Andrews raiders : or, The last scenes and the final chapter of the daring incursion into the heart of the Confederacy / compiled and published by Frank Moody Gregg

ANDREWS RAIDERS,
OR
THE LAST SCENES
AND
WB.& FIDHIi (2HH1PTSR
OF THE
DARING INCURSION
INTO THE
.HEART OF THE CONFEDERACY.
COMPILED AND PUBLISHED BY FRANK M. QBB3O.
BEPUBL.ICAN JOB PRINT:
CUATTANOOBA, TEXT,

EXDORSEAIEXT
OF THE
ANDREWS RAIDERS MONUMENT COMMITTEE.

CUTTAXOOGA, TENS., May 19, 1S91.
Mi: Frank J/. Grfffff,
DEAR SIR: The Andrews Monument Committee, composed of Messrs. A. J. Gahagan, commanding Department of Tennessee G. A. R., chairman; C. W. Norwood, Commander Mission Ridge Post, Xo. 4o, sectetary; G. W. Patten, Commander Lookout PoH, Xo 2; C. F. Alulfer, Past Department Commander; H. B. Case, Dept. A. A. General; John Trindle, Past Commander Post Xo. 45; .R. B. Hillas, Post Xo. 2, having attentively listened to the reading of the manuscript for your proposed pamphlet of hitherto unpublished data concerning the famous Audews Railroad Raiders, unanimously endorse the same as a production of true merit, bearing evidence of painstaking research and faithful adherence to truthfulness of detail which will make of it an indispensable closing chapter in the history of one of the greatest events in the late Civil War, and this committee finds pleasure in commending yonr pamphlet to the notice of all who admire and appreciate true valor and patriotism. In behalf of this committee and personally, I have the honor to be, sir,
Your sincere friend and well wither, C. \V. NORWOOD, Secretary.
AX DREW J. GArUGAX, Chairman of he Committee.

CHATTANOOGA, TESN , May 19,1S91.

The foregoing indorsement is heartily approved, and Mr. Greggs production is earnestly recommended to every comrade of the Grand

Army of the Republic in this Department. By order of AXDREW J. GAHAGAN,

Official: HALBERT B. CASE. Assistant Adjutant General.

Department Commander, .

LIBRARY
f o*ai

PREFACE.
YTTHE writer presents this pamphlet to the public not as a -*- child of his imagination, nor a gem of literature; but an epitome of the perilous raid, supplying the last scene and final chapter of the Andrews Expedition. As such, he does not apologize for quoting narratives of the partici pants, nor using the addresses of the different orators in full, since these are necessary and essential to fulfil the only reasons this work has for existence. And if the facts given . are not of interest to the reader, he must bear with the com piler, and find fault with the brave men who performed them surrounded by dangers on all sides.
At this period, when versatile imagination enters so largely into matter given the world, it is necessary to give ones source of information to the public, that it may give full credence to his work, which has caused care and patience to produce. For this purpose the writer begs the attention of the reader to narrate the authenticity of this little volume, by enumerating the names of those who are responsible for what it contains in its pages.
Tom Klepper resides at the head of Battle Creek Cove, near the old homestead. At Jasper, fourteen miles away was seen Jesse Hatch, who was in the store at that place when four of the raiders stopped; Billy Griffin the store keeper, and Maj. T. P. Rankin. A short distance from Jasper was seen Mrs. \Vm. Hall, daughter-in-law of Widow Hall, at whose house Andrews stayed all night April loth. Captain Williams saw them as Ihey came by next day go ing to Chattanooga. Gen. William I. Stand!fer met them

6

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

as they landed at the latter place. The former was seen at Williams Island, below Chattanooga; the latter at his; home, forty miles across the mountains in Marion County. On the capture of the engine and race the writer received much information from "Daring and Suffering," a book published by Rev. Win. Pittenger, a survivor of the raid; the pursuit is given as told by Messrs. Fuller, Murphy and Smith, all of whom were on the "Texas." Captain Whitsitt, who first began the pursuit, and Captain Hackett, who continued it to Rossville Gap, were seen at their homes at Ringgold, Ga., and Dr. Parks, captor of Andrews, told his story at his residence in ot. Elmo, a suburb of Chattanooga. Dr. Davis, the Mason with whom Ross talked, is a physician at Cole City, Ga.; to him the writer is indebted for the ac curate location of the scene of Andrews first capture, which has never changed to this day. Much information was received from James Edwards, the Lieutenant who con ducted the Andrews party to General Led better; Mose Wells, who went out on the train sent out from Chatta. nooga to head the raiders oft", and Billy Lewis, in whose shop Andrews shackles were made.

In Atlanta was seen Rev. J. W. Scott, who was An

drews adviser a this execution; who also was delegated to tell

the seven comrades who were hanged afterward of their

fate; also Mr. Washbttrn, who pointed out Andrews tomb

to the party who exhumed the remains, he going with the

writer and pointing out the location. Matter on monument

was received, by correspondence from Stephen B. Porter, of-

Columbus, Ohio. It is from these sources the succeeding

pages were compiled, and are submitted to the public as

throwing additional light on this remarkable raid into

Georgia, which threatened to change the whole phase of

the late civil war.

FRANK M. GREGG.

CHAPTER I.
MPOKTAXCE OP RAILWAYS TO SOlTi:i:RS CONFEDERACY SECOXD LINE
OF DEFF.XCE ADOITKI> BY CONFKDBiJATE AltV.IES fHATTAJTOOOA.
THE KEY ITS OCCCPATfOX POS.-Ti:r.R TlfKOlVjrt I>ESTKL"CTrOJf OP
W. <fc A. ANDREWS FIUST RAID CONTKXTlNti --nCOSO* WITH GEN.
MITCHEL OX THE WAY ?OlTHWARI>.
Circuinstancfs, resuKin<; from tlio cosi-nt force of a supreme power, enter into the poliucal world, control, form nml snide the acts of men to a. certain point, on which all events 10 come are centered, and their suc cess de[>end- o" ;.ls maintenance
Circumstances had so formed the m -rtial sphere of rebellion in 1SG162 in the United States iSi.v. the ;;rfrat arteries of existence which held the Confederate States to-jet her parsed through the lines of railways that connected the Bust wiih the \Ve.-t and supplied each s : ction of the Scuth with conHdente, vi^or and jirovUions, especially by means of a road run ning through .he central South. Circumstances had so formed e.ents t- at the Western & Atlantic railroad was the salient point; the cian who grasped the situation xvns James .T. Andrews, whether in its extensive sense or not; whether his success would have been followed up with a<jjtjrcssive movetucrts or not, the fact still stands that his expedition would have c\nggirA the life-giving arteries of rebellion and the great oppor tunity would have presented itself to have brought to a close the loss ot life and blood which were given so freely in the succeeding years of the-war.
There conies a time in a great battle when the energies of both ar mies are failing; exhausted they w*tch each other as famished lions. This is the important point of the contest; all points of the conflict have brought it to this supreme moment; a bold, fearless leader springs to the front, leads the attack and sweeps over the field of contest a victor. Who won Wagraci? AlacDonald. Napoleon was there. Kapoleon made the crUis visible: JM;cDnnad saw it, and inspiring his men by his conduct, led his column against the Austrian center; if one of the

O

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

thousand missiles that filled the air around him had penetrated his brain, the coltimu would have been utragelers. One man won Wagram by seeing and grasping the focus of events. In fields of martial glory one mnn thus plays an active part, not by physical force, but by his executive power, which is the window of opportunities. In the field of war force is met with force, while in the homes of the people, far from the borders of war, where suspicion has never been aroused, distance lends security, and all is quiet; diflerent methods must be used to seize a point; deception, artifice and promptness must be required ; the means, though different, if pregnant with great results for the cause they serve, call orth the applause and admiration as thoroughly as the conqueror of a battle-field.
The Andrews Raiders would not deserve our attention as they used their many deceptions in penetrating so far into the enemys lines, if they had returned in the same manner; their hardihood in going so far from assistance, arousing a passive people into a frenzy of fury with so many conflicting circumstances, the least of which meant failure and a prison cell; the daring nature of the expedition, and the success it carried with it, if they returned, makes it a heroic episode of the conflict, although a part of it; yet it will separate itself from the maze of events as time blend? them into a whole, standing by itself, and shall be told as an ad venture; having the boldness of the age of chivalry in conception, the audacity of man ID carrying it out, and bravery of purpose which made it sublime.
The position of the Confedera*e armies had changed in the spring of (>2 from a defensive line from Richmond, Va., through Cumberland Gap, thence for nearly 300 miles along through Bowling Green to Columbii*, Kentucky; this had been disjointed by Gen. Geo. Morgan driving General Xollicoffer from Cumberland Gap, and the aggressive movement of General Grant ending in the capitulation of Forts Donaldson and and Henry. KM)ling back, a second line was formed from Memphis, Tenn., through Corinth, Miss, Knoxville, Tenn., to Richmond, Va. The force? of the Confederacy were divided into two armies, the Army of Mississippi, under Gens. G. T. Beauregard and Johnston at Corinth, and the Army of Virginia, under Gen. Joe. E. Johnston at Richmond. The only means of communication between these armies was over the lines of railroads running from Corinth to Chattanooga, Tenn.,over the Memphis & Charleston railroad, ihence by way of the East Tennessee, Virginia A Georgia railroad through Knoxvillp, Tenn., to Richmond, Va. Intersect ing this at ri^ht angles at Chattanooga, Tenn., was the Western & At-

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

9

lantic railroad, giving it direct communication with nil parts of the South, striking into the store-house of the Confederacy, which was the basis of supplies at this time, as it proved to be two years afterward to the Confederate forces. Confronting the Array of Mi=i>ippi were the combined forces of Bnell and Oranr. At the other end of the line was McClellan with an overwhelming force. This great pathway of iron was kept busy hurrying supplies, provisions and reinforcements to both ends. Jt was absolutely nececsarv to their existence that these great thorough fares should oe opened, and that complete communication should be pre served.
Such being the status of affairs the breaking in two parts of this line was the purpose for which the Andrews Raid was sanctioned by Gen. O. 51 Mitchel, and was the sole intent of those followers in the desper ate effort of destroying the tap root of the rebellion. If the successful destruction did not bring about lhat division of the Confederate forces which would enable it to be attacked in detail by overwhelming numbers, it would more than repay the risk by giving the Federals the possession of Chattanooga, the strategic point of the West. The importance of separating the armies and preventing reinforcements to be sent to Beaure.gard at Corinth, Miss., was recognized by Gen. D. C. Buell, who em ployed Andrews to take a party of eight men in March of 62 and com missioned him chiefly to destroy the long bridge over the Tennessee at Bridgeport, Ala. Taking with him eight companions he passed through Ihe lines. AH reached Atlanta, where they were to have been met by an engineer in sympathy with the Union cause. He failing to appear, stay ing in the ciy for s-eve.al days, all hopes of making the effort were aban doned, and each pursuing his way back, arrived safe to their respe:tive companies. Although Andrews bad been over the line a number of times before, upon this trip be made himself particularly acquainted with*the schedule of the road and the defenseless condition of different points along the line from which a second raid could be successfully darted; his at tempt in the succeeding month shows how accurately he had calculated and with what care he had gathered information for the attempt.
The night of the 6th oi April, on the battlefield of Shiloh, found Gen. Grant in hard pressed position, from the failure of the first exredition, and it also found in the tent of Gen. C. M. Mitchell, at Shelbyville, far away from the battlefield which he attempted to avert, Andrews con certing plans with the active and fiery Mitchell, for a second expedition, furnishing its own engineers and firemen, together with a force to break the wires and tear up the track and evade pursuit by prompt and

tO

THE ANDREWS RA1DEKS.

active measures. The plan, as adopted, was that Andrews was to . take twenty-four men, penetrate the lines, find their way to a point on the Western & Atlantic railroad, turning back, burn the bridge at Begaca over the Oostanaiila, the eleven covered bridges over the Chickamauga Creek and a bridge of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia railroad; which crosses the s:tnue creek a shore distance from the Western & Atlantic railroad truck, about twelve miles out from Chattanooga. Com ing through that city, over what u now the Market streetctossing, would throw the switch on the Memphis & Charleston railroad, meeting Mitchel at some point alone that lino. Gen. Mitchel was the active and aggre-sive leader in the West. He VT.-H to as.sist ibe raid by making a forced march to Huntsville. Ala , on the very day on which Andrews was to start the trail of fire through Georgia; pusl.ing forward up the Mem phis & Charleston railroad, meet (he returning expedition at Bridgeport, Ala., then, learning from them the condition of affairs at Chattanooga, . move on that place, promulgate a circular of freedom to the loyal moun taineers, arm an I encourage them in their insurrection against the Con federacy. Gaining thus a foothold in ilia country, naturally strong in defense and armed l>y a people who knew its meshes of foot-paths and coverts, and who were in full sympathy with the loyal cause, making more positive than ever, the total dissolution of the second line of de fense, and giving to the Federal forces the gateway to the interior. All this was possible >yith the only means of succor ami relief destroyed.
There was the Eist Tennessee, Virginia A Georgia road open still? That was true; but the scattered force along that road could not long keep it open, enveloped with loyal mountaineers. Gen. Kiiby Saiitli, in command of a Confederate force at Knoxville, say* at this time in a re port: " East Tennessee is an enemys country; its people are beyond the"in(!ii2nce of our troops and in open reliellion."
The stupendous results likely to he obtained were fully understood by the editor of "Southern Confederacy," published at Atlanta on Tues day, April 15, 1802, three days after the raid. He says of it: "Full particulars of the uio*t thrilling railroad adventure that ever occurred on the American continent, as well as the mightiest and most important in its results, if successful, that has been conceived by the Lincoln gov ernment since the commencement of this war. Xothinx on to grand a scale lias been attempted, anil nothing wiihin the range ut possibility could be conceived that would fall with such a tremendous, crushing force upon us, as the Hccomplishme.it of the plaits which were concocted and de( e "lent on the execution of this one."

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

.

II

Farther he says: " The most daringscheme that this revolution has developed has been thwarted, and the tremendous results, which, if suc cessful, can scarcely be imagined, much less described, have been averted. The mind and heart shrink back appalled at the bare contemplation of the awful consequences which would have followed the success of thisone act. We doubt if the victories of Mannssas or Corinth were worth as much to us as the frustration of this grand coup detat. It is not by any means certain that the annihilation of Beau regards whole army at Corinth, Miss., would b; so fatal a blow, as would have been the burning of these bridges at this time and by these men. s * Had they succeeded in burn log the bridges the enemy at Hunt&ville (Mitchel) would have occupied Chattanooga before Sunday night, and Monday Knoxville, ami thus had possession of East Tennessee. Our forces at Knoxville, Greeneville and Cnrubeiland Gap would, ere this, have been in the hands of tlie enemy. Lyncbburg, Va., would have been moved on at once. This would have given them possession of the valley of Vir ginia, ami Stonewall Jackson could have been attacked iu the rear. They would have possession of the railroad leading to Charlottesville and Orange Court House, as well as the South Siie railroad, leading to Petersburg and Richmond. They iuiht have been able to unite with McClellaus forces and attack Jo. Joliustons army, front and Hank. It is not by any means improbable that our army in Virginia would have been defeated, captured or driven out of the state."
The writer was assured by Mr. Anlhouy Murphy, then a high official of the Western & Atlantic road, that the destruction of the bridges at that time would have required much time to replace, as there were no duplicate bridge timbers in tlie yauls, and material fir to be used as such scarce, and at a distance. General Mitchc-I too faithfully |iro.-ecuted his plans to the di.-c:jiutiture of his less fortunate snbordinates.
The necessity of acting at once was recognized by General Mitchel, for on Monday, 7th of April, 18C2, the day following his council with Andrews, the captains of the companies belonging to the 21st, 2nd aud 33rd Ohio regiments, of Stlls Brigade, were ordered to select* the best man in their command for a dangerous duty. Tliis, however, was not revealed to them. Special provision was made for engineers; but as the selected men came to the colonels of the various regiments the nature of the duly was told in a general way; and if the man selected desired to go, he was told of a rendezvous on the outskirts of the town of Shelbyville, wiiere the leader would be uu-t that night and the details would be given. Twenty-four men were thus chosen, and dressed in chins"

12

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

clothes, repaired to the place selected to meet their leader, then unknown to them only as a "trusted Southern gentleman." Another opportunity was Riven here of any who desired to withdraw before going farther; not one of the party accepted the proffered opportunity; then in the silence of the night, in a grove, suspicious of the trees, the only wit nesses, in whispered tones the full scheme was laid before them. They were to travel through the lines of the enemy to a point on the Western & Atlantic railroad, there seize a tram, tear up the track, cut telegraph wires and burn bridges to prevent pursuit. They were to travel in par ties of two or three eastward to the Cumberland mountains, then down some valley which traversed that section, to a point below Chattanooga, taking train for that point; they were to use deception at all times. On Thursday night, three days hence, they were to be in Marietta, Georgia, 200 miles away, to be reidy for the run on the following day, Friday, llth. Confederate money was distributed, and with final warning of discretion and care, the party separated in the midst of the flashes of lightning and tortents of rain. It was an nnauspicious beginning, lost on the valiant band, who saw in the lowering heavens a cloak of protec tion, under which they hoped to get beyond the lines.
The course generally followed by the raiders was along the old Nash ville and Chattanooga turnpike. While it is impossible to follow the different groups as they found their wy along the rond, from the in formation picked up.along the route; further along they were seen to pass at no great distance apart. It will therefore be safe to approximate their position by following one partv, consisting of f^eorjje D. Wilson, Perry G. Shadmck, William Campbell and William Pittinger, the latter of whom can be traced all along the route as the "spectacled Yankee." This party spent Monday night near Wartrace. On the morning of the fol lowing dny, Tuesday, April 8th, they crossed Duck river and arrived at Manchester, county seat of Coffee county, in the afternoon of the same day; continuing their journey along the road, they stayed Tuesday night a short distance out from Hilisborongh, same connty. On early Wednes day morning, April 9th, they struck the foot hills of the Cumberland mountains in Grundv county; climbing to the broad plateau, they crossed it at Poplar Springs (now the celebrated waierins place Mont Eagle), eating dinner on top of the mountain; then wound their way down the eastern slope of the Cumberland*, into the Battle Creek Cove, stopping Wednesday night at James Cleppers a stannch Southern man, living fourteen miles from J:isper and forty miles from Chaltanoogi. It wag here that they received the news from a party of comrades, that the

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

13

raid had been postponed, as the inclement weather would no doubt cause delay in*the movement of Mituhel. This unfortunate delay brought grief to the participants, and thwarted the hopes of the vigilant com mander, who moved in spite of wind and weather.
The writer has been dependent on the statements of others in follow ing the raiders across the country and at their various stopping places, but from James Cleupers home he has traced them by personal investiga tion, and with the exception <>f a shqrt rynopsi* of the engine race, the matter for which is due to Mr. Pittenger in his book of "Daring and Suffering," he has given the information as gleaned from the memories of interested parlies in this tragedy of the spring of 62. Xo information could be found further than this, as the exciting news of the raid did not penetrate, nor cross the mountains in that direction; the fact, however, that the engine thieves, as they were called, had passed through the coun try; the astounding news of their vain attempt caused people whenever they heard of it to trace to their late guests as the participHnts in that event. They thus have remembered many facts which would otherwise have been lost but for the indelible impression made by their attempt and the prominence the Southern authorities gave to it.

CHAPTER II.

KAIDEK? STAY ALL XlfiHT WITH FARMER CJ.EPPER SAIiliOW ESCAPE AT JASPER CROSS TENNESSEE KIVKR AT CHATTASOOfJA ARRIVE AT MARIETTA, (iA. PUNS FORMKD KXGIXE SEl/iEI) AT ISIO SHANTi" RACE PfKSUIT EXCISE AHANIJOXED SEPARATION OF RAIDERS IX THEI1! ATTEMPT TO ESPAPE.

That night, at Cleppers, a ralher amusing

incident happened, about which Clepper al

ways refused to tnlk, :md was a source of

niuoli merriment to his neighbors. Soiue one

of ihe jwrty wnn tellinjj of an cxpntrintionlnw

pa=sed by tliu St;ite of Kentucky (which w:<5 a

iiciion\ by wliicli all Southern sympathizer*

wore deprived of citj/.f-nship. Tlie iniquity of

tlii-; so aroused the old gentleman to desire that

they would write the infamous bill out for him.,

that he ujight show his Union neighbors the

wickedness (>i the North. This was done and

duly signed by the party. It was with much

satisfaction that he showed and read his truly

astonishing information to his neighbors. The

j. J.

tables, however, were turned, when a few

days afterward:* news was received of the raid. He would never believe

that deception was practiced on him, but that his lodgers of a few nights

since were, as they said, citizens of Kentucky and trueto bis cause.

