Kemp to Colonel W. Ermatterger and Eleazer Clarke, April 4, 1865

Mr. Kemp to Lieutenant Colonel Ermatiargur and Mr. Clarke

General: I have the honor to report, in accordance with instructions, that on the 25th of March last I proceeded to ——, in the county of Carleton, Upper Canada, to confer with Mr. —— on the subject of the raid said to have been in progress of organization at Amprior or a descent upon Ogdensburg and Rochester, in the State of New York.

The honorable T. F. Potter, consul general of the United States of America, furnished me with the copy of a letter from —— to the Hon. W. H. Seward, Secretary of State of the United States of America, and copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State, Mr. Seward, to Consul General Mr. Potter. Mr. Potter gave me a letter of introduction to Mr. ——. After interview with Mr. —— I then proceeded to investigate the matter of the contemplated raid. Mr. —— gave me a statement in his handwriting, which I hereunto annex, marked A. I then made arrangements with him to go to Amprior on Saturday, the 1st April, instant. I then returned to Montreal, and reported that from all appearance there might possibly be some truth in the projected raid. On Thursday, March 30 last, I received a telegraph from the said ——, intimating to me to await a letter he had sent by mail. Having received no letter from him, as intimated to me, I left Montreal for Amprior on Friday, the 31 st of March last, and on my arrival at the station, as it had been previously agreed upon, I there met with ——. I should say that from the appearance of ——, I am satisfied that he did not expect me.

I then proceeded to Amprior with him. After the interview with John R. Fitzsimmons, he (Fitzsimmons) made the statement hereunto annexed, marked B, which was written by ——.

Since my return to Montreal I have received a letter from ——, of which I subjoin a copy.

From the information I have been able to gather, I have great reason to doubt the truth of the statement made by ——, who, I learn, is not a reliable person.

What —— said of Goodall with reference to his having been paymaster to the refugees was greatly exaggerated. All Goodall ever paid, I find, was $5 to one McFayden, to meet him at Kingston, at one Jobnson’s, whenever hewould write to himtocome there; but he never wrote, and of course McFayden did not go. —— statement with regard to the Rev. O. S. Hackett is also very unreliable, for I ascertained that that gentleman had no relations with Goodall whatever. On the whole, I do not see that any credence should be given —— to statements.

——, Fitzsimmons, and McFayden are spoken of, from all I could learn, as three persons of the worst possible character; and I would add that —— was looked upon in his neighborhood as a troublesome and dangerous person—so much so, that having lately given great offence, he was, on the 1st of March, tarred and feathered.

I sincerely believe that in giving information as to the meditated raid, he expected to bring the parties he suspected of having maltreated him to trouble and annoyance, and hoped besides to obtain favors and some notoriety.

The whole respectfully submitted: