DIX'S  FAMOUS  OKDER


399


DIX'S  FAMOUS  ORDER


.  Diz's  Famous  Order.  Early,  in  January,
1861,  John  A.  Dix  was  made  Secretary  of  the
Treasury.  He  found  the  department  in  a
wretched  condition,  and  proceeded  with  energy
in  the  administration  of  it.     Hearing  of  the


Mobile  and  New  Orleans.  ^  He  foand  the-Xeirui
Cms  in  the  hands  of  the  insnigeutst, at  Mobile.
The  Eobert  McClelland,,  at  I7ew  Orleans,  was  iu
command  of  Captain  J.  G.  Breshwood,  of  the
navy.     Jones  gave  the  captain  an  order  fh>m


^1


GfiKKtUl  DIX'a  PAKOUS  ORDBB.
tendency  In  the  slave-labor  states  to  seize  Unit-
ed States  property  within  their  borders,  he  sent
a  special  agent  of  his  department  (  Hemphill
Jones)  to  secure  for  service  revenue  cutters  at


Dlx  to  sail  to  the  North.  Breshwood  absolute-
ly refused  to  obey  the  order.  This  fact  Jones
made  known,  by  telegraph,  to  Dix,  and  added
that  the  collector  at  New  Orleans  (Hatch)  bus-


DIXIE


400


DOMESTIC  SLAVE-TRADE


^(lined  the  rebellions  captain.  Diz  instantly
telegraphed  back,  "Tell  Lieut.  Caldwell  to  ar-
rest Capt.  Bresliwood,  assume  command  of  tbe
cutter,  and  obey  tbe  order  I  gave  through  you.
If  Capt.  Bresliwood,  after  arrest,  undertakes  to
iuterfere  with  the  command  of  the  cntter,  tell
Lieut.  Caldwell  to  consider  him  as  a  mutineer
and  treat  him  accordingly.  If  anyone  attempts
to  haul  doton  the  Ameii£aH  flag,  shoot  him  on  the
spot."  The  Secessionists  in  New  Orleans  liad
possession  of  tlie  telegraph,  and  did  not  allow
this  despatch  to  pass,  and  the  McClelland,  was
handed  over  to  the  authorities  of  Louisiana.
As  Secretary  Dix's  order  was  flashed  over  the
land  it  thrilled  every  heart  with  hope  that  the
temporizing  policy  of  the  administration  had
ended.  The  loyal  people  rejoiced,  and  a  small
medal  was  struck  by  private  hands  commemo-


DIX  ICEDAL.