Thursday morning, April 10th, the raiders left old man Cleppers

house and traveled towards Jasper. About one mile out from that place

some of the party ate dinner with Amos Cox, a farmer. It was about

noon when they commenced to pass through in groups of two or three,

going through without stopping. A party of four, consisting of the

spectacled man. a big man with a full beard, wearing a pin with a

womans face in it, and two smaller men," Pittenger, Campbell, Shadrack

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

I,

and Wilson stopped at a grocery, now used as a bank, and bought tobac co from Billy Hatch. To use the expression of one of the witnesses, "they beat em all talking Sfcesh." ThK however, did not convince the crowd of their true character, some of whom were doubtful whether the South produced such " Yankee face as that man with the spectacles had." Another f;ict noticed was that one had on a pair of shoes with the perforated tips, never seen before, and not made south of the Ohio river. About this time Amos Cox, the man with whom they had eaten dinner, came in and whispered to a friend, " them iVllers are Yankees, they gave me a silver half dollar for a dinner." Suspicion was thoroughly aroused by this time and as the party sMrted on Major P. T. K.mkin, a captain of a company, home on a furlough, stopped them and demanded some information of themselves. This was readily given, he being assured that they were going to join the Confederate army at Corinth, allowed them to continue on their way unhindered, in spite of the suspicions of the crowd. Some of the party, on the same day, crossed the Seqtiatoliie valley near South Pittslmrg, crossing the river at that point. Most of the party, however, followed the roa.l to Chattanooga, crossing the Seijuatchie river at Quarrels ferry, at a snot now spanned by an ircn bridge. Twelve miles out from Jasper, on the bank of the Tennessee river, Widow Hall kept a hostelry for the convenience of travelers. Jn the spacious guest room at her hun*e a number gathered on Thu"sdsy night, April 10th, and spent the evening in merrymaking. Although Mrs. Hall is dead, there are members of the family who were present, who remember the occasion. This was tlie evening, according to the original plan, that should have been spent in Marietta, preparatory to making the run on the morrow. There was a private ferry here, by which they hoped to get across the river, reach Whiteside t-tation, and "take the train for Chattanooga, biit disappointment awaited them, for as they were preparing, on Friday morning, April llth, to pet into the boat, orders were given to the ferryman not to let any one cross. It was fourteen miles across the mounains by a steep trail. Striking Waldens ridge, they cnme into the regular Jasper and Chattanooga road belcw Williams island. Some of the party stopped at Samuel \ViTtiams resi dence for dinner, Andrews himself, stopping with his party, had a con versation with men at the gate. It was about 4 oclock when they ar rived at the lower ferry, run by W. L. Dugger. It was a windy day, and the ferryman was not anxious to make the trip. He was persuaded by the party to make the attempt, and succeeded in landing them at the foot of Pine street. Here Gen. William I. Standifer met them as they got

l6

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

off the boat, and says: "They were a motley looking set; if you had met one or two together, you would never have noticed them, but when together there was evidently an attempt to deceive in their appearance; some wore long coais, one had one coat-tail gone, straw hats and felt hats of the oldest kind were worn; in fact, they would have aroused suspicion at once if they had not been so far inside the lines."
The party came up Pine street to the Union depot (located at the same place then as now), arriving in time to take the 5 oclock train for Marietta. Here wre first shown the difficulties they would have to con tend with in their attempt to execute the work planned. Mitchel was at Huntsville; overcoming all obstacles, he had fulfilled his part of the expedition. As the outcome of his position at Huntsville, the road was crowded with extra trains removing provisions to more distant and safer quarters. Andrews was fuily aware of the fact of the increased danger of the expedition, for he says, " 1C Mitchel sets to Huntsville before we leave Marietta the road will be crowded so that our task will be ranch harder." The train left Chattanooga at 5 p. m. At Dalton supper was had, and about midnight of Friday, the llth of April, it reached Mari etta. They were 200 milts from their comrades, whom they left but a few days before at Shelbyville. An unguarded word or indiscreet action would have brought the authorities down on them, and brought to a Hid den close all hopes of their undertaking. Rising early on the morning of Saturday, April 12th, 1862, little thinking that the comforts of the night, which to pome were the last, and by all much suffering and misery would be endured ere they could enjoy the peaceful possession of the simple pleasures of life. The few hours of freedom which destiny had in store for them were full of anxiety for the future, and preparations for the beginning of their desperate adventure. Boss, a sergeant of the 2nd Ohio, expressed himself, as they were a day late, and the road was filled with extra trainp, the danger of being thwarted was increased, and thought the risks were too great to carry out their scheme. Andrews resolutely told them he had tried once and failed, he would succeed this time or leave his bones in Dixie a prophetic premonition. Without a dissenting voice the minds of all were determined on the attempt. Pur chasing tickets fur different points along ihe line, all were ready to board the train as it came to a stop at the depot. Only nineteen of the twtntvfour chosen men were on the train; one failed to meet the party at Shel byville, two were stopped before getting through the lines, and were compelled to join the Confederate army, and suoeded in getting away shortly afterward; two were left in Marietta, who were afterward cap-

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

17

tnred and joined their companions in far less pleasant quarters than they then occupied. Only twenty men, including the leader, formed the paity which ere night time startltd the Confederacy with their temerity and hardihood.
Two men on board the train were to play an active part in the days proceedings. The "all ahoard" of the conductor introduced one of the men, William A. Fuller; in another car was the assistant master mechanic of the road, Anthony Murphy. These men, like evil genii, overcame every obstacle placed in their way by the wily leader of the Andrews party, and in the most desperate railroad race in the annals of railway history, ran them down and prevented them from currying out their well laid purpose. To these men belongs the praise of their com rades and the admiration of their foes.
The party of Andrews, entering different cars, before the (rain had fwept around the foot of old Kennesaw mountain, all had fonud their way into the front car and secured seats, so as to watch live iction of their leader. At the next station was the time for action alt subterfuge was to be thrown aside they were to reveal themselves, and by active measures arouse the populace into maddened fury by their helplefs con dition in thwarting the plans of a handful of men. As from the wake of a ship the waves roll in long lines, so from the railroad the in formation as they ]>aseed along, aroused in its wakcr a storm of anger, made futile by Andrews thoughtful measures to stop pursuit.
Big Shanty was the place ctiosen by Andrews for the sei/nre of the. train for several reasons. The principal reason was that there was noprobability of pursuit; there wag no telegraph station here, the nearestpoint being Marietta, eight miles away ; then the nearest engine was At lanta, coming from the latter point, they could be beyond pursuit. An other resson was that this point offered the best opportunity of seizing the train ; this was the regular breakfast station ; all train hands would leave the train, allowing them access to all parts without being discov ered ; it was here or never. As soon as the train came to a standstill,. Andrews, Knight and Brown, the engineers, wnt forward towards theengine. Seeing the way clear, they came back, Knight uncoupling threeempty box-cars, which were in front of the train. Andrews came to thedoor of the car with the simple expression, " Come on boys." In the: shortest space possible the condition of affairs was changed; the tiairt was in the midst of Camp McDonald with sentries on all sides. Una bashed by the force of the camp and sentinel*, they hastened to the first box-car, push, climb and scramble into it, Andrews waves his hand and

iS

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

the exhilarating moment of starting on their raid through Georgia com mences. The drive-wheels of the engine "General" whiz as they whirl around; but they soon caught, and with a jerk it is off, before the sentry standing alongside of the engine grasps the situation. Andrews previous trip had made him familiar with the schedule of the road. At Kings ton, thirty-two miles away, he expected to pass a freight, and in order not to arouse suspicion determined to run on regular time, sixteen miles an hour; free beyond that station, two trains above were to be met before reaching Kesaca. At this point the destruction of bridges was to com mence with the burning of a covered structure over the Oostanaula, thus cutting of} all means of pursuit in that direction; with more delibera tion they would burn the eleven bridges over the Chickaraauga creek, and one of the East Tennessee line near Chattanooga.
Three miles from the starting point the first stop was made, near Moons station, where they bprrowed a crow-bar from section men. Just beyond that station a stop was made, the wires cut and cross-ties placed across the track. This was done all through the day as they passed each station, and was done with such celerity that many of the pursuers, to this day, believe th;it the men who were cutting the wires were left all along the route, as they did not get back to the train. This, however, is not correct, as nil who started stayed with the party to the last. Be yond the station, at Ackworth, the engineer got (own, oiled and exam ined the engine. At Stegalls a rail was taken up and carried off. Com ing on to the bridge over the Etowah river, down the truck stood an en gine smoking and steam up. This was a revelation to Andrews, who did nut know of its existence uutil unexpectedly it hove in sight at this period. This was a critical moment; if Andrews had been of a combative nature, he would have made a bold resolution and destroyed it, if necessary, by force; but depending on his fertile ingenuity to serve him, be made the fatal mistake of leaving it stand unharmed. The failure of its destruction was the first and chief circumstance that "brought defeat to the expedition; the"Yonah" destroyed was harmless; intact it proved to be the means of their destruction. After loading on railroad ties, which were used effectively afterwards as obstructions, tak ing wood for the engine at Cross station and leaving the track un touched, they ran into Kingston on time. At Kingston Andrews was handed orders to wait for a local freight at that point. This was a greatrelief to him, as his only fear was the passing of this train. This was the only assistance given the expedition. Taking the side-trark, they
for the down train. The raiders had taken the precaution to put

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

19

oat red flags on their engine, and Andrews told the crowd that Fullers train was following, but that he had taken his engine, and was running a train of ammunition through to Beauregard at Corinth, Miss. Aftera short wait the expected train arrived, but flagging for another train. The second arrived, with another still to follow. The second hitch in their plans developed at this point, as on the arrival of the third train, one hour and five minutes valuable time had been lost, when time was everything.
The rashness of the expedition was, nowhere, more fully shown, than while standing on the side track at Kingston, surrounded on all sides by foes, an engine from Rome standing headed towards them; the people showing an uneasy and suspicious feeling. Yet the audacity of of Andrews as he mingled with the crowd and the chagrin shown by him at the news, that MitchePs appearance at Huntsville had caused the road to be blocked with these extras, rather gave them assurance in his story; the old switchman refused to do his duty and open the switch to let them continue the journey. Andrews took the keys from the wall and unlocked the switch to open the way, these keys were retained by Andrews no doubt, but for the purpose of unlocking the switch at Chat tanooga.
Jutt four minutes after Andrews party left Kingston, Fuller and Murphr came in on the Yonah" in hot pursuit. This chase begun and headed by Fuller and Murphy was continued with perseverance that re bounds to their credit as brave men. Fuller was the conductor of the train, Jeff Cain was the engineer. Murbpy was superintendent of motor oepariment ol the Western & Atlantic road, and just happened to be on the train going to inspect an engine at Altoona. Ga; both Fuller and Murphy had noticed the strange appearance of the crowd at Marietta, bat supposed they were conscripts from the mountains, so thought noth ing more,.of it. On arrival at Big Shanty, as was customary, the train men were seated at the same table. Mr. Murphy who was first to notice the taking of the train describes it as follows: We had hardly taken our seats, Fuller near the head of the table, the engineer and firemen on the right and myself opposite them, when we heard the escaping of steam ; this did not attract our attention particularly, but happening to glance out of the window at the end of the room, I saw the engine going down the road. I yelled to Fuller, "some ones running off with your train," we all made a rush for the door, when we got out we saw men in the cab looking ahead; the old General scon went round the curve out of eight, in whose care we did not know. \Ve didnt know what to do at

2O

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

first, but it wouldnt do to stand there, Fuller says "its those fellowa that got on at Marietta, the; are getting away from the army, well run era down." I sent Lem Kendrick on horse back, to Marietta, to telegraph for help. I afterwards learned he got there just as a freight train was. pulling out and took the engine to come up the road in pursuit. Cain, Fuller and myself then started on a run down the track."
Fuller had been railroading for years, he had been accustomed torun for Ions; distances ahead of wild freight trains, he was thus in Rood shape for this kind of a journey. There wns considerable jeering by 1 liecrowd, at the men who started on the font race after an engine; but "never say die" in the attempt was worth much to the Confederacy. At Moons Station, Fuller who was ahead met the section men from whom the bar was taken; the only thing they had to assist in traveling was a pole car, this was put on the track and with assistance of a couple of men pushed bacK to pick up Cain and Murphy. This cur was an old-time trap on which men wojld stand aud push along with poles. In this case it waspushed up the grade and run down the next. Its speed being increased by kicking the ties. At Ackworth, Geo. Martin and Geo. Kaniey joined the chase, and another man, White Smith, was sent to Altoona byhorse, hoping that the engine would be abandoned, and he would thus be able to head them off. Sec-ing no one, he joined the pursuit at Al toona, it was here that the pursuers secured arms. Near Stegalls the car ran into the- brake nr-de by* the removal of the rail, the railroad men succeeded in saving themselves, but the rest of the party weredumped into the ditch. The tearing up of the track caused them morethan ever to suspect that the men ahead were bent on mischief and were not ignorant mountaineer conscripts. Capt. Fuller says at this juncture of the race as follows: "It is fifteen miles from Big Shanty to Etowah where a road runs up to Etowah Iron Works, there was an old engine called the"Yonah" that ran on the road; that was our last hope, if she happened to be down from the works we would have means of following on, it not, we were too near fagged out to have gone further. Up the grade, as we were coming OQ the Etowah bridge we could see the smoke of the "Yonah," she was there, but could we make it. We pushed with a vim^ it was a final effort, we arrived just in time to stop her; a few minutes later we would have been too late, and the pursuit ended." With a flat car and men the "Yonah" raced towards Kingston. At Bogers the watchmen of the woodyard gave them first information of men ahead, the leader representing himself as a Confederate officer, only "four of them hetaid." It was a quick run to Kingston, but away up the track, the freight

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

21

trains stopped them, the track wai blocked. The "Y^>n ill" was abandoned. Hastening down the track, Fi.ller told the .crowd the cj.ira;ter of the men ahead; Murphy stayed behind preparatory to run the engine trom the head freight around tha Y":ind pnr-ue with that engine which had a five foot wheel, and in jpioil shape. Fuller, however, had mounted the Eotue engine and was jiiliin-., out with her; Murphy swims* on to the moving train, wlueli was ju>l twenty minutc-s 1-uer than the raiders had ifft the samt* point.
When the raiders were fr.ed at Kingston running out of si>ht. they stopped and cut the lin ; then near Halls Station, n short distance further A rail was taken up; tlie stipeil wai increased from sixteen miles an hour to forty until Adairsville was reached, here a freight was side-tracked Trailing for Fullers train. The engineer of the freight was ordered ahead by Andrews, no doubt with h >pe of running it into the break and thus completely obstruct the trajk; a p is=en<{er train w.is also due and expect ed every minute, but a whistle of an engine .vas heard while they were busy taking up the last rail, thinking the pursuers were- hot on their trail, and it was a wreck or a fight, they preferred to run the risk of the for mer. Calboun, the next station ahead was nine miles, with the whistle bounding continuous alarms, they made the distance in nine minutes ex pecting at each curve to dash into the over due passenger; it was a fear ful moment, but fortunately they arrive.! in sight of Calhoua just as the passenger was pulling out. Some explanation was required by the conductor, before he would give the right of way; the well told story of Andrews, a careless brakeman, seated on the break wheel of the hind most car, and the care thai the engineer showed for the engine allayed his suspicions; pulled out of the way and made the way clear to Chat tanooga.
This train passed at Calhoun should have been met at Adairsville by Fullers train if they had been on time, bntj both were behind time, the passenger so much so that it has been a doubt in many minds whether or not the only thing that the raiders could have possibly done on that morning was to have escaped themselves. If Andrews had succeeded in passing Kingston without delay, he would have met this belated train beyond Beaaca, and after he had revealed his warlike purpose in the destruction of thr bridge over Oostanoula, to have left the train be yond that gap would have added to the dangers of capture. Andrews a man of wonderful midai-ity and great ingenuity, there is no doubt (but what he would have succeeded in getting around it, but if he did so lie would have left in his rear the means of pursuit which would

22

THE ANDREWS RA1DEKS.

have been soon used for that purpose. This, however, is but speculation-. The raiders were fully aware of pursuit as they could hear the pro
longed whistles behind them; the first sight of their pursuers, however, was in a low swag in the road near Newton which hid the raiders from sight. Here while the latterwerehxrd at work removing a rail; at the topof the grade appeared an engine under full head of steam bearing downon them ; unfortunately for them the rail only eased up under a mighty effort, still remaining in place. There was no time to spare, claiuberinginto the car, with all hearts awakened to the fact that desperate work is ahead, they commenced the great railroad race in which the pursued1 used every means in their power to thwart the pursuers, by loosening and raising rails, piling obstructions on the track, dropping ties along theline; it was a test of nerve and ingenuity which on both sides never fagged to the last.
To tell of the pursuit in a few words it will be necessary to under stand their present position. At Kingston an armed crowd got on board of the train pulled by the Rome engine "Shorter." She was of a smaller class than the "Yonah" and could not cover the ground a* rapidly. Cain and Murphy stood with their hands on the lever to re verse it as quickly as possible if necessary ; it was fortunate for them that they took the precaution, fur doing their best just out from Kingston they only stopped her in time to prevent them from running into a break. The crowd began to suggest how it could be overcome, but Fuller, Cuin, Mur phy and White Smith did not wait but hurried on afoot to make Adairsville as soon as possible knowing that the freight would be waiting therey everything seemed to work in their favor on this occasion, and they had not gone far when they heard the whistle of the freight train, which theraiders had persuaded to move ou. It was the Texas."
Mr. Murphy says "if it had been gent there for that purpose no en gine could have been selected belter than it, to serve our purpose, it wa the same sized wheel as the "General" (5 feet) had just coine from theshops her trucks were in good shape and she could run backwards nearly as fast an frontwards; it was a God-send to UK." Cain the engineer didt not get up in time to get on the engine and was left by his comrades. The race from now on was with the "Texas" backing and the "General" head on. The "Texas" WHS run back to Adairsville, the cars dropped and? with the crew of the engine nnd a few armed men the chase was continued as the participants said "expecting at each curve to see the smokingr wreck piled up along the irack." Captain Fuller says "he went as fast, as the "Texas" could go keeping a sharp lookout ahead fur obstructions*.

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

33

stationing a man on each side of thp tender to watch a rail; ties were lay ing alone; the track, and every once in awhile the lookout would signal down and run ahead and throw obstructions off. We arrived at Caihoun a few minutes after the other parties had left. The passenger was on the main track so we went on the side track around it. When I told the conductor on the passenger train that the fellows ahead had stolen the General" from me, he said "I thought something was wrong, but the fellow with the big beard (Andrews) told such a good story about the ammunition train, I had to pull out of his way." Between Caihoun and Resaca we first came in sghlof them; there is where their numbers were first revealed to us, they were all out on the track, working for dear life, trying to get up a rail; the telegraph line wasalreadv trailing; we were close to them before they saw us, could see them raise together, but the rail was too much for them ; they didnt lose much time getting on when they saw us. Over that loose rail we had a close shave to a wreck, when our engine struck it, it jumped clear up off the track, we thought it was gone, but it careened hack all right and we were safe; the track w.is clear ahead, and both engines were running at their highest speed. From this point on the pursuers made no attempt to run the raiders down, but fol lowed PO closely as to check any attempt to destroy property along the line.
To the raiders the time for beginning their work of destruction was fast approaching; a few miles ahead Andrews knew was the Resaca bridge, which was selected to he the first gap to be left a smoldering ruin, to pre vent further pursuit. He determined to make the attempt, the ties load ed on below Kingston, were pushed from a hole battered in the back end of the car out on to the track, so as to decrease the speed of those follow ing, while his would be increased in order to gain the bridge. In spite of the obstructions, at every Ktraightstretch of road, the smoke of the engine following could be seen far down the track. A new mode of warfare was now waged; the men in the rear car battered their way into the car ahead, the coupling pin drawn, the car was left standing on the track ; with the utmost speed the raiders dashed on with two remaining cars. Be fore they reached their long hoped for goal, their relentless pursuers were heard again; now in ihe despair of the moment they played another des perate game; in which the absence of a railroad man. probably, lost them the chance of destroying the brirlgo, and the opportunity of their final escape. He would have given the information of derailing a car on the trestle approaching the bridge, thus cutting off all hope of the pur suers in overtaking the raiders, who could have ample time to carry out

24

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

their incendiary plans and successfully prosecuted their purpose of de struction. Instead, however, the second car was left standing on the trestle, which, as the first, was picked up by the "Texas" and left on side trick ahead. The raiders were thus obliged to pass over Oostanaula bridge, leaving it unharmed; this was the first failure of the raiders to c:irry out their work. It was the turning point of the contest; before, it wus an offensive movement, from now on it was defensive, and all energy was applied towards making their escape from an enemys country. By tliis time the stock of wood on the "General." was running low; Andrews cool and audacious a.= ever, increases the obstruct ions behind by throwing o:it more ties, thus hoping to gain ground sufficiently to replenish his fuel and -water at Greens wood yard near Tilton. Their hopes were elated as they drew farther away from tiie rasping shriek of the engine which had phiyed such havoc with tlieir plans. They dashed up to the water t:mk to fiet a supply ;md leave the water still running, hurry on to wood y:ir 1; with ni-h of life and (Icatii. th-y hurry to and fro from the wood jiile, and the tender is f:ir fvoin full when down the tr.-ick came the pursisers. They were loih to !r:iv<- slje only snrnrs tlnv hd of getting awav, :tiul conlimiHl to loa;l on tl>o wood until ;he, enemv \vereciose upon them. The great characteristic of the members of this expedition, and one which g-iintd the admiration (if all, is the persistency with which they fovight against odds, worked amidst tiie thousand dangers, and never abandoned tiie ultimate hope of carrying out iheir plans; though they had long ii:us-sed the tiitu; when the work could have been successfully concluded. Their leader thoroughly understood that their run was nearly finished when Dalton was reached, and they were so closely followed. To that point, he could stop all communication ahead by cutting the wire. From Ballon there diverged a wire over which he hail no control; he had hoped to have left the road behind him in such a condition that be would have feared no pursuit, and Dalton would never be aroused to the fact of the passage of an enemy until he had passed Chattanooga. The deterruinmion of the man was shown truly when they dashed through the covered depot at Dalton and around the curve beyond ; although he inew it wss all over, he stopped in the midst of a camp of soldiers, cut the wire and obstructed the track as usual. As the wire was in the hands of the raider*, and they were desperately trying to sever it, the words of a mes sage flashed along it to Chattanooga, part of which was lost as the broken ends struck the ground. Sufficient, however, was sent to shut off all hope of their passing through Chattanooga. At Tunnel Hill an oppor tunity presented itself of ambuscading the pursuers, but it wan too late to

