Doolittle), a definite plan for the attack of Camp Douglas. Doolittle told
how the camp was situated, and that it was accessible on two sides; that
guns were in position on only one side, and the west side was referred to
by him as being the weakest; he spoke of the common board fence which
formed the enclosure, and of the ease with which the camp could be taken,
and the vast importance of liberating the prisoners the first thing upon
an uprising. The speech of Doolittle was variously received; many of the
members were much interested; others who were in the higher degrees of the
order were vexed beyond measure that Doolittle should be so stupid as to
proclaim, in this public manner, a matter which really belonged to higher
degrees of the organization to decide. One of the number, James Geary, a
second-hand clothes dealer and broker on Wells street, who will receive
further mention by and by, became so much incensed that he ordered Mr.
Doolittle to his seat, declaring, with an oath, that Doolittle was telling
too much.

At a meeting about this time, several of the members spoke upon the
subject of releasing the prisoners at Camp Douglas. A map of Camp Douglas
was exhibited by an individual present, who seemed to be a soldier. The
map was a fine piece of work and had been made by a hand accustomed to
such labor. Upon this map the precise position of the various departments,
headquarters, cannon, &c., were laid down. There could be no shadow of
doubt in the mind of any man not stupefied with whiskey, and possessed of
common sense, that the details of the attack had been carefully considered
by those who were most interested in leading it on.

It had for some time been the policy of the Sons of Liberty to unite with
the Invincible Democratic Club and the various McClellan escorts in the
city and elsewhere, and seek to become its officers, that in case of an
outbreak it would be far better to be the controlling power, than to be