from its torpor. What is now being done at the eleventh hour, by the orders of the government, should have been done twelve months ago. Since the cumbersome floating battery, intended for the reduction of Fort Sumter, was launched, our ship carpenters, as far as war vessels are concerned, have been absolutely idle, though their services could at any have been secured by the Confederacy. But the past is past, and we must all put our shoulders to the wheel for the future.

The Norfolk Day book of the 4th inst. has the following interesting item, which may be taken for what is worth:

We have a pretty strong hint that pilots acquainted with the various harbors along the Northern seaboard will speedily be in great demand, and that their services will be handsomely remunerated. It is unnecessary for us of course to say more than this, as those, interested will easily find out where to apply for further information. As the weather is getting warm, possibly some of our Southern friends intend to get up a few pic-nic excursions to a little colder climate, and it may be that they need the services of the above pilots.

The Richmond Examiner says:

The Hon. William M. Gwin, of California, who was arrested in New York some months ago and carried to Washington by Lincoln’s minions, but afterwards released, also arrive in this city yesterday, and is stopping at the Spottswood Hotel. Dr. Gwin came from Maryland by the underground railroad. He states that the Yankees intend exhausting every means to crush out the so-called “rebellion” by the first of May. The number of mechanics in the workshops of the North has been doubled, and they are now working day and night turning out iron for gunboats, as the north believes them to be their only salvation.

The same paper says:

It is suggested that Congress will take measures to check the evils which are becoming quite perceptible from the large issue of Treasury notes, and will provide adequate means for absorbing the currency. We learn that the expenditures of the Government are at the rate of two or three millions a day, and that there is a weekly addition of that sum to the currency. We here it recommended that Congress should make all future issues of Treasury notes bear interest.

All the Generals of our army of the Mississippi are now at Corinth, including Beauregard, Sidney Johnson [sic], Bragg, Polk, Crittenden, Gladden, Ruggles, Carroll, and Kirby Smith. Gen. Jackson, of Georgia is in command at Corinth.

The Richmond Examiner of April 4 contains a leading article urging the execution of the full sentence of the law upon several persons convicted of counterfeiting rebel treasury notes. – That penalty, says the examiner, is hanging by the neck until they are dead.

The Richmond Dispatch, of the 31st, announces that it is the purpose of the Provost Marshal to interpose and regulate the prices of provisions, &c., in the markets of Richmond.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Thursday, April 17, 1862 & the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 19, 1862

Broken Up

St. Louis, April 10. – The police of this city yesterday broke up an extensive counterfeiting establishment; seized about twenty five thousand dollars bogus U. S. Treasury notes, and some 10,000 dollars counterfeit notes on State Bank of Indiana, together with eleven banknote plates, and an assortment of materials used by bank note engravers.

An adroit counterfeit note engraver named Harvey Walter alias Hill, and a number of suspicious characters residing here, all known to have been heretofore engaged in the sale or passing of counterfeit bills, were arrested.

– Published in the Burlington Daily Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, April 12, 1862