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

25

fight a successful battle. Below Dalton it could Tiive been done; past Dalton it was futile. The successful way to get back to the Federal lines, was what was prob-ibly uppermost in the raiders mind. Wood was getting low, and it was evident that a crisis was near. At RinggoJd the speed was perceptibly decreasing, and the Texas," with plenty of fuel to have cone to the e-.id ot the lin?, was about four hundred yards behind The oil can* of the "O.-nsral" wore ttiro.va into ths furnace with tha la-it stick f wv>i Thj:\js a Ion* clrve at Ring^od, then a stretch of straight trark, with a heavy up-grade; down this straight track the old " Old General " was :n ule to do her host, but, looking backward, the pursuing enginw coild be seen coining tip ths grade, gaining on them rapidly. Tiien cirae thj only wise resolution that could have been adopted in the effort to escape. It w.is determined hy Andrews and his companion* on the engine that ths desertion of her would be necessiry, and would be wi<p M C|> irate in groups of two and three and find their way b-iek tr> the Union ::,ices nt Bridgeport, Ala. Slower, slower, the drive wheels of the "G.nyral " turned: backward came the hand on the steam gauije; it was a final effort; a little more steam and the top of the grade would be reached ; it was a moment of suspense, which was broken by the command froiu the engine, " Jump! jump! hoys." They swung off one by one from the steps of the " General," and from the car, in the midst of foes, their plans thwarted, efforts failed, and dangers just begun.
Let us go back to the pursuit. When Fullers and Murphys engine came in sight of the raiders below Resaca, and saw so many of them, they determined not to overtake them, but to pursue them closely, so as to prevent them from doing any injury to the road. Mr. Murphy speaks at this stage as follows: " As we approached Resaca the ties be came more numerous, and we became suspicious of their intention to burn the bridge, and ran recklessly in spite of the ties; running on one of them and it slid along the rail was the only reason why we were not wrecked. AS we came around a curve just in front of us was standing a boi car, this we coupled o i to, on the trestle we picked up another, the "bridge was; safe at Resaca we stopped just long enough to pick up Ed Henderson, who was a telegraph operator at Dalton, and had been sent down the road to see what was the matter. When we came by the water tank near Tilton, the water was still running and dashed onto the men on onr engine. At the wood station beyond they determined to lay in a supply and threw on wood until we were close to them, from Tilton to Dalton were not bothered much by obstructions as they were

26

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

not so s~> numerous as before. At Dalton, Henderson swung off to send his telegram, which had been written out and given him, and we contin ued vithout stopping; as we approached the tunnel at Tunnel Hill we were afraid that the parties ahead would try to ambush us or obstruct the track inside. We were all anxious to see the tunnel to see how much"fuel they had, if the smoke was rolling out we knew it meant a long, chase as they would be firing up if they had the wood. When we came in the mouth it was clear as day through it, and not a sign of anything, on the rail, Pete Biacken, the engineer, said, "Boys we got em now," and pulling the throttle open with full head of steam dashed through, into tho light beyond."
Fiim Tunnel Hill, on until the desertion of the tiain we will fol low A\ nite Smiths account, who has been for sixteen years county surveyor of Catoo^a county, Ga., and was on the "Texas" while follow ing the raiders; he says: We left Tunnel Hill, the parties on the engineahead were not running as fast as before, we were gaining on them j we eot to Ringgold about 1 oclock, and were just a short distance be hind them ; our engine did not stop here as we knew they could not go much farther. When we struck the heavy grade on the straight track we commenced to crowd up on them, we could see the men on the box car which they were still hauling. We were in a small cut about two miles from Kinggold, just below the Fowlers place, when I noticed the men commenced jumping oft, the engine ahead jumped of) the track* the engineer had reversed her without shutting 08 steam. I yelled "shes coming back Pete" and waiting till we got across a small culvert, jumped off. The "General" came back slowly and Bracken backing, eased her down without doing any damage." When the "General" ww examined she seemed to be in good condition except the forward engine truck brasses were heated. One of the rairoaders remarked, "those damned yankees can run an engine as good as any of us." The cur that was. still coupled to the engine was smoking from afire built in one end of the car for the purpose no doubt of leaving it in one of the covered bridge. The rain falling during the latter part of the race KO wet the sides of the car that it didnt kindle well, and prevented their attempt to fire the bridges.
The engine pulling the passenger train which was passed at Calhoun came up just after the desertion of the "General," having followed from that place with a car load of soldiers under Capt, Whiteitt, whowere passengers on that train; these started in pursuit and the engine was sent back to Ringgold to spread the alarm. The "General" also

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

27

was ran back to that place and side-tracked until the following Monday,, when she was repaired and for over twenty years served the Western & Atlantic road, and is now standing on a side-track at Vinings station* eight miles from Atlanta. This being muster day of state troops at Ringgold it was soon known in all parts of the county, and pursuing, parties were organized and scoured the country. Every stranger met wasarrested at once, and an unfortunate story which the raiders had agreed to adopt if hard pressed, of their being from Fleming county, Ey., now: enabled the pursuers to fasten the connection of the arrested parties tothe raiders, by the sitnila.ity of stories.
When the raiders abandoned the engine they separated in all di rections, some goioir east towards White Oak mountains ; these we will leave in their attempts to elude their pursuers, and follow those who traveled to the west.
The captured train arrived at Big Shanty at 6:45 a. m., and for about six hours the thrilling race between the pursuers and pursued continued, the "General" being abandoned about 1 p. m., in a small cut and a dense pine thicket on both sides, of the road.
The members of the expedition who went west, ran through thewoi-ds, closely followed by Fuller and others, Murphy staying by his en gine. When the fugitives had gone about one-half milethrough the woodsthey came to the field of Judge T. M. Gordons, in which the negroeswere working at the time. While going through the field attempts were made to get mules, this excited the hands and they rushed to the housecrying the Yankees are coming," "the Yankees are coming." Beyond the field there were woods bordering on Chickamauga creek ; through these they ran down to the creek-to be confronted on the other side by a precipitious bank about ninety feet high and extending for about three-fouths of. a mile up and down the creek. This bank was full of coverts and hiding places, offering them ample opportunities of secreting themselves. Capt. Whitsitt, who was pursuing the raiders was familiar with this place and knew that they would probably hide in it, stationed a cordon of troops around this point. His hopes however, were frustra ted, as by accidental discharge of a gun by one of his soldiers which wounded a comrade, and attracted the attention of the rest of the party who crowded around him, leaving the lower point unguarded, through which most of the raiders escaped. From this point on, it is impossibleto follow each party, b.it as much interest has been centered around the leader, the chief figure of this expedition, we: shall follow him. and. hi
comrades as they traveled across the country.

28

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS

When Gun. Ledbetter, at Chattanooga, received the startling infor mation of the coming of the Andrews party, he hastened a body of aroo H on fl-it c-ir< out the Western & Atlantic road to meat the u. Ar riving at Chickamanga station they to>-e up the track, and for one and onc.-hn!f miles on both sides of the road, a guard of soldiers were sta4iiel, forming a trap into which thoy ho;>e.d to capture their quarry, but before ihei arrival at that place the engine had been abandoned ten miles below; waiting until late that evening they received word from their commanding ntlicer ordering tnem back to Chattanooga.
On the day fixed, between Miichell and Andrews, for the execution of the latter* plans, the former true to his word was at Huntsville, Ala.; he sent eastward to within a short distance of Bridgeport, part of Sills b-igade, to which the raiders belonged, that they might first welcome their coinrades; failing to appear, they returned to camp. Mitchell still hoping to hear something of them, waited patiently; inquiries were made of prisoners, slaves and country people, but nothing could be heard of the whereabouts of the members of the party. To the day of bis death although he had made every effort, he did not know of the fate of the expedition.

CHAPTER III.
FLIGHT OF THE RAIDERS-SEPARATION-AN DREWS, ROSS AND WOLLAM TOGETHER- THIS GROUP PURSUED BY CAPT. HACKETT "ONTINUED PURSUIT BY DR. PARKS HARD LUCK -ANDREWS AND COM PANIONS DISCOVERED ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE-CAPTURED BROUGHT TO CHATTANOOGA SENT TO JAIL "THE HOLE."
Andrews has been criticised tor ordering the separation of the party, rather than continuing as an armed band to fight their way across the mountain to the Federal lines; this, from the position of affairs, would have been impossible for several reasons. The first IB, that the day on which the raiders made their attempt to destroy the bridges, was muster day at Ring^old, and as soon as word was brought to them, the whole body went down to the place where the raiders disappeared in the woods. -. Finding that the fiugitives had gone in small parties in different ways, the militiamen did likewise and beat the surrounding country for their game. Tf Andrews had kept his party together their position could have been located, and an overwhelming force with rifles or shot guns, would soon have plaved havoc with the raiders who had no arms but )>ocket pistols. Another reason was that telegraphic communication was already opened to Chattanoogq. Fr>,ru that point there diverge two valleys, Chattanooga and Lookout. To have reached Bridgeport, Ala., the raiders would have to c oss these valleys, the direction which they had taken would be sent to Chattanooga; troops, in overwhelming numbers from that point, would h ive intercepted their Hue of march before they could have crossed the first vallev ; even failing to stop them here, Lookout valley still would have to be crossed before they were s ife. Twenty men could hardly have escaped caoture in an enemys country where the latter were prepared to receive them. Th>- succsss of Andrews and two companions, \Vollam and Ross, and that of two others, Wilson and Wood, in nearly reaching the Federal line*, commends I lie decision of their leader that reparation was the proper course to pursue. Kather than to tun the risk of the enemy capturing the whole party at once and thus lose, at one blow, all hopes of getting word through to Gen. Mitchell of the defenseless condition of

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THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

Chattanooga, which yet could have been safely moved upon and held for a time at least, and tell the fate of their companions.
When Andrews jumped from the faithful old " General," he was joined by BOBS and Wollara ; together they traveled westward; and were first seen at Daffrons Ford, about two miles south of Graysville, Ga. About dark they were seen again at Ellis Spring Flare, making their way towards Reeds Bridge Road; from this time until the next day. Sunday, April 12th, no trace could be had of them as they traveled through the woods, and if they stopped at any place it was not known. CapL Hackelt, a cavalry officer in the Confederate service, early Sunday morning, started out in pursuit of this party; he followed them across the
valley but did not succeed in overtaking them. In the afternoon of the game day he passed through Rossville Gap, Ga. On the western slope of Mission Ridge he rode up to a cabin on Thos. McFarlands place, and .saw Dr. Parks, a well known physician, who lived at the foot of Lookout Mountain, and was on a professional visit at the time. He called the doctor out and told him of the pursuit and the character of tbe men, telling him at the same time that he was to organize a party and continue the pursuit; the doctor remonstrated, but to no purpose. The captain then rode off with bis troopers and continued across the valley neither seeing nor hearing of them. As Hacketts party was returning that evening they rode by a thicket where Andrews and companions were hid and the latter could hear the pursuers talk about "which way the rascals had gone." They had passed across Mission Ridge, at Rossville Gap, about dinner time. Andrews had a compass and by this means was making a straight line for Bridgeport, Ala., crossing Chattanooga valley in a southwest direction; they stayed all iiight with a union man named Merrick Earpes, at the foot of Lookout Mountain, about seven miles from Chatt inooga. near Crutchfield place.
The version of the continued pursuit and capture of Andrews and party by Dr. Parks, is given by the latter in the following graphic man ner: "On Sunday afternoon, early in62, 1 was called over to McFar lands at foot of Mission Ridge, near Rossville Gap to see a patient; while at the house, Capt. Hackett, of Ringgold, rode up with a troop; seeing me he called me out to the fence and said : Youre just the man Im looking for. He then told me about the men running away with the engine from Big Shanty, and that some of the party had come through the Gap tha. day and were making their way across Chattanooga valley to Bridgeport, Ala. He said: I want you to follow them. I told him any practice would not allow me to leave it and made other excuses, but

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31

be said: Youre the only man that knows all the paths through this section; weve lost the trail. I order you to pursue these men and cap ture them; I shall hold you responsible if you dont. It was this per emptory order of Capt. Hackett that saved my life at the court martial afterwards, at which I was acquitted.
It was 9 oclock Monday morning before I started with my party from McCulloughg Mill, Tenn., at foot of Lookout Mountain. There have been conflicting reports about dogs being used; there was not a dog in my party nor were there any in Capt. Hackettg. The men we were after stayed all night at Merrick Earpes and early next morning they started on their journey, Earpes piloting them around McCulloughsMill which was the place of meeting for the pursuing party. On top of the mountain they took an old trail that goes near Lulu Lake; instead of walking in the path, they went along theside through the grass and weeds, enabling us to follow them readily. When my party came to the top of the mountain it separated into two parts, one of ten men going down the Wauhatchie trail, and the other consisting of Dnnean Evans, Frank Harp, Isaac "Wallen. James Wallen, and myself followed a blind trail that had not been used for years. We saw the signs along in the grass of persons having gone that way, but saw no one; we followed across the top of Lookout Mountain, down the other side into Lookout valley, crossing Lookout Creek. We stopped atja house; a woman there told us that three men had gone by about half-hour before; we then increased our speed, lioping to overtake them."
When Andrews and companions crossed the mountain they came down to Powells ford, on Lookout creek. Here they met Sam Stead man in a canoe, who paddled them across the creek, passing Mrs. Powells house. It was she that gave their course to Dr. Parks partv. Andrews, Boss and Wollam went down the road to a mans house by the name of Pierce Meadows. Here they ate dinner. Meadows had a cleared field south of his house, extending to the road, giving an open view on that side. When they had finished dinner they started down the road, andas they passed the field entered into a white hawthorn thicket, wholly unconscious that as they were disappearing behind the screen of green leaves, which a minute sooner would have safely hid them from all pur suit, they were seen by Dr. Parks party. Misfortune seems to have been the lot of this man from the beginning. If he had had the ordinary fortune common to mankind on this occasion he would have aafely reached the goal, and no doubt would have been of great service in alle viating the sufferings of his less fortunate companions. We will let the

32

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

leader of the pursuing party finish the narrative : "When we left thehouse where the woman told us of the three men ahead, we whipped our horses to good speed, and going quite a distance, began to think we were on the wrong trail. There was a cleared space ahead, and we came intothis at agood pace; could see DO one about the hnuse, but down the road a distance we saw three men po intu a white hawthorn thicket. They did not see UK, but we whipped our horses to their utmost speed and raised the yell, and went into the thicket pell niell. Sure enough, about one hundred yards ahead of UP, the three men were running their best, but our horses were too swift for them. I had a double barreled shot gun in my hand; one of the ruen could not ruu as fast as the others, gaining on him I ordered him to halt. He paid no attention to me, but coming to a thick part of the wood, jumped behind a postoak. tree. When I came up to him he sprang from behind the tree with a cocked revolver nearly against me. Fortunately Isaac Walli-n was behind me with the handle of a latge butcher knife sticking out of his coat pocket. He put hi< hand down to it, thus attracting the attention of the man. The_latter took his revolver down, saying ihat tlitrewas no use of having two dead men there in the woods. The whole party stopped and gath ered around our prisoner. All we could get oi.t of him was that he was from Kentucky and was goinj: to join the Confederate army, and his name was Wollnm. In the mean time the other two men had disap peared over the hill. I then ordered Evanv, James \Vallen and Harp to follow them up. When they came to the top of the hill the two men could be. seen quite a tlL-tanee ahead. Duncan Evans was on a better horse than the other two, and he was soon well ahead in the chase. -The taller of the runners was aLo well in the lead, and could no doubt haveescaped, but returned to his exhausted companion. When Evans came up he covered the larger one, which was Andrews, with his rifle. The latter feigned to be surprised that Evans was after them, and said, " We are Confederate soldiers," then pulling out from his vert pocket he showed him an old Confederate passport that he had used when he was a contraband merchant. He told Evans that they were going to the army, and supposed tbey were Yankee cavalrymen, was the reason they ran from them. Evans believed this story and sent word back to me that he had two Confederate soldiers up there, and what should he do with them. I sent word back to hold them until I came; going to them, I went straight up to the largest one (whom we found out afterwards was An drews) and said: I know who yon fellows are; youre some of the party that stole the engine at Big Shanty, Ga., ran it up as far as Ring-

JHE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

33

gold, then left it; youre not looking for the Confederate army. Then, in m roice cool and steady, as if speaking to his beat friend, Andrews said: Well, my friend, I am surprised at your information. Youre right about it. I see there is no use trying to deceive you. Are-yon the leader of this party ? I replied I was not elected leader, but I was at the head of it. Well, was the reply, I surrender to you as a prisoner of war, and expect to be treated as such. He gave his name as An-, drews and his companions as Boss; we then walked down to where Wollam was. On the way down Andrews put his hand in bis overcoa^ pocket, and his pistol went off; he said that it was cocked in his pocket and he was trying to let it down, when the hammer slipped -through his fingers. He handed it over to me without further remarks. When we came to where I had left the other party and ray men had come together, Andrews said, Wheres the rest of them? I told him this is all. He said: If we had known that, you ne.er would have taken UK; we sup posed the woods were full of em from the noise you made, so we sur rendered to your noise, and not to your numbers. Theres no doubt but that if thev had made any fight at all, they would have succeeded in get ting away, for our crowd had one shot-gun, a rifle and a butcher knife. It was not because they were afraid that they did not use their arms, but we made all the racket possible to deceive them, and they imagined that they were surrounded with superior force. All of them were grit to the backbone, but they supposed it was a hopeless fight. We captured An drews and his two comrades about twelve miles from Bridgeport, Ala., which point they no doubt would have reached the same evening, but. for our discovery of them just as they went into the thicket. It was about three-quarters of a mile above Xew England City, Ga., and about sixteen miles from Chattanooga, to which place we started with onr pris oners riding behind us. Boss rode behind me, Andrews back of Evans, and Wollam with Frank Harp. We had hardly mounted when Boss asked me if I was a Mason. I told him I was not, but would introduce him to a man who was when we met our other party ; doing so shortly, I introduced him to Dr. Davis, and together they went to one side. I heard Dr. Davis say, I recognize the link between ns, but can do noth ing for you under the present circumstances. Boss seemed somewhat disappointed at this, but said nothing further on .the subject. His only, response to my questions asked about the expedition was that they were. enlisted men, and that Andrews was to have received $20,000 if he had*
sncceedtd.

34

THE ANDREWS RAlDERg.

About ten miles out from Chattanooga, Dr. Parks party was met by a company of Bagsdales cavalry under command of Lieut. James Ed wards (who still resides at Chattanooga) to whom the prisoners were turned over, together with their weapons. They were then conducted by that officer to Gen. Ledbetters headquarters, which were at the old Crutciifield house (the site of the Bead House). Andrews gave LieutEdwards his compass as a gift; this, however, was turned over with other effects to Gen. Ledbetler and was never returned to him." , Andrews and companions were not taken at once to Gen. Ledbetters office, as the latter was busy trying to induce or scare from another of their band, who had been brought in before them, what was the intention of the ezpedition, who was their leader, and especially who was the en gineer; the authorities left nothing undone to find out the name of the latter, but in spite of their threats and artifices the secret was never known until after the end of the war. While this examination was go ing on the three prisoners remained down stairs on the sidewalk, and by this time were surrounded by a crowd. The Western & Atlantic train bad just come in, and Conductor Fuller, as he came out from the en trance of the depot, saw the crowd in front of the hotel. Crossing the street the Cowd opened a way for him and for the first time the leaders of the pursuers and pursued, in the famous railroad chase stood face to face. Fuller introdued himself and spoke in complimentary terms of their daring scheme; Andrews then congratulated Fuller on his successful .chase, and for quite a while they talked and langhed over incidents of the race .until the guards appeared to take him before Ledbetter.
The men had not been .thoroughly searched until brought before Gen. Ledbetter; here the large amount of Confederate money tound on Andrews and the spokesmanship he had assumed for the party stamped: him, in their minds, as the leader of the expedition ; after vain attempts to get them to commit themselves they were consigned to the guards tobe removed to prison. Followed by a large crowd they were taken to an .old jail on the corner of Fifth and Lookout streets, surrounded by a high fence. At the gate they were met by the keeper, an ignorant old man by. the name of Swims, who stood dangling his keys as the prisoners filedby him.. Conducted into the building, the following, from an eye witness, .best describee the scene: "Old man Swims had shut out meet of the crowd rrom ihe jail so that there were very few persons except the guards who yets in the upstairs room. Swims turned t the officer and said in his squeeky, nasal tones, ."where shall I put em ? " "In the hole,. was the

ANDREWS BAIDERS. .

