The appearance of Vallandigham, of Ohio, simultaneously with
Morgan's raid in Kentucky, fully confirms the matter made
known to me through General Lindsey, by you.

The defeat of Morgan has frustrated their movements for the
present, but vigilance in the future must still guard us
against the machinations of evil doers.

Yours truly,
THOMAS E. BRAMLETTE."

Arms for the Sons of Liberty were seized in Indianapolis and New York,
and at many other places. The organization was said to have a membership
of one million members, all bound, by oath, to sustain the Southern
Confederacy.

In many instances, to outward appearances, they were merely social or
political clubs that could be attended by the unsuspecting, when they
were not in executive session.

The draft riots, hotel burnings, attempts to destroy our water supply,
and kindred work, down to and including the assassination conspiracy,
are all to be charged to the Sons of Liberty. They are also to be
charged with the presidential election fraud of 1864. Its virus
permeated all. No man has ever admitted being a member of it.

And Governor Seymour was expected to be its "bell wether" in the
disruption movement. Evidently his nerve failed him. The riots in New
York probably demonstrated to him that real war is real h----l, and it
scared him. I do not assume that any considerable portion of the
Confederates were members of either of the secret societies; soldiers
are seldom conspirators.

There were characters in the Confederate service whom a Union man could
well admire: Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, Alexander H. Stevens and others,
but there should be contempt only for men who, while holding office
under the protecting arm of a magnanimous government, bent every nerve
to trip up their benefactor.

Uncle Burdette's service was exclusively with troops. First with the
90th Regiment at Key West (Graham has yet a bottled scorpion that he
sent home from there, found in his sleeping blanket), then with the 16th
Cavalry in Virginia, and finally with the 162d Regiment in the assault
on Port Hudson. He was also with the Banks Red River expedition. No
better man ever straddled a horse; he could have acquitted himself as a
champion "bronco buster."

The following incident belongs right here:

Headquarters, Fort McHenry, Md.,
Sept. 18th, 1863.

Special Order No. 190.

Lieut. H. B. Smith, of Co. D, 5th N. Y. A