William H. Seward to Bradford R. Wood, November 18, 1862

Mr. Seward to Mr. Wood

Sir: Mr. Leas, late consul at Stockholm, writes on the 29th of October from Hamburg, that some disloyal citizens of the United States passed through that city three days before, on their way to Denmark and Sweden, on some unknown political errand. Mr. Leas apprehends their object to be the purchase of cannon. You will be expected to set the American consuls on their guard, and to do whatever can lawfully and properly be done to discover and counteract their pernicious designs at Copenhagen.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,