3^

response. The old fellow bent over and commenced shaking his keys and fumbling with something on the floor, then suddenly rising, brought up part of the floor with him. It was a trap door. Then he yelled, "look out belowr and slid a ladder into the space. The rising air was tot and burdened with an unpleasant odor. You conld see the white, upturned faces of men moving aronnd in blacknew,- it didnt look veiy. attractive. Andrews drew back and remonstrated from going down the ladder, saying, "that is no place to put a man, let us stay up here where we can get air." It was to no purpose; Swims said, "it is the best We can do now, but will do better afterwhile," the guard closing up, Andrews .still dissenting was forced down the ladder into the dismal room below, where some of bis party had already preceded him."
By twos and threes his comrades were gathered into this den; the last two brought in, Wilson and Wood, had been wandering for a week, floating down the Tennessee in a few hours would have been safe among friends, but were discovered and conld not escape, so they were brought to join their comrades. No personal violence had been committed on any, although threats had frequently been made, except on Jacob Parrot, who was brutally whipped by Lient Jno. Sauden to make him divulge the intent of the raid and secrets, if any; in this, however; he failed as Parrot was silent and refused to say anything.
A rather amusing incident happened at this time in which the fury of the people made cue of their own number, an innocent party, suffer. John H. Flynn, foreman of the works at Graysville, Ga., was down near Dalton, Ga. He had been drinking considerably and was on his way home. The raiders stopped near where he was, he hailed them and told them he wanted to ride with them to Gravsville, Ga. They responded that it was a train of ammunition for Beanregard; be waived.his hand" and said "hurry her up boys." That night at Graysville he was visited by a crowd, taken from home and tied to a tree and unmercifully beaten asone of the sympathizers of the raiders.
The men who had been left in Marietta, also were captured, impli cated by the unfortunate story of their being residents of Fleming county,Ky., the trap which was the means of.betraying more than one of the party. There were twenty-two in thp band and everyone had found his way to "the hole" in the Swims jail at Chattanooga, Tenn., and all were confined in a room 13x13, most of which was under the ground.
Gen. Ledbettec, the commanding officer at Chattanooga, was known by the citizens as a turn coat yankee," a despicable, drunken character,

36

THE ANDKEWS RAIDERS.

who for two week* left the twenty-two in this fetid den, which did nofc have room enough to allow them to lie down to sleep; whose atmosphere was hardened with fonl odors, the circulation of air so bad and the beat so intense that the prisoners threw off their clothing to get relief. Twicer a day from the trap door above, the scanty meal was lowered, which snatched from the bucket, was eaten by the ravenous men whose hanger was never satisfied. The first weeks of imprisonment were full of suf ferings and privations to the raiders, with indignities hewped upon them by this cowardly officer, which were only alleviated by their removal from his command, caused by a threatening movement of Uen. Mitchel. They were taken to Madison, Ga., and were returned to Chattanooga, on> the withdrawal of federal forces; when they came back they were allowed to occupy the upstairt room and its occupants of loyal East Tennesseeans and negroes put below.
A dangerous expedition against the Confederacy had been thwarted, as a warning to all participants in any future schemes, a lesson must be> taught; it would be unwise to allow such a desperate plot as this to go unnoticed; it must be investigated and that to the grief of those concerned. Consequently a court martial was at once convened, to try Andrews as spy, who had been recognized, by this time, as the leader ot the raid, Near the jail was the residence of Judge Beese D. Brabson, (deceased), who at this time was congressman from this district. Several membersof the Brabson househould bad called at the jail and conversed with the raiders through curiosity, the latter borrowed several histories from their visitors, thus beginning communication which ended in JudgeBrabsons offer to defend Andrews at his trial. Which was sustained cy an order of the court aUo appointing another attorney from Holly Springs, Miss., assistant, and Col. Joseph McCollnm and CapL Crook, both of the 39th Georgia, for the prosecution. For three weeks the court convened, in the second story of a building (now police headquar ters) corner Fourth and Market streets. Andrews appeared in court, and his defense was so ably conducted by Judge Brabson, that that gentle man was notified he was taking too much interest in that mans case and it would be better for him not to be so much concerned. Considerable sympathy had been aroused in Chattanooga by the prisoners general good appearance, and as the first wrath of the populace wore away, their hardihood and recklessness won favor with the people. One instance of an attempt to interfere in their favor is given by Dr. Parks; he say*, "Andrews was a man of prepossessing appearance, his cool and deter-

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

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mined manner impressed me as a good fellow, with nncUunted spirit he faced his accusers at this trial. Arousing my sympathy I determined to appeal on his behalf to Capt. Crook, one of the prosecuting attorneys, who was a personal and intimate friend of mine; calling him from the court room, I told him what Andrews had said when we captured him. that he was a soldier and claimed the treatment of a prisoner of war, and that the men were enlisted and in force and couldnt be treated as spies." lie said "enlisted or not enlisted, they were down there where they ought not to have been and Ill hang every one of them if I can," this seemed to have been the general sentiment of the court; although the sentence was not given, he virtually was a doomed man when he returned to the prison. "

The jail in which the raiders were confined occupied the northwest corner of Fifth and Lookout streets, and was a brick structure, built early in the fifties by the county for the purpose of retaining prisoners for a special court, known as Chattanooga Law Court, held at that place, although the county seat was at Harrlson, fifteen miles distant. The building was a queer freak of architecture. It was thirteen fe*>t wide, was about twenty-six feet long and nearly as high. The south end ran into a hill about eight feet in depth; the north end was on a level. This end was occupied by the jailers family. Its front was to the west, along which ran a long stairway leading to the upper story. The only means of getting into the jail was through the room j>ccu pied by the jailer. The south end was used as a prison; the room upstairs was well lighted and aired, although made secure by heavy iron bars across the windows; this was used for ordinary purposes, but the room below was of an altogether different structure on the inside it had been lined with heavy oak tim ber, 12x14 inches, standing on end. To give it further security only two windows were in the thick walls one, about fifteen inches square, was in the south side below the surface of the ground, the other, about the same size, was in the west side underneath the step*, banded with heavy iron bars, that occupied nearly all the space, which prevented all sunehine from penetrating into the depths beyond, and nearly excluded all air. Its only means of entrance was through a trap door above and downa ladder. This was known as " the hole," in which the worst criminals, runaway slaves and refractory ones were confined; it was in _ hi-< hole that the rtiHfrx were placed. Around the structure a high imard foncj was built, about thirty-five feet from the south end and twenty-five from the east aide; this was entered by a strong gate at the

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THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

corner of two streets. In the winter of 63-1 the Federal army occupied Chattanooga, Tenn. Quarters were necessary; the reports already cir culated of the suffering comrades had excited an antipathy which wa only satiated when the last brick was pulled from its walls and piled into chimneys by the loth U. 8. regulars, serving, as they thought, mere suitable purpose.
Swims, the jailer, was an ignorant old fellow, and had been promoted from his public dray to the office of jailer. He was an inoffensive per son, but blinded by a strong prejudice against his Yankee prisoner?, refused to do anything for their comfort. Old age had not softened hisnature, and he turned a deaf ear to all entreaties of the piisoners of the simplest nature, only as at times, under the influence of liquor, he would give them a good opportunity of getting a breath of fresh air by talking; to them. His chief source of pleasure, however, was sleeping off-theeffects in a chair on the trap door. He moved south as the Federal irmy approached the city, where he remained until the last of the struggle, when he returned to Cbattanooga^moving from thence to Nashville; re moving to Chattanooga again, he died of small-pox in 1867 in this city. His remains rest in the Citizens cemetery, marked with a discolored headstone, which time will soon blot beyond recognition.
When Andrew?, Boss and Wollarna pistols were handed to Gen.. Ledbetter he turned them over to an aid, saying the Southern Confedereracy had no use for such weapons as those and ordered them to bereturned to the parties who Mid captured them, which was done at once> Dr. Parks bought the interest in Andrews and Wollams pistols the third falling to Duncan Evans. Dr. Parks loaned one of them to Dr. McCut-
cheon, who, being pursued by a squad of Federal soldiers on the side of Lookout Mountain and not desiring to be captured with it in his posses sion, threw it away and it could never be found; When the Federal army occupied Chattanooga Dr. Parks was arrested and tried byji court martial on a.bill of charges drawn up by himself, under Gen. Bosecrann,, Provost Marshal, and Gen. Wilds and was acquitted. During the trial
his wife fearing that the possession of Andrews pistol would be against him, spirited it away to a relative, Warren Austen, it. Glennville, Ala, who reported it afterwards as being lost and its whereabouts is conse quently unknown. Duncan Evans moved to Arkansas with the third. Evans has been dead for years. They were of an old-style Colts makey shooting ten times an 1 having two hammers. That of Andrews was anv ivory handle and a fine weapon.

CHAPTER IV.
TRIAL OF TWELVE AT KNOXVILLE SEVEN CONDEMNED-ANDREWS NO TIFIED OF HIS SENTENCE HIS COMRADES PREPARE THE WAY FOR LIBERTY HIS ESCAPE STORY OF HIS WANDERINGS AND SUFFERING NEARLY DROWNED WHILE SWIMMING TENNESSEE RIVER RECAP TURED CAVr. SAM WILLIAMS GEN. WILLIAM I. STAXDIFER EXECU TION OF ANDREWS THE TRAGEDY ON JUNE 18 THE SURVIVORS.
Not satisfied with the interest shown bv the citizens of Chattanooga in the trial of Andrews, the authorities determined to remove part of them to Knoxville, Tenn., where their mission was not so clearly under stood and try them- as spies, in passing through the fortified camps at Chattanooga and Camp McDonald at Big Shanty. Twelve of the raiders were consequently removed to that city for trial leaving the remaining ten in the Swims jail, including their leader. In the old court house at Knoxville the court martial convened with Col. J. H. Bibb as executive officer. Judge Jonathan Baxter (afterwards judge in the Federal court) and Judge O. H Temple were chosen by the prisoners to defend them. In spite of their able defence each day found one more condemned aa spies until seven of them had been convicted. On the eighth day the court was interrupted by a threatened advance of the Federal forces under Gen. Morgan and adjourned, the prisoners being removed to At lanta for safe keeping.
In the meantime Andrews was left in a itate of suspense as to what would be the outcome of his trial. Their treatment was less severe and each afternoon they were allowed to air themselves in the prison yard. The finding of the court martial having been referred to Secretary of War, Walker and President Davis, of the Southern Confederacy, receiv ing the latters sanction, it was at once made known to Andrews, On the Int of June he was notified that one week later, on Saturday the 8th,

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THE ANDREWSRAIDERS.

he would be executed and was at once put back in "the hole" for secu rity. The squeaking of the hinges of the trap, the scraping of the lad der along the floor and the thud as it struck the floor were mournful sounds to hia comrades; which but presaged the disappearance of their leader in the well remembered miseries of "the hole." A gloom perme ated the inner recesses of their very souls; haunted by the thought that they, would be the next, they looked at his position as the one which they, too, would soon know the deep despondency thereof. Bat before the falling of the shades of night their wonderful ingenuity had found a way and the heavy burden was cast off in the hopeful pos sibility of preparing means for the escape of him who had abandoned
all hope of freedom and life. These men possessed that fertile power of producing resources, for prosecuting their purpose out of things in which such were thought not to exist. This character which enabled them " afterwards to create schemes of escape, prosecute them and succeed after enduring untold sufferings and fatigue, did not forsake them in this, their great desire to produce a way through which all might gain their liberty, if possible; but none till their leader had succeeded. By some means they had found that there was an alic above their cell; if they could succeed in getting up in it, by tearing a hole in the outside wall they could drop down and escape. The ceiling was made of two inch oak boards; their only tool was a jack knife. On each others shoulders they stood and worked on the hardened timber above. Saturday night only found thework p.-irtly done,Sunday was passed without discovery; in the night they began the work by which they hoped before the morning to enhale once more the free air an i look into the clear heavens. When the hole in the ceiling had been cut large enough to piss through, the lock was cut out of the trap door and their leader was pwung from below to the fluot above with high hopes of successfully carrying out the plins of freedom. It was nearly morning when the hole in the outside wall ;was of sufficient size to swing out from. Andrews made the first at tempt. When he was nearly out a [ailing brick discovered his position to the guard; hewas fired on, but sliding down a rope made of bed clothes; he made his escape over the south fence into Fifth street, dropping his hat and shoes in the rush; these he sorely needed in his wanderings which terminated in his being captured by Capt. Sam Williams about
twelve miles below Chattanooga. The manner of his capture is a disputed point. There are only two
men who could possibly know, being the only survivors who participated

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

4!

In that event. They do not agree in their account*, feo it will be doing justice to history to give the version of each, and let an impartial mind judge of the whole.
Captain Williams version of it is as follows; when accosted on the enbject, he skid : "Yes; Andrews stayed in this very room and sat nearly all night on Tuesday, 4th of Jane, in 1862, in a chair about the spot you are now sitting. The way that he came there was this; and I have never told it for publication before, nor have I seen the true account of Andrews capture in print, a it was-. It was just after dinner on a hot June day, I wag being set across the river from the otter side by a widow woman, just above Tumbling Shoals, and about a mile below the island. We were well in towards shore, when the woman called my at tention to a man in a canoe, coming around a sharp bend just above us, he didnt see us at first. As soon as he did he made for the bushes. I thought nothing more about it, but as I came along up the river bank I saw the same man just above me; the only thing he had on wan a coat and a once white shirt. When I came up to him I saw that his legs aud feet were bleeding and swollen so that he could hardly walk. I felt sorry for the man. and thought at once he was an escaped prisoner trying to go to the Yankee army. I said, "Who are you? His reply was, I am an escaped prisoner, and am trying to get through the lines; I havent had anything to eat since Sunday (this was Tuesday afternoon); I am nearly starved, want something to eat, and some clothes. The man looked as if every word he said was so. His cheek bones stuck out and his face was pinched with hunger; you didnt have to look twice to believe his story. I told him if lie would Stay there, I would go to the house and get him clothes and food. I saw no one at the house but the cook. I told her what I wanted the victuals for, but when I came back there was no one in sight. .-I was just about to go back to the house, when I heard a noise in a pile of drift and ont came the man. I gave him the food and a pair of pants, but before eating he put on his clothes, and then sat down on a log to eat. He told me his name was Andrews, and that he was accused of trying to burn bridges. He was just saying how good food tasted to a man who hadnt had anything to eat as long as he had,
when Dr. Craig and Gen. William I. Standifer came up with guns in their hands. Dr. Craig had a double barreled shot-gun, and as he came up cocked both barrels, and said, Youre my prisoner. Andrews never moved or showed any disposition to get away; in fact, he couldnt have traveled very far, on account of the horrible condition of his feet. He

42 "

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

made no protest, and never quailed before the guns; he was grit to thebackbone. Between two of us ire managed to gel him up to the house,, where he stayed all night in this room. He here told us all about hi escape and wanderings, which was one of the most pitiful stories I ever
listened to: As I remember it, it was as follows: Under sentence of death I was separated from my comrades, and placed in the hole on> Saturday. That night something was up I knew, for they were tinging
and shuffling around nearly all the time; the next day was Sunday, and* without my knowledge they completed the plot by which they hoped toset me free. tSoon after dark they tore their clothes in strips to make a rope, and the others cut away with a jack knife on the heavy oak timber overhead, completing a hole commenced the night before. Then I heard a raking noise on the trap door above. I was certain there was some thing in the wind. They soon cut the lock out, and with the stealth of a cat it was raised. You couldnt see anything, bnt the cool air comingdown told me full well of relief at hand. I heard my name, Andrews,* whispered, then, catch this. I couldnt see what, bnt I felt for it, and I caught a ragged rope, which they had made; putting it under my arms, in an instant I was swung np to the floor and caught by handsfrom above, my shackles were unlocked with keys made of bone. Oncemore my limbs were free. Looking upward they whispered of the hole-
in the ceiling; it seemed as if I was going to have another chance-
for my life. "We took off our shoes, clambering on the backs ot our comrade*,
below we were able to reach the attic above, each took a turn and scratched with an old knife on the outside brick wall. It was a hard task, and nearly daylight before we got a brick out. A few were np in> the attic now; we carefully removed the last brick while those behind fastened the ragged rope. When the hole was large enough to let a man through, with one accord every one whispered "Andrews first" It wa no time for leavestaking, so with shoes in hand I crept along the ropeout of the opening. I was nearly out when a brick fell, and seemed to
me to make a noise like a clap of thunder. The guards fired. Droppingto the ground, I lost my boots and hat in the rush. I made for the fence, got over all right and found myself in a road. I ran away from thetown and nude for the river, wading in, to prevent dogs from tracking; me; then came out, going up the river bank about two miles. I needed . my boots as there were briars in the bushes along the bank through which I traveled; as it was now getting light. Coming to a leafy tree

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

43

I climbed up in it and stayed atl day. I could see of) in the level menwith gang, and two came Dear the tree, but never thought of looking up.. I stayed there all day Monday, and was very tired, but fixing a cushion of my coat in the forks, made myself comfortable. As night came on it commenced to cloud up and the wind began to blow. 1 came down theriver, until I could get no further, a bluff cutting off further travel along the bank. It was raining hard and the river was very rough, I went back up stream a short ways; rolling up my pants in a bundle, I fast ened them around my neck, started in opposite a big hollow, (foot of Georgia avenue), to swim the river. I had no trouble until nearly across when the river got so rough I could hardly get along; one wave washed over me and liked to drowned me, taking my pants with it; T was almost exhausted when I reached shore. Resting but a short time* as I wanted to get as far away from Chattanooga as possible before day light; the briars were bad, and my legs and feet were torn by them, giv ing me considerable pain. On Tuesday morning I was unable to find a hiding place. Coming slowly down the river bank, I met a boy sud denly in a dugout; my appearance must have paralyzed him, for he couldnt move tor fright for sometime after I spoke to him, and making him paddle me over to a well wooded island, I went straight acron it into the river beyond, swimming dowu a stream a distance I came ashore in a canebrake and climbed a tree. The island was searched, but soon abandoned. Two boys at one time stood directly under the tree I was in, but didnt see me. Along about noon the sun was so hot, my legs snd feet pained me so. Worn out and tired, famished for something to eat, I could stand it no longer. Determined to get something to re lieve my sufferings, I got into the canoe you saw me in. That is as I re member the story Andrews told Ub," said Mr. Williams as he finished the narrative of suffering told above. Continuing, he said, Andrews had a. pleasant voice, and could talk the best of any man I ever heard. He was the sort of a person who could make yon believe everything he said wasthe truth. He was an uncommon man, and he showed it. I asked him if he wasnt the man that came by here, and stopped with others in thespring, he said he was, and that they were on their way south and they had corns across the mountain that day. He told us at that time they were Kentuckians going south to join the army, as this was nothing un usual, we paid no attention to them.
"Standifer and myself took Andrews back to Chattanooga the nexb morning, where we gave him over to the authorities.

44

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

"The day he wag arrested a boy came up to my house, badly geared. aying he had met a man with no clothes on just above the island and made him row him. across to it. I had all my mules over there. Taking a man we went over to hunt him. We tracked a man in bare feet across the island, his foot prints on the shore showed he had gone into the river again, supposing he had swam to the other side we abandoned the search. There were no parties down here looking for him and no search was made on the island except the man and myself, although there were
parties below the "Suck." "Dr. Craig was a Kentuckian and was in here at the time buying
mules, but he went back soon after and is now dead. "Gen. William I. Standifer was living with me at the time, and
when the Yankees came here in 63, both of us had to leave, or we would have been handed as high as a rope coull hold us. We had many narrow escapes from falling in their hands. Stnndifer was in Chatta nooga when they came in, a close search was made for him, until he wag compelled to take refuee with Mose Well?, who secreted him in his house, until the first dark night when, in Wells canoe, he floated down f>ist the lines to Confederate Posts. He lives six miles north of Dun-
lap, Tenn., and is ninety-two years old." There were onlv four men at the capture, of these Dr. Craig and
.Andrews are dead, Capt. Williams account has been given : Gen. Wm. I. Standifer is the only other living witness of the scene. His versionr, although brief, is diametrically opposite that of Williams. He spoke with no annioiosity or enmity toward his friend, with whom he had lived so long, nor was it with any desire to relate it, but did BO only after per sistent inquiry. He says: "The first inform:ition we had of the where abouts of Andrews was through a boy, who came up to the house of Wil liams and told ug that he had taken a man with no clothes on over on the island. We had heard of the escape the day before. We searched the island with no success, but found where he had gone across the island into the river beyond. Capt Williams was satis6ed he was still on the island, and took a canoe and went below the island, thinking that he could head the fugitive off. The men had all abandoned the pursuit when a couple of boys, standing nnder a mulberry tree, saw a man hid in the branches. As soon as he was discovered, be jumped out of the tree ran around the head of the island, secured a canoe on the western side and pushed out into the stream. He was headed off by Capt. Williams and a woman who was helping him paddle tne canoe.

THE ANDREWS BAIDEBB.

