The Confederate secretary of war, James Seddon, decided to issue rules that "passenger vessels of citizens of the United States on the high seas and private property on the water and [on] railroads or within the territory of the United States ... not be subject of operations." But he added, "The public property of the enemy may be destroyed wherever it may be found." Seddon hired up to 25 secret agents to place torpedoes and explosives wherever they could across the Confederacy.