4^

Andrews came to shore, and Williams just below him. I have onljr Willianu word as to what happened then, as I was not present, having returned to the house at this time. lie says that when he came up to the stranger and saw that he was in a bad shape, the latter told him who he was, and that he was trying to get through to the Federal lines. Williams then told him that he was acquainted with the paths through the mountains, and he would help him through the lines that night, but for him to wait until he would go to the house and get him something toeat and some clothes, telling him to hide in a ravine close by. Coming to the house Williams told me he believed he had found the escaped prisoner, and that he was going to take him something to eat. He then described the ravine where we would find them, cautioning us not to come straight upon them. He then went to the kitchen, getting his food or clothes, and left. I told Dr. Craijr of the man in the bushes, and to gether we went in search of them. We did not find the place for a long time, nntil we were attracted by a noise, made by Williams so that we could locate them. We went up to them and put the stranger under arrest. The man said nothing, but submitted quietly. I did not have much conversation with them, Capt. Williams doing all the talking. I went with Wiliams to the jail where we left him."
A disinterested witness says that Andrews was brought to Chatta nooga in the afternoon, and that he was still barefooted, and was lied on a mule; * his face was haggard, and he did not look like the same man which I had seen a few days befoie."
John Wollam also escaped at the same time with Andrews, but was recaptured at Bridgeport, Ala., as he was paddling down the Tennessee River. He denied being an escaped prisoner. Lieutenant Edwards, behind whom he rode when he was first taken, coming up, he found it was no use to deny it, and he was taken back to prison.
The fates seem to have been against Andrews from the first, and des tiny seems to have made him a victim of her vagaries; fickle fortune refused toaid him on the foot-hills of Sand Mountain, and buffetted him in his last effort by betraying him to the peering eyes of curious seekers. On the day following his return the scaffold wns commenced at Chatta nooga, Tenn., for his execution. Another movement on the part of Mitchel causes his removal to Atlanta, Ga., where the final scene of the sad tragedy was enacted. It was early in the afternoon of Saturday, June 8th, 1862, that a carriage containing the shackled Andrews and CoL Oliver Jones, the sheriff, moved from the depot, followed by an

46

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

eager crowd. On the way along the street the carriage was stopped, and Col. Jones, addressing Rev. J. W. Scott, pastor of the First Methodist Church, said: "Mr. Scott, this man is abont to he executed as a spy, wont you go along and talk witt him ?" The clergymen hesitated. Andrews then spoke to him, saying, " I would like for you to go Mr, Scott. This desire could not be refused. To him Andrews spoke freely and frankly of himself and the future, requesting him to speak to the crowd for him, saying that he had no hatred toward them, he was acting as a soldier against an enemy, and he was ready to die as such. Abont one and one-half miles from the depot, in a secluded spot of dense woods, the carriage stopped beneath a large tree, where under the branches a rude scaffold stood, from which dangled the fatal noose that was soon to
usher the prisoner into eternity. This spot is now occupied by a beauti-
ful residence, and is the heart of the fashionable Ponce de Leon circle. Here was the 6nale of the brilliant scheme, so rashly attempted, which now wrought destruction to its originator. The minister having ad dressed the crowd as requested by the prisoner, having done all in his power, bade the doomed man good-bye and turned away. The knot in position, Andrews gave his watch to Col. Jones, then the trap-door fell from under him. The bungling manner in which the rope had been prepared permitted the toes of the victim to touch the ground. The dirt hastily dug away leaves but a short struggle for the spirit to leave the body of a man whose name shall live long as a vestige ot the history of the War of the Rebellion shall enter into tradition of the future ages.
Down a gentle incline, along a narrow path deeper into the woods, they bear his lifeless body, until passing a narrow rivulet on the ascend ing slope beyond, they lay it in a shallow grave, with the emblems of a felon still around his neck and the shackles on bis limbs. Away from the ordinary walks of man was this lone grave hid, unmarked, unno ticed, unkept, forgotten ; the wild flowers festooned decorations for his tomb; above it the blackberry bush tangled a thorny mass to .protect it from the desecration of wandering feet; the wild rose, in the early spring time, twined a garland for this unknown nobleman; for years kind nature alone amassed her wealth of flowers in annual monument about his forgotten tomb, until removed from her tendering care the re mains discovered are reclaimed from the vast unknown.
Let us return to the remainder of the party, all of whom are now in jail at Atlanta, Ga. With the death of their leader, they supposed that the authorities would be satisfied, and that their supposed crime bad

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

47

teen expiated inhis death. With high hopes of being treated as prig-: oners of war, an early exchange and a return home, they pasted their time joyously, "hoping the best for the future. On the 18th of Jane at 1 oclock in the afternoon, Provost Marshal Foreacre sent word to Rev. J. W. Scott, the same minister who had officiated at Andrews execution, that seven more of the raiders were to be bung at once, add for him to .go and break tbe news to them. In company with Revs. Conyers and McDonald he went to the jail and broke into their highest hopes with the startling news that they were to prepare for instantexecntion,calling over the names of the seven who had been condemned at Knoxville, Tenn. They begged fora postponement, a respite for a few hoars for preparation to die, which request was refused them. The condemned were taken into another room in conference with the ministers. Then came as startling a plot as the raid itself. While the ministers were in the other room, it was determined to seize them as they came out, bar ricade the doors and hold them as hostages in negotiating time for tbe doomed men. The cell doors at one time were open ready for action, but the sudden appearance of the preachers before their plans had all been arranged prevented its execution.
To use Mr. Scotts words, his efforts to gain time, were as follows: " When the shock of the notice of their sudden execution had pawed, they began to ask for time to prepare themselves for death. Thb, of course, we could not grant. Knowing I had been with Andrews, one of them gave me the Masonic signal of distress, and asked, me to speak to the officer in command in their behalf. I went down into the yard, where the soldiers were already drawn up. Seeing Col. Foreacre and being intimately acquainted with him, I said, "Cant you construe your order for the execution of these men so as to give them more time*? His reply -was, My orders are that they shall be executed as soon as the order is made public; if 1 dont execute it, I shall probably be dismissed from the service. He then pat his hand in his pocket to show it to me. I was satisfied that he could not grant a respite. Returning, I told them they must prepare for the worst I told them I did not wish to see them executed, and would rather not go with them. Rev. McDonald also ex-, pressed himself in the same way. We did what we could for them and saw them start on their list journey."
About half past four in the afternoon, in the Oakland cemetery, on the 18th of June, just ten days after the death of their leader, the seven men stand on the gallows; from a joist resting in the forks of two trees

THE ANDEZW8 RAIDERS.
hang the seven nooses; back of them yawns the trench into which they were to be laid. The curious crowd listened to the eloquent and pa-, thetic remarks of Geo. D. Wilson, who, on the verge of the grave, speaks.
IBS SPEECH OP WILSON ON THE SCAFFOLD.
boldly his mind. When he finished, the crazy platform oil which they are standing is knocked down. Again the bungling manner of prepar ing the ropes lengthens the misery of Campbell and Slavens, who, being heavier men than the others, break the rope and fall to th* ground; re covering sufficiently to sit up, they are given a cop of water. Pitifully they beg for time to prepare. In spite of their pleading* they soon join their companions in eternity. The seven were buried, side by side, in an unmarked grave. As in their leaders case, every effort was made to for get the men and their resting place. A promise by a Masonic brother to mark the spot rescued them from oblivion, and as soon as the war was over they were removed to the National cemetery at Chattanooga, Tenn.
Fourteen still remained, threatened, as they supposed, with the fate of their comrades. In the fall of 1862 in their despair in broad day light they captured and knocked down their guard all making a desper ate break for liberty. Eight succeeded in getting away completely. In couples they wandered through the heart of an enemys country. Two

THK ANDREWS JLAtDERS.

49

took a northeast conne and struck an underground railroad that had Its terminus at Somerset, Ky., this they successfully traveled. By chance two more struck the same rente and found their way to the same place. Two took a northwest conne and after a months wandering through the lulls of North Georgia found their way across the Cumberland Moun tains to their comrades at Corinth, Miss. The most remarkable journey of. all was that of Wilson and Wood. They took a southward conne. Floating down theChattahoocb.ee river, traversed the entire distance from Atlanta to the sea coast, surrounded on all sides by foes. After enduring; exposure, starvation, suffering from sore feet, crawling over gtony path?, going without food most of the time, traveling in the night time, clothed in moss of the forest to protect their emaciated forms, they suceeded ia finally reaching the squadron in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact the journeys of these escaped prisoners were wonders of human endurance and their successful completion was due to the merit of the men them selves, which showed how truly they had been selected by their officers as representing the best material in the army in this they proved it
The six who failed in the attempt were removed in the winter from Atlanta, Ga., to Castle Thunder, at Richmond, Va., from which place they were finally exchanged in March, 1862, after eleven months of misery and captivity.
The importance of this expedition has been shown. The fatality of Andrews as he prosecuted his design is remarkable for the manner ia which misfortune dogged his footsteps. This, however, possibly hinges on the lack of destructive and combativeness in his nature; which if either had been normally represented would have prompted him to have destroyed the "Yonah," when he passed it smoking on the side track at Etowah, Ga. With this engine gone pursuit would have been impossible; with its aid but for meeting the extra trains at Kingston, Ga., he still could have succeeded; allowing both of these things to have occurred to to their disadvantage, yet if the conductor of the freight they met at-. Adairsville had used the caution of the conductor of the passenger met. at Calhoun, Ga., or the latter the recklessness of the former, Andrews, would have triumphantly prosecuted his work. When all hopes of do ing his mission had been abandoned with the engine and making his. desperate attempt to go through the country; fortune still scowls on him.. A few minutes for the leafy piotection of the hawthorn thicket, a pistol, shot to have Intimidated the comparatively defenceless pursuers, a little. less of that disposition to stick by a less fortunate companion, the crown,-.

50

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

ing calamity of all when the chance glance of two boys drove him to death; any one of these in his favor would have delivered him and made the tragedy of Atlanta, Ga., on the 8th of June impossible. It wag an expedition surrounded by imminent dangers with not a favorable cir cumstance to assist them except such as their forethought prepared. As the dangers increased the points on which their success hinged dimin ished, until the most insignificant things influenced the final result. But eo near did they come to succeeding that the facts which caused the fail ure of this expedition happened at times when to have overcome any one of these would have overcome all and swept all obstacles from their way. It was the giving way of things at critical moments, all of which were entirely accidental and could not have been through the forethought of the vicfors that lost the expedition to the raiders. Desperate as the attempt may seem the participants in pursuit ail agree that if the origi nal plan of making the raid on the day before had been carried oat, that they no doubt would have succeeded in their work of destruction, and have made their escape.

CHAPTER V.
THE GREAT RAILROAD CHASE! THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY AND AS TOUNDING ADVENTURE OF THE WAR-THE MOST DARING UNDER TAKING THAT YANKEES EVER PLANNED OR ATTEMPTED TO EXE CUTE STEALING AN ENGINE-TEARING UP THE TRACK-PURSUED ON FOOT, ON HAND-CARS AND ENGINES-OVERTAKEN A SCATTER ING THE CAPTURE THE WONDERFUL ENERGY OF MESSRS. FULLER, MURPHY AND CAIF-SOME REFLECTIONS, ETC., ETC.
EDITORIAL OF "SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY."
In the Young Mens Library, at Atlanta, Ga., are the files of the Southern Confederacy, a daily paper published during the war. On Sunday, April 13, Fuller and Murphy arrived in Atlanta from their chase after the raiders, and were seen by the editor of the Confederacy, who then gives to the public the first real information of the "engine thieves," and their scheme. It is full of interest, and, with the exception of a few de tails, is wonderfully true and correct. It IB given as it appeared in its columns at the time as follows:
Atlanta, Ga., April 15th, 1862.
Since our last issue we have obtained full particulars of the most thrilling railroad adventure that ever occurred on the American Conti nent, as well as the mightiest and the most important in its results, if successful, that has been conceived by the Lincoln Government since the commencement of this war. Nothing on so grand a scale has been at tempted, and nothing within the range of possibility could be conceived that would fall with such a tremendous crushing force upon us, as the accomplishment of the plans which were concocted and dependent on the execution of one whose history we now proceed to narrate.
Its reality what was actually done excels all the extravagant conceptions of the Arrow-Smith hoax, which fiction created such a pro found sensation in Europe.

52

THE ANDREWS RAIDEBS.

To make the matter more complete and intelligible, we will take oar readers over the same history of the case which we related in our last, the main features of which are correct, but are lacking in details, which* have since come to hand.
We will begin at the breakfast table of the Big Shanty Hotel, at Camp McDonald, on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, where several regiments are now encamped. The morning mail and passenger train had left here at 4 oclock a.m. on last Saturday as Dsual,and stopped there for breakfast. The conductor, Wm. A. Fuller, the engineer, I. Cain both of this city and the passengers were at the table, when some eight men, having uncoupled the engine and three empty box-cars next to it from the passenger and baggage cars, mounted the engine, pulled open the valve, put on all steam, and left conductor, engineer, passengers,, spectators, and the soldiers in the camp hard by, all lost in amazement and dumbfounded at the strange, startling and daring act.
This unheard-of act was doubtless undertaken at that place and time upon the presumption that pursuit could not be made by an engine phort of Kingston, some thirty miles above, or from this place; and bycutting down the telegraph wires an they proceeded, the adventurers could calculate on at least three or four hours start of any pursuit it was rea sonable to expect. This was a legitimate conclusion, and but for the will, energy and quick .good judgment of Mr. Fuller and Mr. Cain, and Mr. Anthony Murphy, the intelligent and practical foreman of the wood department of the State road shop, who accidently went on the train from this place that morning, their calculations would have worked out as orig-> inally contemplated, and the results would have been obtained long erethis reaches the eyes of our readers the most terrible to us of any that we can conceive as possible, and unequaled by anything attempted or conceived since this war commenced.
Now for the chase 1
These three determined men, without a moments delay, put out after the flying train, on foot, amidst shouts of laughter by the crowd, who, though lost in amazement at the unexpected and daring act, could not. repress their risibility at seeing three men start after a train on foot, which they had just witnessed depart at lightning speed. They pot oni all their speed, and ran along the track for three miles, when they earn* across some .track-raisers, who had a small truck-car which is shored along by men so employed on railroads, on which to carry their tools. This truck add men were at once "impressed." They took it by turns of

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

53

two mt a time to ran behind this track and push it along mil up grades and level portions of the road, and let it drive at will on all- the down grades. A little way further up the fugitive adventurers had stopped, cat the telegraph wires and torn up the track. Here the pursuers were thrown off pell-mell, truck and men, upon the side of the road. For tunately, "nobody was hart on oar side." The truck was soon placed on the road again; enough hands- were left to repair the track and with all the power of determined will and muscle, they pushed on to Etowah sta tion, some twenty miles above.
. Here, most fortunately, Maj. Coopers old coal engine, the "Yonah" one of the first engines on the State road was standing oat, find up. This venerable locomotive wat> immediately turned upon her old track and like an old racer at the tap of the drum, pvicked up her ears and made ne time to Kingston.
The fugitives, not expecting such early pursuit, quietly took in wood and water at Cuss Station, and borrowed a schedule Irom the tank-tender vpon the plausible plea that they were running a pressed train, loaded with powoer for Beauregard. The attentive and patriotic tank-tender, Mr. William Russell, said he gave them his schedule, and would have sent the shirt off his back to Beauregard, if it had been attked for. Here the adventurous fugitive inquired which end of tbe switch they should go in on at Kingston. When they arrived at Kingston, they stopped, when to the agent there, told the powder story, readily got the switchkey, went on tbe upper turn-out, and waited for the down way freight train to pass. To nil inquiries they replied with the same powder story. When the freight train bad passed, they immediately proceeded on to the next station Adairsville where they were to meet the regular down freight train. At some point on the way they bad taken on some fifty cross-ties, and before reaching Adairsville, they stopped on a curve, tore op the rails, and put several cross-ties on the tra.ck no donbt intending to wreck this down freight, which would be along in a few minutes. They had oat a poo tbe engine a red handkerchief, as a kind of a flag or sig nal, which, in railroading, means another train is behind, thereby indi cating to all that tbe regular passenger train would be along preeently. They stopped a moment at Adairsville, and said Fuller, with the regu lar pasrenger train, was behind "and would wait at Kingston for the freight train, and told the conductor thereon to push ahead and meet him aA that puiut. They painted on to Calhoun, rhere they met the down passenger train, due here at 4:20 p. m., and without making any stop,

54

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS. .

they proceeded, on, on, and on. But we must return to Fuller and hist party, whom we have unconsciously left on the old "Yonah" making their way to Kingston.
Arriving there and learning the adventurers were but twenty min utes ahead, they left the "Yonah" to blow off, while they mounted the engine of the Borne Branch road, which was ready fired up and waiting; for the arrival of the passenger train nearly due, when it would have proceeded to Kome. A large party of gentlemen volunteered for thechase, some at Ackworth, Altoona, Kingston and other points, taking: such arms as they could lay their hands on at the moment; and with this fresh engine they set oat with all speed, but with great care and" caution," as they had scarcely time to make Adairsville before the dowr* freight train would leave that point. Sure enough, they discovered thistide of Adairsville three rails torn up and other impediments in the way. They "checked up"-in time to prevent an accident, but could proceed with the train no further. This was most vexatious, and it may have been in some degree disheartening, but it did not cause the slightest relaxation of efforts, and as the result proved was bnt little in the way of the dead game, pluck and resolution of Fuller and Murphy, who left the engineand again pnt out on foot alone! After running two miles they met thedown freight train, one mile out from Adairsville. They immediatelyreversed the train and ran backwards to Adairsville, put the cars on the1 siding and pressed forward, making fine time to Calhoun, where they met the regular down passenger train. Here they halted a moment, xook on board a telegraph operator, and a number of men who again volun teered, taking their guns along, and continued the chase. Mr. Fuller also took on here a c om,pany of track hands to repair the track as they went along. A short distance above Calhoun they flushed their game on a curve, where they doubtless supposed themselves out of danger, andf were quietly oiling the engine, taking up the track, etc. Discovering; that they were pursued, they mounted and sped away, throwing out upon the track as they went along the heavy crows-ties they had prepared themselves with. This was done by breaking out the end of the hind most box-car, and pitching them out. Thun, "nip and tuck," thew passed with fearful speed Besaca, Tilton, and on through Dalton.
The rails which they had taken np last they took off with them, be sides throwing out crosfc-ties upon the track occasionally, hoping thereby the more surely to impede the pur.-uit; bnt all this was like low to thetouch of fire, to the now thoroughly aroused, excited and eager pursuers.;

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

55

These men, though so much excited and influenced by so much determi nation, still retained their well known caution, were looking ont for dan ger and discovered it, and though it wag seemingly an insuperable ob stacle to their making any headway in pursuit, was quickly overcome by the genius of Fuller and Murphy. Coming to where the rails were torn up, they stopped, tor* up rails behind them, and laid them down before, lill they passed over that obstacle. When the cross-ties were reached, they hauled to-and threw them off, and thus proceeded, and under these difficulties gained on the fugitives. At Dalton they halted a moment. Fuller put off the telegraph operator, with instructions to telegraph to Chattanooga to have them stopped, in case he should fail to over haul them.
Fuller pressed on in hot chase sometimes in sight us much to pre vent their cutting the wires before the message could be sent as to catch them. The daring adventurers stopped just opposite and very near to where Colonel Glenns regiment is encamped, and cut the wires, but the operator at Dalton had put the message through about two minutes be fore. They also again tore up the track, cut down a telegraph pole, and placed the two ends under the cross-ties, the middle over the rail on the track. The pursuers stopped again nd got over this impediment in the same manner as they did before taking up rails behind and laying them down before. Once over this, they shot on, and passed through the g>eat tunnel, at Tunnel Hill, being then only five minutes behind. The fugi tives thus finding themselves closely pursued, uncoupled two of the box cars from the engine, to impede the progress of the pursuers. Fuller hastily coupled them to the front of his engine and pushed them ahead of him to the first turn-out or siding, where they were left thus pre venting the collision the adventurers intended.
Thus the engine thieves passed Binggold, where they began to fag. They were out of wood, water and oil. Their rapid running ^nd inat tention to the engine had melted all the brass from the journals. They had no time to repair or refit, lor an iron horse of more bottom was close behind. Fuller and Muophy and their men soon came within four handled yards of them, when the fugitives jumped from the engine and left it three on the north side and five on the south side all fleeing precipitately and scattering through the thicket. Fuller and his parly also took to the woods after them.
Some gentlemen, also well armed, took the engine and some cars of the down passenger train at Calhoun, and followed up Fuller and Mur-

56

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

phy and their party in the chase, ,but a, short distance behind, and

reached the place of the stampede but a Tery few momenta after the first

pursuers did. A large number of men were soon mounted, armed and

scouring the country in search of them. Fortunately there was a militia

muster at Kinggold. A great many countrymen were in town. Hearing

of the chase, they put outon foot and on horseback, in every direction,

in search of the daring, bnt now thoroughly frightened and fugitive men.

We learn that Fuller, soon after leaving his engine, in passing a

cabin in the country, found a mule having on a bridle but no saddle, and

tied to a fence. "Heres your mule," he bhouted, aj he leaped upon his

back and put out as fast as a good switch, well applied, could impart

vigor to the muscles and accelerate the speed of the patient donkey. The

cry of "Heres your mnlel" and "Wheres my mule?" have become

national, and are generally heard when, on the one hand, no mule is

about, and on the other, when no one is hunting a mule. It seems not

to be understood by any one, though it is a peculiar Confederate phrase,

and is as popular as "Dixie" from the Potomac to the Bio Grande. It

remained for Fuller, in the midst of this exciting chase, to solve the

mysterious meaning of the national by-word or phrase, and give it a

practical application.

AH of the eight men were captured, and are now safely lodged in

jail. The particulars of their capture we have not received. This we

hope to obtain in time f jr a postscript to this, or for our second edition.

They confessed that they belonged to Lincolns army, and had been sent

down from Shelbyville to burn the bridges between here and Chatta

nooga; and that the whole party consisted of nineteen men, eleven of

whom were dropped at sereral points on the road as they came down, to

assist in the burning of the bridges as they went back.

When the morning freight train which left this city reached Big

Shanty, Lieutenant Colonel B. F. Maddox and C. P. Phillips took the

engine atid a few care, with fifty picked men, well armed, and followed

on as rapidly as possible. They passed over all difficult;es, and got as

Jar as Calhoun, where they learned the fugitives had taken to the woods,

and were pursued by plenty of men, with the means to catch them if it

were possible.

x

One gentleman, who went up on the train from Calhonn, who has

furnished us with many of these particulars, and who, by the way, is one

of the most experienced railroad men in Georgia, says too much praise

cannot be bestowed on Fuller and Murphy, who showed a cool judgment

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

57

and forethought in this extraordinary affair, unsurpassed by anything lie erer knew in a railroad emergency. This gentleman, we learn, from another, offered, on his own account, $100 reward on each man, for the Apprehension of the villains.
\Ve do not know what Governor Brown will do in this cane, or what is his custom in such matters, but if such a thing is admissible, we insist on Fuller and Murphy being promoted to the highest honors on the load if not by actually giving them the highest positions, at least let them be promoted by brevet. Certainly their indomitable energy and qnick, correct judgment and decision in the many difficult contingencies connected with this unheard-of emergency, has saved all the railroad bridges above Binggold from being burned; the most daring scheme that this revolution has developed has been thwarted, and the tremend ous results which, if successful, can scarcely be imagined, much less described, have been averted, Had they succeeded in burning the bridges, the enemy at Huntsville would have occupied Chattanooga be fore Sunday night Yesterday they would have been in Knozville, and thus had posttesfcion of all East Tenueseee. Our forces at Knoxville, Greenville and Cumberland Gap would, ere this, have been in the hands of the enemy. Lynchbnrg, Vs., would have been moved upon at once. This would have given them possession of the valley of Virginia, and Stonewall Jacksou could have been attacked in the rear. They would have possession of the railroad leading to Charloltesville and Orange Court House, as well as the South Side railroad, leading to Petersburg and Richmond. They might have been able to unite with McClellana forces and attack Jo. Johnstons army, front and flank. It is not by any means improbable that our army in Virginia would have been defeated, captured or driven out of the State this week.
Then reinforcements from all the eastern and southeastern portion of the country would have been cutoff from Beauregard. The enemy have Hnntsville now, and with all thee designs accomplished his army would have been effectually flanked. The mind and heart shrink appalled at the awful consequences that would have followed the success of this one act When Fuller, Murphy and Cain started from Big Shanty on foot to capture that fugitive engine, they were involuntarily laughed at by the crowd, serious as the matter was and to most observers it was indeed most ludicrous; but that foot-race saved us, and prevented the con summation of all these tremendous consequences.
One fact we must not omit to mention is the valuable assistance

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THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

rendered by Peter Bracken, the engineer on the down freight train which) Fuller and Murphy turned back. He ran his engine fifty and a half mile* two of them backing the whole freight train up to Adaireville made twelve stops, coupled to the two cars which the fugitives had drop ped, and switched them oft on sidings all this, in one hour and five minutes.
We doubt if the victory of Manaseas or Corinth were worth as much,
to us as the frustration of this grand coup de tat. It is not by any means certain that ttie annihilation of Beauregards whole army at Cor inth would be so fatal a blow to us as would have been the burning of the bridges at that time and by these men.
When we learned by a private telegraph dispatch a few days ago,, that the Yankees had taken Huntsville, we attached no great impor tance to it. We regarded it merely as a dashing foray of a small party to destroy property, tear ni< the road, etc., a la Morgan. When an addi tional telegram announced the Federal force thereto be from seventeen, thousand to twenty thousand, we were inclined to doubt though com ing from a perfectly honorable and upright gentleman, who would nob be apt to seize upon a wild report to send here to his friends. The com ing to that point with a large force, where they would be flanked oneither side by our army, we regarded as a most stupid and unmilitary; act. We now understand it all. They were to move upon Chattanooga. and Knozville as soon as the bridges were burnt, and press on into Vir ginia as far as possible, and take all our forces in that state in the rear. It was all the deepest laid scheme and on the grandest scale that ever emanated from the brains of any number of Yankees combined. It wasone that was also entirely practicable on almost any day for the last-
year. There were but two miscalculations in the whole programme p they did not expect men to start on foot to pursue -them, snd they did not expect these pursuers on foot to find Major Coopers old "Yonah"1 standing there already fired up. Their calculations on every other point, were dead certainties, and would have succeeded perfectly.
This would have eclipsed anything Captain Morgan ever attempted.
To think of a parcel of Federal soldiers, officer* and pirvates, coming-
down into the heart of the Confederate States for they were h*re in Atlanta and at Marietta (some of them got on the train at Marietta
tbat morning, and others were at Big -Shanty); of playing such seriooat
game on the State Road, which is under the control of oar prompt, t*-
ergetic and sagacious Governor, known as such all over America; to

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seize the passenger train on his road, right at Camp McDonald, where hebaa a number of Georgia regiments encamped, and ran off with it; tobarn the bridges on the same road, and to go safely through to the Fed eral lines, all this would have been a feather in the cap of the man or men who executed it.
Let this be a warning to the railroad men and everybody else in the Confederate States. Let an engine never be left alone a moment. Let additional guards be placed at our bridges. This is a matter we specially urged in "The Confederacy " long ago. We hope it will now be heededFarther: Let a sufficient guard be placed to watch the government stores in this city; and let increased vigilance and watchfulness be pnt forth by the watchmen. We know one solitary man who is guarding house in this city which contains a lot of bacon. Two or three men could throttle and gag him, and set fire to the house at any time; and worse, he conceives that there id no necessity for a guard, as he is some times seen off duty, for a few moments fully long enough for an incen diary to burn the house he watches. Let Mr. Shakelford, whom we know to be watchful and attentive to his duties, take the responsibility at oneeof placing a well-armed guard of sufficient force around every house containing government stores. Let this be done without waiting forinstructions from Richmond.
One other thought. The press is required by the government to keep silent about the movements of the army, and a great many thingsof the greatest interest to our people. It has, in the main, patriotically complied. We have complied in most cases, but our judgment wasagainst it all the while. The plea is that the enemy will get the news, if it is published in our papers. Now, we again ask, whats the use? The enemy get what information they want. They are with us and pasaamoog us almost daily. They find ont from us what they want to know,, by passing through our country nnimpeded. It is nonsense, it is folly,, to deprive our own people of knowledge they are entitled to and ought to know, for fear the enemy will find it out. We ought to have a regu lar system of passports over all oar roads, and refuse to let any manpaas who could not give a good account of himself, come well vouched1 for, and make it fully appear that he is not an enemy, and that he is na legitimate business. This would keep information from the enemy tar more effectually than any reticence fit the press, which ought to lay be fore our people the full facts in everything of a public nature.

CHAPTER VI.
SEARCH FOR ANDREWS REMAINS OLD CITIZEN WHO SAW THE EXECU TION AND BURIAL WATCHES THE GRAVE FOR YEARS HIS SON-INLAW POINTS OUT THE SPOT -RECOVERY OF THE REMAINS-SENT TO CHATTANOOGA TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD.
Repeated efforts had been made by the survivors of the raid and their friends to find the grave of Andrews, but without success.- Rev. Win. Pittenger, while gathering data for his book on the expedition, spent much time at Atlanta and made diligent inquiry and search for the remains, but could find no one who could tell of the whereabouts of the lone grave, whict many kneji was in the woods, but none could locate. Rumor had it nenrer into town, and lost amidst the bnildingsof a closely populated section.
The American Frees Association in 66 and 87 published a serial etory of the " Andrews K.iiders," giving the most complete history of this incursion that had ever been given. Mr. Fred. J. Cook at that time was resident manager of the association at Atlanta; as such, he became iamiliar with local connection of that event, and the residents still living in Atlanta who were connected with it. The corporation, with its usual push and energy, encouraged Mr. Cook to make inquiry and, if possible, :find the remains of Andrews, which would make a grand sequel to their publication. On investigation he accidentally heard of a family who lived at the time near the spot where Andrews was executed, and had lived there ever since. In this household, of Mr. John H. Masbbume, were found (he only persons who could have positively pointed out the grave, and could give satisfactory evidence it was the resting place of Andrews. At the time of the execution of the leader of the raiders, Mr. Uashbnrnes home was the nearest house to it. He was not there at the time, but his father-in-law, hearing of the hinging, witnessed it from the crowd. He identified the location of the gallows as being one square from Peachtree street, on the right of Ponce Be Leon avenue, oh the top

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of * hill, an elegant residence standing on the spot The old man MIT the corps* cut down; followed behind it down the hill into the ravine, and watched the hasty burial in the shallow grave. Andrews conduct on the gallows touched a sympathetic cord of his nature, and for some time afterwards he made daily trips to the grave. Often on Sunday afternoons he would go with Mr. Mashburne and point out the grave as the one of the " leader of the engine thieves." Until the day of his death he watched the grave; what his reason for doing so, his family never found out, only thathe felt sorry for the man, and wanted to see that no one disturbed his body. To this family, who lived there at the time and have ever since, there could be no possibility of a mistake in> the location of the grave or the victim. This secret, which many were trying to find out, in this family ws a common household subject. Singular to say, this knowledge, held of so little consequence by thU family, never found its way to the ears of the searchers, nor did their desire reach the former until at this time.
When the fact that the grave could be positively pointed ont became known, parties interested notified Secretary of War, Wm. C. Endicott. Major E. B. Kirke, of the United States army, stationed at Atlanta, ws ordered to make search for the remains and recover them if possible. Dr. Wilson, of the Atlanta Medical Institute, became .interested in th search by this time. He got the consent of the property owner on which the grave was located, also Mayor Calhoun, to ercavate for the remains.
On Monday afternoon, April llth, the very day which twenty-five years before his raid should have been executed, Major Kirke, U. 8. A., Dr. C. L. Wilson, President of the National Surgical Institute, Mr. Fred. J. Cook, Mr. John H. Mashbnrne, as guide, and a negro laborer, with pick and shovel, started ont on a journey which proved to be the sequel of a journey commenced twentv-five years before by the man whose ashes were now. sought for. Turning to tne right from Peachtree street, they wend their way down Ponce De Leon circle, two squares to Juniper street; turning into this street, they continue one square to the first cross street; into this unused highway about twenty steps they stopped near a large rock, beneath a pine tree, at a depression in the ground, from which the blackberry bushes grew a tangled ma.. This depression, nearly filled with leaves caught by the bushes, was the spot which Mr. Mashbnrne had been told for years was the one where An drews wan buried. Under his directions the laborer begaa his work, handling his shovel with care, lest it should shatter the bones; each

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THE ANDEEW8 BAIDEBS.

hovel foil, as it wag thrown out, wag carefully examined by all. At the depth of three feet their research was rewarded, and Mr. Maahbnmes story verified by the discovery of a portion of a skeleton. One by one the bones were laid aside by Dr. Wilson, who identified them as being human, and the remains of a large man. The skeleton exhumed was ; placed carefully in a box and removed, nnder the supervision of Major . Kirke to Dr. Wilsons Surgical Institute. There wag no doubt about it now, the real facts corroborated the residents story, and the identification of the physician present, that the bones found were those of a man of the size of Andrews, was ample proof that this was the body of the leader of this perilous expedition. Which for twenty-five years had lain in an unknown grave, lost from the care ot admiring comrades, hid away from the decorations which yearly crown the soldiers graves. The remains of Andrews were thus recovered from the earth which had been his winding sheet and funeral mantle, and on the record, which classed his remains as those of a brave unknown, was inscribed the name, "James J. Andrews."
The absence of the right fore arm bone was accounted for by Mr. Washburne as follows. He was at the grave one Sunday afternoon with a friend from East Tennessee, a Mr. McKamie; he was telling bun that it was that of the leader of the "engine thieves." This friend pushed his cane down into the soft earth and forced np a bone which he carried off with him as a relic. Maj. Kirke after having satisfied himself by further research and inquiry that the skeleton exbnmed was that of Andrews, commenced preparations for their removal to Chattanooga, there to be reinterred in the National cemetery. Not a piece of the manacles in which Andrews was hung was found with his body, although it ie an actual fact, so witnesses say who saw the execution and burial, that his shackles were never removed. It is hardly probable that they would rust away in this time. It is a rumor, only, that > ndrews remains were at one time dug np. Of this Mr. Averille, in the Atlanta Journal, of April 14th, 1887, says as follows: "Andrews remains are said to have been exhumed a day or two after they were first buried, for the purpose of se curing his clothing, and immediately reinterred. From the fact thXt several bones are missing, it is supposed that they must have afterwards been disturbed." It is believed by many that such is the fact, but the writer could find nothing to substantiate such supposition.
When Post 45, of Chattanooga, first heard of the recovery of Andrews remains, they at once offered their services to take charge of the

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ifcody; and with doe ceremony, furnish it an escort from their rank*, and give them a soldiers burial. Their offer was at once accepted and Haj. Kirke with an escort sent the remains from Atlanta to Chattanooga, leaving the G. A. R. Post at that city to prepare the programme and ar range the ceremonies for the last interment.
On Sunday afternoon the 16th of October, 1887, one of those per fect days, a gem of Indian summer, when the verdure begins to don her yarigated autumnal robes, and the elements are at peace, along the .graveled drives of the National Cemetery, moved a cortege bearing An drews remains, over whom the last sad rites were soon to be pronounced. At an open grave the last of a semi-circle of eight, the procession stops, surrounded by a concourse of ihree thousand people, the remains are lowered to rest by the side of his comrades with whom he gave his life. The roll was now complete. Boss, Wilson, Sbaiirack, Scott, Slavens, Rob* ertson, Andrews, not one was missing, together in the "narrow house of dreamless darkness" they await, to answerthe bngle call of eternity.
The tribute to Andrews, pronounced by Hon. A. H. Pettibone, De partment Commander of Tennessee G. A. R., on this occasion was an eloquent eulogy, and one of the links which belongs to this history. As such the speech is given in full; chaste in language, fertile in thought, sublime in subject; in a masterly manner the orator wove it into a me morial, which, as he reads, swells the patriots heart with pride, and he exclaims, "A mite of justice is done to the memory of this brave man." It was a memorable occasion when the speaker began.
Comrades of the Grand Army: We are now assembled in this silent city of the dead to here finally innm the bones and pay a tribute of respect and grateful remembrance to the memory of a patriot who had all the fervor and earnestness of Nathan Hale, and a courage equal to any of the three hundred Spartans who fell with Leonidas at the pass of Ther mopylae 1 It is needless to say that we. have come to make a lasting .grave in this beautiful National cemetery for one who was a leader in an exploit of romantic daring which equals any of the tales of mediaeval chiv alry 1 The story of his exploit will ever remain as one of the most thrill ing and picturesque in the thousands of noted events which marked the progress of our great civil war.
Let me briefly recount it; the story-shall be short. J. J. Andrews, a native of Virginia and a citizen of Eastern Kentucky, was a Union man at the opening of the strife of the strongest convictions and intenest character. He was a man of rare intelligence, of high spirit, of

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THE ANDREWS EAIDERS.

the most polished manners. The published accounts of those who shap ed hia perils all agree that he was no ordinary man. He had a rare combination of intellect, of courage the most nnquailing, and a largeknowledge of men and their affaire. He was in the early prime of * vigorous, handsome, stalwart manhood.
HU courage, his coolness, his high character, his knowledge of thecountry made him especially valuable as a scout, and as a spy. I pausenot to apologize fur the term as applied to him.
It it is right to slay an enemy, it is right to deceive. War ever wasand ever is a combination of fraud and force, fraud to deceive and force to crush an opposing enemy. It is only the justness of the causewhich can justify any war.
To mislead nn enemy, to outgeneral him, brings plaudits to a com mander. But self-protection warrants the severest treatment toward a spy. Yet, in honorable warfare,who doesnot know that it is only the spys weakness when captured that authorizes his harsher treatment than that of the soldier in uniform ? And who will not agree that it is the noble purpose and courage and devotion which may be displayed in righteous war which gives dignity to life and spreads a halo of glory over patriot graves?
Go back with me in memory to the early springtime of 1862. On the day when the battlefield of Sliiloh was red with slaughter, a little company of twenty-two men, picked from various commands, stole quietly off from the camp of Gen. Mitchell, then at Shelbyville, Tenn., and, separating into squads of two and three, made their way through the mountains until they reached the Memphis & Charleston railroad, a a short distance west of Chattanooga. They boarded the train quietly, assuming not to know each other, passed through this city, then a forti fied camp, and late at night reached Marietta, Ga, What was tneir pur pose in thug penetrating 200 miles into the heart of the Confederacy? It was a conception of grand strategy. East Tennessee was full of loy alists, ready to rise by thousands. The conscript act had just been passed by the Confederate authorities, and this had raised a alarm of, opposition. Bemember that the great armies were facing each other on the Potpmac in the East, while .in the West they were met in a terrible death grapple at Shilob I In all this central region the railroads -were then few. The Memphis & Charleston ran from the Mississippi, at Memphis, to this city Chattanooga. At Stevenson, Ala., it was reached by the great line coming from Louisville and Nashville; Here at Chat-

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tanooga the roads forked, one line running through the great valley of East Tennessee, by Knoiville and Bristol aud Lynchburg, to the Potomac; the other by Atlanta, and through the low country of Georgia to> the Sooth Atlantic coast. Here was the break in the mountains through which the beautiful Tennessee flows to the father of waters.
The geology of the continent made Chattanooga the great gateway to the central South, and early in the war it was perceived clearly by able soldiers on both sides, as Grant is reported to have declared that "the power which is permanently the master of Chattanooga is master oo tb continent." Gen. Mitchel was then face to face with this problem. Could a blow be struck by activity and brave endeavor while the two great armies of the Confederacy were concentrated 800 miles apart, so as to cut their line in the center and permanently hold it, by grasping at that critical moment Chattanooga, the great key to the situation ? He could! by a rapid march aud by taking great risk. But could he hold it? He could if the Confederate forces could be detained away and for a few weeks could be prevented from reaching Chattanooga and concentrating against him.
The only way in which, as matters then were, a great force could be brought against him, if he could capture Chattanooga, was over the sin gle railroad track the Western & Atlantic which stretched away over the rugged hills ot Georgia to Atlanta. But if the bridges which spanned the rivers and mountain streams could be destroyed it would take weeks to rebuild them. The time so necessary to the accomplishing of the vast design would be gained. The whol? country wonld be electrified, the Union men of East Tennessee would rise almost en masse and the entire face of events would be changed. The Confederacy would receive a deadly wound in its most vulnerable part. Chattanooga would have been provisioned, armed, fortified,- garrisoned by a great army as. twq years later it wag.
Now, only in one way could these bridges be reached and destroyedV A bold and skillful leader, knowing the country, knowing the railroad schedules, and the lime of running trains, might with a small squad of active, intelligent, strong and desperately brave men, by assuming citi zens garb, reach Atlanta or Marietta in Georgia, and by suddenly seiz ing a passenger train and cutting loose the engine and a car or two,ke a sudden dash northward, destroying the telegraph wires and burning the bridges as they went With rare good fortune they might run through to Huntsville and there meet the coming host of Mitchel. The

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THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

risk was a desperate one. They would all literally carry their lives in their hands. It would be no holiday freak. It was no boys play. They knew if they should fail that the passions of an angry enemy wonld be lashed to fury. They knew they would be held and treated as spies! They had read the story of John Andre and Nathan Hale! Something more than desperate courage was wanted. Keen perception, promptness to act, the toughest fiber and the stoutest heart. These were the quali ties demanded of the twenty-one young volunteers who weie chosen by him whose bones are now coffined in onr presence.
I cannot, nor does time allow, recount the details of their adventure. It is written in the history of their country, and will never pass from its passes. It is sufficient that they did reach Marietta, that they boarded the train coming northward just before daylight on Saturday morning, April 12th, 1862. At Big Shanty, when conductor, engineer and passen gers had proceeded to breakfast in the midst of Camp McDonald, which was filled with Confederate soldiers and within the line of their sentries, they suddenly seized the locomotive, cut loose three care from the balance of the train, and away they flew on the wings of the wind toward Chat tanooga and the Union lines.
It seemed for a moment that tbii_ & . _ was won. But man pro poses, God disposes. The Confederate repuine at Shilob; the story o ; that titantic struggle was flashed over all the states at war. The simultaneous advance of MitchelJt to the Tennessee at Huntsville was known. The Confederate authorities here at Chattanooga had taken the alarm, and trains were crowded with the material of war and hurried toward At lanta. The track was unexpectedly obstructed by train after train. Meantime a hot pursuit was instantly organized and most bravely and persistently pushed. Delay, mischance, accident, circnmstances which no human mind could forsee thwarted the little band whom Andrews .commanded. It became a race for life or death. For more than a hun dred milps they flew as fast as locomotive wheels could turn. So hot was the pursuit and so much were they detained by those unexpected trains that the bridges which they set on fire were saved before seriously in jured. So furious was their speed that the brass journals were melted by the revolving axles. It was all in vain. Within a few miles of this city the wood gave out; and then the heroic Andrews gave the command, the enemy being in sight, for each man to save himself as best he could. After terrible sufferings from hunger and cold and loss of sleep aud im mense physical and mental strain, they were one by one captured and

THJE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

67

iplaced in chains. Their leader and six others were tried by court mar"tial, condemned to death and suffered death by hanging.
The first to suffer an ignominious death was Andrews. He was, after some months, hanged at Atlanta. During the twenty-two years which have rolled away since, peace may it be perpetual came to a sore af.flicted country, his grave has been unmarked, unknown, and, it seemed, utterly lost! But in recent days by happy chance, bis resting place was found and identified beyond question. Such is the story in briefest out line of the heroic episode in which he bore so conspicuous a part, and paid the last full measure of devotion to an imperilled country.
And now, comrades, it is most fitting in this afternoon of our lives that his bones should be disinterred from the place wbere they were buried, which has since become part of a public street in the growing city of Atlanta, so famous in the annals of the war, and should here be laid to final rest by a post of the Grand Army of the Republic whose members make their homes in this famous city. It is most fitting that his permanent grave should be here in this national cemetery, and that his countrys starry banner shall forever wave over it. After a strange nd wild career after a life of adventure and daring after years of teeming night his bones here find solem sepulture and honored burial. They find it at the hands of the old soldiers of the republic, who shared in the perils of that terrible strife in which he perilled all, and lost all BO far as earthly life, and earthly plans, and earthly hopes were involved. Had he won, it would, it might at least, have changed every phase of the great war. But did he fail? Yes and no. Yes, so far as the immed iate and tangible results of his daring purpose went. No. in the larger and wider meaning of the word. Be and his comrades gave a splendid example of patriotism and heroic courage to all their comrades in arms
they won an honorable place in history, like Sergeant Jasper and Joseph Warren and won the stern respect of all their honorable foes. \Vhen in ancient Boman days. Mucius Scaevola penetrated to the camp of King Porsena, who was then besieging Home, with the purpose of taking his life, and being apprehended, was threatened to be burned alive unless he betrayed his accomplices, and Scaevola, in disdain, placed his right hand in the flame till it "shriveled in the Volscian fire/ Did Mucius Scaevola fail? Has brave endeavor and heroic sacrifice iu a just and beneficent cause ever truly failed? Did the martyrs thrown to wild beasts, and whose blood soaked the sand of the ancient arena, fail?
"Fait? They never fail who bravely do the right,

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TEE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

Gods faithful martyrs never suffer loss: Their blazing fagots sow the world with light, Heavens gate swings open on their bloody cross!""
His story is that of an heroic martyr to the love of hbconntry,.tt> its unity and its glory.
Here in their last resting place we !ay with patriotic and saered rite the relics of Andrews, the Nathan Hnle of the great rebellion.
"2so further seek his merits to disclose, Nor draw his frailities from their dread abode,.
"There they alike in conscious trust repose, "The bosom of his Father and his God!"
And so, martyr to the cause of liberty and union, hail and farewell

CHAPTER VII.
TTRST STEPS TOWARDS A MONUMENT POST 45, G. A. R-.A VETERANS IN TEREST AROUSED CHATTANOOGA MEMORIAL TO OHIO LEGISLA TURE CAPT. FULLERSSPEECH AT COLUMBUS.O A TOUCHING SCENEBILL INTRODUCED LN OHIO SENATE- So 000 ASKED GRANTED THE MONUMENT COMPLETED.
The absence of Andrews remains from the side of his comrades created a void which their presence could not fill. Though participants in this rash act, yet it was around their leaderthat wasclustered theinterest of all. So that when bis body was brought and formed one of the circle immediate steps were taken to erect a memorial to perpetuate their names and do justice to the surviving members of the expedition.
Post 45, G. A. B., at Chattanooga, having become directly interested in the Andrews Raiders by their burial of the leader, at once began to take steps towards building a memorial.
A standing Andrews Monument Committee was appointed in the fall of 87 consisting of five comrades, and each following year they have succeeded themselves until their object had been gained. The duty of this monument committee was to perpare a means to get sufficient funds to build a suitable structure orer the remains of the raiders, in the Chattanooga National Cemetery. Their first scheme was to ask each post in the United States to levy a ten cent contribution on each member. Maj. C. W. Norwood, as chairman of the com.mittee, addressed letters to various post commanders asking their opinion of the plan. There was a unanimous response from all assuring him that their quota was ready at any time. Alter due consideration this was thought to be too slow and was abandoned. In the winter of 87 this committee resorted to the liberality of the State of Ohio and in a suitable memorial, prepared by XI.-ij. Xorwixid, the legi-ilature of that State was asked to appropriate $10,000 to erect a jjonument in the Chat tanooga cemetery. This petition was the primary cause of the erection

7<3

THE ANDREWS RAIDERS.

of the present memorial. An earnest effort was made by the writer to get this memorial of Maj. Norwoods but was assured by the clerk of the House that this petition had probably gone the way of many a good res olution into the waste basket at least it could not be found. WhilePost 2, G. A. R. of Chattanooga took no active steps they gave their moral support to all that was done and stood ready at any time to lend a
hand in the good work. In the meantime another man had done something some time be
fore for the same purpose in a different way. In 1S82 Hon. Thos. A_ Cowgill became interested in the erection of a monument on behalf of his comrades. His efforts are best told in his own words as follows:. "Visiting the National cemetery at Chattanooga in 1SS2, I was showu> the plat where were interred the bodies of the executed raiders; noting the fact that the plan provided space for a monument, it occured to methat the erection of a suitable monument to the memory of those bravemen should not be much longer delayed. Having been a Union soldier
myself and familiar with the history of the performances of that in trepid band of soldiers, who, under the lead of Andrews performed deedsof daring and suffering, that rank as the most brilliant and terrible occuring during the Civil War; and one of those executed Marion A_ Eos?, of Co. A, 2nd Ohio, O. O. L, being from the county I then repre sented in the Ohio House of Representatives. I thus became much in terested in what I conceived was due to those who had ignominiously perished in that bold but ill-starred adventure. I thereupon wrote GenKeifer and other friends in Congress on the subject, and receiving such assurances as led me to suppose that the duty of providing proper monu ments was in the hands of the officers in charge of the national ceme teries, and that in due time the government would, in an appropriatemanner, perpetuate the memory and heroic deeds of the Andrews Raid-t era. I suffered the whole matter to pass from my attention."
Another valiant worker who understood the propriety and necessity of this recognition of Ohios representatives in that expedition, was. Stephen B. Porter, editor of the Columbus Evening Dispatch. It wasthrough him that the memorial of the Chattanooga post was so thorough ly prevented to the Ohio legislature and the awakening of an interest in that body for the appropriation of a fund for the purpose asked for. A short time after the presentation of this memorial Capt. Porter in con versation with Hon. Thos. A. Cowgill, then State Senator, informed that gentleman that an appropriation would soon be asked for by. the-friends.

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of the survivors to commemorate the raid. Mr. Cowgills interest hav ing been aroused on the subject thereupon tendered him his assistance. At his suggestion Capt. Porter drew up the bill asking for $5,000, which, with a few verbal changes, was introdued by Senator Cowgill in the Sen ate April 9th, 1888, near the last of the session and was not acted on at that term being delayed by rush of business.
Before the convening of the next Legislature an important event happened which no .doubt had great weight in the ultimate passage of the bill. In September 1889, the G. A. R. grand encampment was held at Columbus. By special provision the "General" and Capt. Fuller were both there and with the raiders held a reunion of their own. Capt. Fuller was the center of curiosity to the old Vet?, and he was requested to make a speech telling of his chase, which is taken from the Columbus Dispatch and is subjoined in whole. It is full of interest, coming from one of the principal actors in that event.
Capain William A. Fuller, of Atlanta, Ga., addressed a meeting of ex-soldiers at the west front of the State House during the late meeting of the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Between five and six thousand ex-soldiers listened to the address. Their attention was so deeply engaged in what was being said that a public speaker, who was on the platform, said, afterward, he never saw an audience so absorbed in a subject Usually a greater or less number of disinterested persons move in or about the outskirts of open air meetings. Upon this occasion the faces were fixed in one direction and absolute silence prevailed except when the speaker was interrupted with applause.
Captain Fuller was preceded by Rev. Wm. Pittenger, of Hightstown, X. J., one of the raiders, and followed by Capt D. A. Dorsey, of Kearney, Neb.; Capt. Parratt, of Kenton, O.; Captain Knight, of Ryan, O.; Captain Brown,, of Dowling, O.; Captain Mason, of Wood county ; Capt. Bensinger, of Hancock county, and other survivors of the raid. These men were given medals by congress, and given, or promised, com missions on account of their service in the raid.
Captain Fuller came to Columbus, by invitation, too meet the raid ers. All of the survivors except one were here. With two exceptions, Captain Fuller had not met any of them since he helped to capture the party and saw seven of their band die in tbe heart of the Confederacy .near the scene of their daring, because of their effort to restore the old dag to its rightful position over one country.

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Being introduced, Captain Fuller said: "Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends of the Grand Army of the Republic." I shall not attempt to entertain you, jvith that trained rhetoric and eloquence possessed and displayed on this occasion, by the learned gentleman who has preceded me. But my friends, I assure yon that I regard it as one of the greatest pleasures of my life to have the privilege of following the distinguished gentlemen once more. (Great applause). I congratulate you, my friends, that you are thus permitted to re-unite at least once annually, and renew old acquaintance in social converse and retell the stories incident to the war between the states. You won your great victory by sacrifice, daring and suffering, and you are entitled to enjoy the fruit thereof.
Xow, as to the Mitchel raid, and raiders. In the first place, I will state that I have been told that there are some who claim that the enter prise was ill-advised, impracticable and hazardous, with no promise of success, and it successful, the results would not have been of any ma terial advantage to the Union forces, nor damaging to the Confederates. In order to refute such argument, I shall address myself more particu larly to the old soldiers present, who have been over th ground where the raid was made, and to railroad men who have experience. My friendc, I invite yon to allow your minds to turn back to the date of this daring undertaking. April the 12th, 1S62. Let us locate the Army of the Cumberland and the Army of Tennessee on that memorable day. Remember it was only a few days after the battle of Shitoh. Buell, with, the larger portion of the Army of the Cumberland, was at Shiloh. Mitchel with a strong force, w:-s between Shelbyville, Tennessee, and Hnntsville, Alabama, and actually captured the latter city, which is on the Mem phis & Charleston railroad, that very day, which was a part of the plan and understanding between himself and Andrews, the leader of the ex pedition. Gen. Wilder was off Chattanooga, with at least a menacing force, and Morgan was in front of Knoxville. To confront this army, disposed as stated, the Confederates left at Corinth, was under Beanregard, with the principal portion of the army. Ledbetter was at Chat tanooga, with a small force, probably three thousand men, and General E. Kirby Smith was at Knoxville, with about ten thousand.
The Mitchel raiders, by preconcerted arrangement, on the 12th of April, 1862, undertook to destroy the Western & Atlantic Bailroad, which reaches from Chattanooga, in Tennessee, to Atlanta, in Georgia, a distance of 140 miles. This railroad was of vital importance to the army of the South, for the reasons I shall now give you briefly: Be-

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member that I am now dealing with events and conditions which itook place, and were in the year 1862. The Western and Atlantic Railroad was then a trunk line. It wag the only road that ran north and :sonth in all that wide area or stretch of country lying between Richmond, "Va., and Mobile, Ala. The Memphis and Charleston, the Nashville and Chattanooga, and the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroads all centered in Chattanooga, and turned their travel and freight over to the Western and Atlantic Railroad. At the south end, the Georgia Railroad, from Augusta and Charleston, S. C., the Central Railroad, of Georgia, and the Atlantic and West Point ^Railroad, reaching to Montgomery and Mobile, Ala., all turned their "travel and freight over to the Western and Atlantic Railroad at Atlanta. Thus it will be seen that this most important line of railway was the only route communicating with the Confederate front, supplying the army with reinforcements and supplies, or affording a rail Hoe for either succor or retreat. If this railroad was thus important to the South, I sub mit would it not have been important to the Northern forces if it had i>een destroyed so early in the progress of the war as 1862? Would it ever have been necessary to have fought the battles of Chickamauga or Missionary Ridge? In the winter and early spring of 1862, the Confed erates had purchased all the meat, Sour, corn, hay, etc , in Tennessee, our only over-producing State, and had shipped it south over this same Western and Atlantic Railroad to Atlanta, Ga., and other interior points, to be drawn upon as the Army of Tennessee demanded. If the Western and Atlantic Railroad had been destroyed April the 12th, 1862, by the Mitchel raiders, the army would have been cul off from its sup plies.
Now as to the practicability of the undeitaing: Was it possible or even probable that the raid would be a success, as planned by Gen. Mitchel and Andrews, the leader? I shall contend that the enterprise, while it was daring and hazardous under the circumstances existing on and along the line of road at the time, was both practicable and possible, and that ordinarily, the raiders would have succeeded. Andrews had traveled over the route many times, and had acquainted himself with its location and condition. He was familiar with the stations, passing points and the manner of running the trains. He knew the exact loca tion at all the bridges on the lim*, and he knew that they were wooden .structures of the Howe truss pattern, weatherboarded and covered with shingles. He knew that they were very combustible, and that they were

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ft
guarded by a single guard each. With all of this knowledge which Mr_ Andrews had gathered by his frequent visits within the Southern lines, it is not surprising at all that he should believe he could plan an expe dition which would be successful in the destruction of the Western and Atlantic, the only railroad line by which the South could reach the Army of Tennessee. This that daring man undertook to do, as was sobeautifully told you by Mr. Pittenger. Having laid his plans beforeGeneral Mitchell, the necessary help was volunteered, and only eleven, of the daring, brave men are left to tell the tale.
As has been told you, these soldiers, by an arrangement between,themselves, made their way through the Confederate lines past Chatta nooga, and on down to Marietta, only twenty miles north of Atlanta, ar riving at that point at night, with a well defined plan of action for the morrow. They were to board my train on its arrival in Marietta thenext morning, and at the next station, Big Shanty, which happened tobe the breakfast station (and this was known to Andrews), while the passengers and train crew were at their meals, they were to seize my en gine and run away rartidly in the direction of Chattanooga, burning therailroad bridges, of which there were fourteen, in their rear, and also de stroy the track and telegraph wires as much as possible.
This olan worked well, even without a single hitch, at least up to-, the time of the capture of my engine, the "General," and three freight cars which were attached to the engine and in front of the passenger cars. The capture, as planned, was executed while my passengers, crew and myself were at breakfast. When I discovered that some one had run away with my engine and a portion of my train, I at once set out in pur suit on foot. But, my friends, to tell of the race we run, and the chase I made, the many dangers and hair-breadth escapes that we passed1 through, and the ultimate result, would take time and tax your patienceI will therefore forbear least I weary you. (Cries of "go on," "go on," let us have it all," "go on, we will listen to you all night.") At thisjuncture Captain Fuller turned to the chairman of the meeting, and. other gentlemen on the stand, and asked if it would not be too tediousto go into details of the race, chase, capture, etc., and was by them, also,, urged to go on.
All ri^ht, said Captain Fuller, I will be as brief as possible, as thestory is a hundred miles long, and I hope to be able to tell it in fifteen* minutes. [Laughter.] My friends, I have already told you about the capture and about starting after them on foot. This seemed to- fie-

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funny to the crowd who were standing around, but really I could not seeanything to laugh at, as I felt that whoever it was that bad taken my train and gone off with it, to say the least of it, it was quite impolite in them. I ran two and a half miles, and when I say run I dont mean, "trot," "gallop" nor "pace." I mean "run." At this point I came uponthe section hands who were in great surprise at the conduct of somestrangers who had just left there. They hurriedly told me that the cap tors of the train had stopped there and taken their tools from them, and that there were about twenty of them, and that they were all strangers; that they worked in great haste. Up to this time I had supposed that the captors were Confederates in camp at Big Shanty who wanted to rideout of the camp lines and thus pass the guards so they could visit home, without a passport. But when I heard the story from the track handsI knew it was a "Yankee trick," and from thence forward I doubled my determination. [Applause.]
I put the hand car (one used for hauling cross-ties) on the track asquick as possible and pushed back with all the strength in roe after my engineer, Jeff Cain, and A. Murphy, assistant master mechanic, who waswith me on that trip. When I had gotten them on the hand car, I turnedagain in the pursuit. We pushed by turns, one riding at a time. You. must not suppose gentlemen, that I expected to recapture my train by the use of a hand car. By no means. But I fully believed that by a desperate effort I could run to Etowah Station, distant twenty miles,, before the " Yonah," the engine of the Cooper Iron Works, left that sta tion, and if I could possibly succeed in doing so I would take that en gine in the pursuit. This determination and plan I made known to Cain and Murphy, and we all bent ourselves to the work with a resolution to succeed or die in the attempt. Thus on and on we pressed forward, oneresting and two pushing at a time. We soon came to a break in the track and where the wire wis cut. Carrying our car over the break, we pressed forward with great energy and perseverance. At Acworth, seven miles north of Big Shanty, we armed ourselves with double-barreled shot-guns. I did not have time all day to examine mine to see whether or not she was loaded. (Liughler.) On we pressed and pushed, every now and then being thrown into the ditch by the absence of a rail taken up by the raiders. When we were nearly exhausted and the strength nearly gone, we hove in sight of Etowah, and to our great delight the much-coveted engine was there. But just at that moment, in a short curve, looking ahead, we saw, but too late to stop, that the track had

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again been taken up. Again, pell-mell, into the ditch we were thrown, But we were too much elated at the sight of the engine, not more than a mile distant, to be deterred by a catastrophe so insignificant. We carried the car across the break in the track and pushed on to Etowah. In five minutes we bad the engine Yonah running at full speed toward Kingston, distant fourteen miles, which we run in fifteen minutes.
As already stated, the raiders had three freight cars attached to the engine "General." In the cars all of the raiders, except those engaged on the engine, rode. At their leisure, and while I was chasing them on foot, the raiders loaded cross-ties into the freight cars, to be used as I shall presently describe. When we arrived at Kingston, greatly to our : annoyance and chagrin, we found many heavy freight trains, which, by the request and demands of the raiders, had been run past the sta tion in order to let them out at the further or north end of the siding. By this strategy, and by the stories Andrews told the engineers and con ductors of these several freight trains, and the plausible story he told the station agent in order to get possession of the switch key, which was to the effect that he had "impressed my train to carry powder and fixed ammunition to Beauregard at Corinth, Miss., etc, I say that by this arti fice, the raiders had gained considerable advantage, and forced me to abandon the Yonah, as it would have been sure defeat if I had delayed long enough at Kingston to have had. all those trains pull by so as to have let me pass them. By double-quicking more than two miles to the north end of the town, to a point where I knew the Borne engine, ac cording to the schedule, was standing, I, with a few volunteers, took that engine in the pursuit. But, my friends, I am afraid that I am too tedious and that I will weary you. (C.-ies of "go on," "go on," "we are not tired," take your own time," etc.) I took my stand on the cow-catcher of the Borne engine and told the engineer to watch me and I would look out for obstructions ahead. At very short intervals after leaving Kingston there
were cross-ties thrown upon the track, which was done by punching a hole in the rear of their car. This they could do without stopping, but I was forced to slack speed to remove the ties.
It is impossible for me or for any one else, to describe accurately, and with sufficient strength of words, this exciting race and chase. The ye, the muscle, the nerve and the brain were all strained to their utmost tension. There was nothing left undone by either the raiders or the pur suers that could be done. Six miles north of Kingston the raiders took -up several rails ot the track in their rear and carried them away. At

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this point they also cut the telegraph wire as they had invariably done wherever they stopped. When I came to this point, having neither tools to work with, nor time to delay, and knowing that according to regular schedule time, a down freight was at that moment due at Adairsville,. four miles north, I abandoned the Borne engine which I had pressed intoservice at Kingston, and called for volunteers to join me in another foot race. Anthony Mnrpby, now of Atlanta, Ga., was the only man who followed me. When we had run three (3) miles on foot we met the down or south-bound freight train, twenty-one cars in length. When the en gineer saw me he at once reversed, as he felt somewhat dissatisfied at thestrange conduct of the raiders whom he had just met at Adairsville. I mounted on top the train while Murphy, coming up in a few moments, got on the engine. We rushed back to Adairsville, and in less time than it takes to tell it, dropped the train and took the engine alone in the pursuit.
Now what sort of a story do you suppose the raiders, these nice clever gentlemen, who stand here by me to-night, told the engineer and conductor of that south-bound train ? Well, after telling the powder story, the raiders told the south-bound train men to go on south to King ston as quick as possible, that Fuller would wait there for them, and to make their story still more plausible, they actually flagged me [laughter] and assured the freight train men that I (Fuller) would wait for them at Kingston. Hark you, tbey had taken up the track four miles south of Adairsville, and where would the heavy freight train have been if I bad not gotten to the break in the track and stopped the train ?
But I must hasten on, there are forty-five miles of my story yet to tell. [.Laughter.] With the engine which I got at Adairsville we made nearly a mile a minute to Calhonn, ten miles. At that station I recog nized a boy, telegraph operator at Dalton, fifteen miles north. As we* run past the station, I took him by the hand and lifted him into the ten der. As we ran, I wrote a telegram to General Ledbetter,at Chattanooga, stating that my train had been captured, that I was in pursuit, that the captors were evidently Federals in disguise, and that no doubt the object was the destruction of the Chickamanga bridges, etc., etc. I arrived in Dalton, dropped the operator, and the dispatch was pnt through, but not a moment too soon, as the wire was at that moment cut two miles north of that point by the raiders.
To return to the immediate pursuit. Two miles and a half north of Calhonn I came in sight of the raiders for the first time. They were

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[taking up the track. When they saw me they detached one of their cars and left it before me,.and made haste to depart. To this car I coupled and sped on in the pursuit. Two miles further north I came to another car the raiders had left hefore me. I coupled on to this, as I did the other, and away we went after the raiders, arriving at Resaca just upon their departure. From this instant the race became one for life or death. Imagine two engines, one a Rogers and the other a Danforth & Cook, both five feet ten inch driver, with 160 pounds of steam, and throttle wide open. No such race has ever been run, either before or since. In this terrible strain of speed, tension of nerve and anxious thought, we sped on and on, both the pursued and pursuer, until we had passed Ringgold three miles, when the fuel and water of the raiders gave out, and those brave, self-sacrificing men had no further hope of the success of their enterprise. They could do no more. And to save themselves was all that they could hope or try to do. They abandoned their engine, the famous " General," which now stands out yonder on High street, and they took to the forest.
I ran upon their engine (the General) and coupled to her and has tened her back to Ringgold in the care of Peter Prackin, my engineer. I remembered that as I passed Ringgold I saw a company of militia drill ing. I sent a message to them by my engineej informing them of the nature of our experience, and begging them to mount their horses and aid my party, consisting of four men besides myself, in the capture of the raiders. They readily complied, and by this means the entire coun try was soon full of persons and there was no possible escape. The brave, daring, fearless, self-sacrificing raiders, were all soon captured and im prisoned in Chattanooga. My duty ended here. It is true, that as some of the raiders were tried for their lives, I, of course, was a witness against them. But even this, as you all know, was in the line of my duty.
My friends, I will not detain you by an extended recital of the sad termination of this fatal affair. It has been beautifully and eloquently told you by Mr. Pittenger, one of the raiders. I repeat, however, that J. J. Andrews, the leader of the expedition, and seven of his followers, were tried as spies. They were convicted and the sentence of death .passed upon them Early in June, 1862, the prisoners all were taken to Atlanta, and Andrews was at once hung. He died bravely.
Now, before I conclude my remarks, I desire to say to the Grand .Army of the Republic, and especially to the people of Ohio, that, though .jou have ample opportunity and an abundance of wealth, you are una-

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We to do too much for the surviving members of this expedition, nor can yon do too much in memory of the dead.
On the 20th day of June, 1862, a sergeant called at my hotel and told me that I was wanted at the jail. I supposed the raiders wanted to talk with me, as we had frequently met in jail; I went to the jail and found all ready to start to the place of execution, the seven condemned men being already in an ambulance and en route. On my arrival at the fatal spot I had an opportunity accorded me by the officer in com mand, and I conversed freely with all the condemned men. They were cool, brave to the last, and passed through the terrible ordeal without a murmur. I was the last man with whom either of them spoke. When, they ascended the scaffold an opportunity was given them to speak. Wilson, one of their number, spoke feelingly of their misfortune, and told all about the objects of the raid; said he knew that it was a danger ous undertaking, but he had hopes that if the expedition shonld succeed, it would bring the war to a much earlier termination, nnd that, for this reason, be, in common with his comrades, had been willing to take the chances. He said he entertained no unkind feeling toward either his captor or any one else, and this seemed to be acquiesced in by the others. Wilson, further said "that though he was then and there to lay down his ]ife for the Union cause, those who survived him would live to see the flaif of the Union wave over that self-same spot." My friends, T, for one, have lived to see his prediction verified.
And now, just one thought more and I am done. I shall never forget the 20th day of June, 1862, nor shall I, so long as I live, forget the scene on that hurriedly and horribly constructed death-trap. On the scaffold, reaching from tree to tree, stood the seven brave men about to die in a strange land, and surrounded by those unfriendly to them. It has ever seemed to me that as those patriots stood there erect and unmoved by the horrible nature of the incidents surrounding them, that I could see plainly written in patriots blood on the white brow of each soldier, the words: "Great God, wonderful power, though it seems severe, suffer it to be so for my countrys sake." [Great Applause.]
While paptain Fuller was at Columbus, a very pathetic scene trans pired, by which a widows sorrows of years standing were alleviated, and her unkind feelings toward those whom she thought had wronged her were forgotten. Mrs. Samuel Slavens, wife of one of the raiders executed at Atlanta, was left with a family ot three small children. The . struggles of life did not subdue her feelings of hatred toward those who

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had robbed her ol a protector and husband. The meeting look place at a reception at which the victims of one mans perseverance shook him kindly by the hand, without a thought of reviling him for the misery or sufferings he had caused them to endure. An eye-witness, Stephen B. Porter, gives the meeting of the widow, Mrs. Slavens, and Capt. Fuller as follows : "All of the surviving raiders, except two, were present, to gether with the family of Mrs. Feltrows. All were standing in a semi circle; 1 was conducting Captain Fuller around the circle, introducinghim to the men whom he had never seen as free men before, but had: known them as captives in a prison cell. It was a dramatic scene of themost subdued nature the meeting between Mrs. Slavens and Captain Kuller. She was about in tKe middle of the circle. As we approached her, I saw she was very much excited, her face was flushed, and theyears of sorrow lingered on her brow. No one can ever tell the thoughts of this woman as she took the hand of the man who was responsible for her husbands.death. When I mentioned her name, I seemed to observe a perceptible, but momentary feeling in the nature of a slight shock come into Captain Fullers strona; frame. He spoke so gently, however, and kindly, that the lady was deeply touched. They sat down besideeach other, and conversed in undertones. What they said they alone know, though the house was silent, and we were all in the room.
It was a touching scene, and one which those present will never forget. When-they had finished their talk. Captain Fuller was intro duced to the remainder of the party. Mrs. Slavens was a changed woman after her meeting with Captain Fuller, for she said she felt all right now toward the men who captured, tried and executed her hus band. I have no doubt but that it made her life happier."
Mr. Porter, on the assembling of the sixty-eighth Ohio State Legis lature, sent each member of that body a copy of the " Evening Dispatch," with the above speech of Captain Fuller. This was the final argument in favor of the bill, as on March 20th, 1S89, it became a law, granting 85,000 for a monument to be erected in the National Cemetery at Chatta nooga to the Andrews Raiders. Not a single negative vote was recorded against it in either house, and in the debate all conceded it was but doing tardy justice to those who so eminently deserved it. To Captain Porter, as much as to any other person, IB the credit due of obtaining this appro priation, first endorsed by the memorial from the Chattanooga Post.
Governor Foraker appointed a monument commission to select a proper design and to have erected a fitting structure. As such the mem-

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bers were chosen from the three regiments of Sills brigade, the 2nd, 21st and 33rd Ohio, from whose ranks members of the party were selected. They were Judge Thaddeus Minshall, a captain of the 33rd, now on the supreme bench of the State of Ohio; Hon. Earl W. Merry, sergeant major of the 21st Ohio, now a banker at Bowling Green, Ohio; and Stephen B. Porter, a sergeant in Com pany G., 2nd Ohio. Jfo wiser selection of men could have been made for this purpose, than the three who were appointed. Judge Min shall applied his years of legal and practical life to his new mission. Mr. Merry, as a man of business, gave his executive ability to the worfc, and Mr. Porter, urged by patriotism, which had caused him to champion the cause when others were silent. Together this monument commission have each applied their best ability to the erection of a memorial which is destined to stand for ages; attesting the wisdom of this commission in the selection of a design, and their labors in carrying it out.
It was thought by the commission that the most fitting monument would be old "General" itself and placed as the monument above the men who made it famous, but the Western & Atlantic road valued il too highly as a memento to sell it. After the inspection of manr designs from different artists all agreed on the one selected as being the most fitting and appropriate to celebrate the event. The pattern selected was that of an engine in bronz?, a minaiture fac simile of the "General" the Western & Atlantic engine on which the raiders made their trip from Big Shanty to Kingtrold. Surmounting a Vermont marble pedestal nine feet six inches long, five feet three inchei wide and seven feet six inches high, the whole to be twelve feet above ihe ground. The front of the die contains the inscription, "Ohios Tribute to the Andrews Raiders, 1862, Erected 1890." The unveiling was to have been last October, but was postponed until the decoration of the Nations deal on memorial day; this was not decided until too late to change the date. The left of the die contains. the names:
James J. Andrew?, Fletningsburg, Ky. Marion A. Boss, Co. A. 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf, George D. Wilson, " B " " " " Perry G.Shadrack," K " " " " John M.Scott, " P 21st u " " Samuel Slavens, " E 33rd " " " Samuel Robertson, " G " " " " William H. Campbell, Salineville, Ohio,

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These being the members who were executed at Atlanta, Ga. An

drews was not an enlisted soldier, was a scout, spy, and contraband mer

chant but of great service to the army. Campbell arrived at the camp

of the 2nd Ohio on the day of the departure of the raiders and left with

bis friend Shadrack without enlisting; he was always recognized as a

member of Co. K, 2nd Ohio, and gave himself as such on trial.

On the right of the die contains the names of the eight men who

escaped from jail at Atlanta, Ga.

James A. Wilson, Co. C. 21st Ohio Vol. Inl.

Mark Wood,

""" " " "

J. E. Porter,

""" " " "

W. W. Brown, " F " " " "

William Knight, " E " " "

D. A. Dorsey, " H 33rd " " "

Martin J. Hawkins A " " " "

John Wollam, Co. C " " " " To the rear of the die the names of those who were exchanged from

Libby Prison.

William Pittenger, Co. G. 2nd Ohio Vol. Inf.

Jacob Parrot.

" K 33rd " " "

William Reddick, " B " " " "

Eobert Buffum, " H 21st " " "

William Bensinger," G " " " "

Elisha H. Mason, " K " " " "

This design selected, its execution was let to the Smith Granite Com-

pany of Westerly, B. I., who have moulded this fruit of imagination into material, bearing on its imperishable face of marble the story of the

living and dead. The completion and unveiling of this tardy justice to the dead and

recognition of the living is the last chapter of the daring act begun 29 years ago. History knows no parallel to it, fiction touches no domain

kindred to it, tradition tells naught that compares to it; as long as the

spirit of chivalry and freedom finds its abode in the heart of man the

^daring hardihood of these men will never be forgotten.

CHAPTER VIII.
HOJf. J. B. FOHAZER"S ORATIOX DELIVERED AT THE TJXVEILHtG OF THE ANDREWS MOJfUMENT Df NATIONAL CEMETERY AT CHATTANOOGA, MAY 80, 1881.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen On the 20th day of March, 1889, the General Assembly of Ohio, by law duly enacted, "appropriated $5,000 to erect in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga, Tenn., a monu ment or memorial of some suitable design at the group of graves in which lie the bodies of eight of the Andrews Baiders, so-called, executed at Atlanta, Ga., June, 1862, to-wit:
James J. Andrews, citizen, Jala of Flemingsburg, Ky. William Campbell, citizen, late of Salineville, Columbiana County, O. George D. Wilson, Company B, Second Ohio Infantry, enlisted at Franklin, Miami County, Ohio. Marion A. Boss, Company A, Second Ohio Infantry, enlisted at Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio. Perry G. Shadrack, Company K, Second Ohio Infantry, enlisted at Mitchells Oil Works, Jefferson county, Ohio. Samuel Slavens, Company E, Thirty-third Ohio Infantry, enlisted at Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. Samuel Bobbins, Company G, Thirty-third Ohio Infantry, enlisted *t Boarneville,. Boss County, Ohio. John W. Scott, Company K, Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, enlisted at Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio." The act further provided for the appointment by the Governor of three Commissioners to carry its provisions into effect. Thaddeus A. Min shall, late captain of the Thirty-third Ohio Infantry; Stephen B. Porter, late sergeant of the Second Ohio Infantry, and Earle W. ;Merrey, late sergeant major of the Twenty-first Ohio Infantry, were appointed as such Commissioners. They have concluded their labors and we are here in the name, by the authority and on behalf of the Commonwealth of Ohio, to dedicate

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the monument they have erected to the sacred purposes it is intended to subserve.
We have come, therefore, at the bidding of a great and far distant State, to gather about these graves, ag the accredited representatives of her four millions of people. It is an extraordinary spectacle.
Who were these men ? What were the circumstances of their exe cution ? What offense had they committed ? And what are the purposes now to be accomplished ?
This is an appropriate time and place to ask and answer these questions.
But little is known of Andrews prior to the beginning of the warr except that he was a house painter by occupation, and had been resid ing at Flemingsburg, Ky., for two or three years, where he was well known and highly esteemed. He was a n.an of fine physique, pleasing address, superior intelligence, daring spirit, remarkable self-possession,, and endowed in a striking degree with the power of swaying others and inspiring them with confidence in his ability to accomplish his under takings. He was a natural and exceptional leader of men. He was an uncompromising Union man, and actively and efficiently opposed the spread of secession sentiment in his county. Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities he was appointed a Deputy U. 8. Provost Marshal, and by a succession of incidents and experiences "-con drifted into the hazard ous occupation of a sc -ut and spy for the Union army. He was singu larly adapted to the work he thus undertook, and quickly gained theconfidence of the Generals he served. He made numerous incursionsinto the enemys country and his reports were uniformly found to bereliable, instructive and valuable.
Merely as an example of his work and adventures, it may be stated that under pretense of furnishing medical supplies he preceded Grant to Fort Donelson, made a sketch of the fortifications and approaches, and gained nn accurate knowledge of its garrison, stores and equipment!).
All the others were privates of the respective commands named,, except William Campbell who was related to Shadrack and visiting: him at the camp, when he joined the expedition.
All were men from the humble walks of life, but all were disting uished for good character, intelligence, fidelity, bravery and efficiency. They had no previous history, other than their short service in the army,, to which any special interest attaches. They bad enlisted as hundreds of thousand* of others did, solely that they might do in their capacity

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of soldiers, acting under the orders of their superior?, whatsoever it might be in their power to do to preserve the union of these states. They bad no motive but patriotism ; no purpose but such as duty might enjoin. Such were the tut-n whose bodies lie buried in this group of graves.
What were the circumstances of their execution, and what ofiense had they committed?
When Buell planned his advance from Xashville in the early spring of 1862, he was impressed with the importance of breaking up railroad travel and transportation between Atlanta and Chattanooga,
About the first of April, acting under his orders, Andrews, with five picked men, made his way to Atlanta, with the purpose of some where in that vicinity, on the Western and Atlantic railroad, seizing a train, rushing north with it to Chattanooga, burning bridges and de stroying tracks as he went. Ee depended for the success of his plan upon the co-operation of a friendly locomotive engineer, with whom he was acquainted, who was employed on the road, but he did not find him, as anticipated, and was compelled to abandon his undertaking.
All made their way safely back into our lines, just as the battle of Shiloh was being fought. Buell had marched to the assistance of Grant, and Andrews reported to General Mitchel at Shelbyville. He at once gave him anew the task in which he had just failed.
To understand and appreciate its nature and importance, it is neces sary to recur to the then existing military situation and plan of oper ations.
The first effort of the war on the Federal side was to protect the National capital, command the Potomac and Ohio rivers, and confine the theater of war to the Southern States.
The next was to occupy and hold the non-seceding Southern States of Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. The third was to capture Richmond and the Mississippi river. The first two of these pur poses had been accomplished. We were nt work on the third. The first attempt in its accomplishment wan to separate the Confederate .armies of Virginia from those of the west by advancing a strong central column across Kentucky and Tennessee and establishing it Srmlyon the Charles ton and Memphis railroad, which, with other lines, directly connected .Richmond, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Stevenson, Huntsville, Decatur, Corinth and Memphis.
In accordance with this general plan Grant had captured Forts Henry and Donelson, and had reached Shiloh on the way to Corinth and

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the coveted railroad, with Vicksburg for his ultimate objective point. Buell had crossed Kentucky, occupied Nashville, and with his main force hurried on to SLiloh, leaving Mitchell to protect Central Tennessee, with a discretion as to his operations broad enough to allow him to ad vance and seize the railroad if opportunity therefor should be presented, though it may be sately asserted that it was scarcely contemplated that any such extended and important movement would be undertaken.
But Mitchel was brilliant, restless and aggressive to an extraordi nary degree, and while Graut and Buell were fighting, he, having ad vanced to Shelbyville, was planning what, if it had not miscarried, would have been one of the most splendid strokes of the war.
A glance at the mnp will show that immediately in front of him, about fifty miles distant was Huntsville; twenty-five miles from there to the west was Decatur; about seventy miles from there to the east was Stevenson; some thirty or forty miles further on wss Chattanooga. The great problem was to seize and hold this railroad at some one of these points, but the one point above all others at which to seize and hold it was Chattanooga. Establishing his army at Stevenson, Huntsville or Decatur, left the railroad open directly to Richmond, and, by way of Atlanta, to the whole South, to consentrate troops to dislodge him. But establishing it at Chattanooga meant not only cutting in two the line betweeen the East and West, but it also cut in two the North and South line, and gave us control of communication back to Nashville, while it blocked the Northern outlet of the Western and Atlantic, and made it of no avail to the enemy for hurrying troops from one end of his line to the other. It would have been a practical separation of the Confederate armies and a dismemberment of their territory. Another all-important consequence would have been the liberation of East Tennessee and the swarming of thousands of brave and loyal men to the Union standards. Such results at that moment could scarcely have been less than fatal to the Confederate cause.
The question that concerned General Mitchel was, therefore, how lo th row himself into Chattanooga and hold it until he could be properly reinforced. To march directly on the place was not possible. It was one hundred miles distant, and the way lay over mountains almost im passable. If he reached it at all it must be by a movement so rapid and so well protected that he could take it by surprise, and with the enemy so deprived of ability to quickly rally forces against him that he could have time to gather together all necessary leinforceuients to enable him to maintain his success.

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It was while I was studying thi question that Andrews reported to him upon his return from his unsuccessful visit to Atlanta. A long and care ful conference followed between the General and his trusted scout. The details of that consultation will never be known. There were no third parties present, and ere either was able to tell, death closed the lips of both men. But the result we do know. It is that which brings ns here to-day.
Briefly stated, it was determined that Andrew* should be at once provided with a larger company of picked men, and with them he should again attempt the task assigned him by Buell, in the performance of which he had just failed.
The commanders of the 2nd, 21st and 33rd Ohio regiments were called upon to furnish the men needed. Only those were to be chosen who were of the most exceptional good character for intelligence, judg ment, coolness, bravery and resolute courage. They were to embrace among their Dumber at least two skilled locomotive engineers. They were to report to Andrews and to implicitly obey his orders, with no other information given them as to the character of the enterprise in which they were to engage, than that they had been selected because of their especial fitness for an extra hazardous and extraordinarily import ant service.
The detail was made, and, including Campbell, twenty-one men re ported to Andrews on the evening of Monday, the 7th day of April, 1862, and under instructions from him provided themselves >vith side-armsand citizens clothing and set out on foot in small squads, traveling by differ ent roads, to make their way to Chattanooga, and thence by rail to Mari etta, Ga., at which place they were to take passage on the north-bound train, passing there about daybreak Friday morning, April 11. At some point and in some manner, to be determined by the exigencies of the situation, they were to capture the train, rush north with it to Chatta nooga, cutting telegraph wires, burning bridges and tearing up the track as they went. Beaching Chattanooga, they were to sweep by and pass on toward Stevenson, until they should meet Mitchel, who, while they were doing their part, was to rapidly advance from Shelby ville to Hantsville, reach and take it at daybreak on Friday morning, with, it was hoped, a large number of cars and locomotives known to be there, and, sending a detachment to occupy Decatur and leaving another to hold Huntsville, he was to capture the early morning train going east, and with it and such other rolling stock as he might be able to utilize, hurry

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forward by rail with the rest of his men towards Stevenson, until he should meet Andrews and his party, and then, if they had been success ful, dash on to Chattanooga and seize the coveted prize.
Andrews and his party started on their journey in a heavy rain; the storm increased and persistently continued, swelling streams and making the roads heavy and well nigh impassable. He was in this man ner so far impeded that he found it necessary to postpone the start north from Marietta one day. He possibly thought the difficulties he was en countering would similarly delay Mitchel, but that impetuous and un conquerable spirit overcame all obstacles and kept his engagement with his accustomed promt tness. The change in the programme was in con sequence fatal. Had Andrews been on time he would have met only the regular south-bound trains, which he would have had no trouble to pass, since he had their schedule and knew when and where to meet them. But on Saturday all this was changed.
When Mitcbel suddenly broke upon Huntsville Friday morning he was just a moment too late to intercept the east-bound train. A cannonball aimed at the departing locomotive missed its mark, and had no other effect than to give it speed as it swept on to spread fright and alarm. The news that Mitchel was at Huntsville caused the railroad officials to fear he would next be in Chattanooga, and to at once take steps to put all cars that could be spared out of harms way.
The consequence- was that the road that was clear on Friday was teeming with extra trains going south on Saturday. Andrews did not know this until it was too late, and therefore on Saturday morning he and his party boarded the north-bound train at Marietta disguised as passengers, with tickets purchased to different destinations, to avoid rousing suspi cion, and entered upon a during attempt to execute his well planned task.
When Big Shanty was reached a stop was made for breakfast. As soon as the conductor and trainmen, including the engineer and firemen, had entered the eating house, the party quietly but quickly aud in an apparently accidental way that did not attract attention, passed forward, uncoupled the locomotive with three forward empty box-cars, jumped aboard, and with Knight and Brown, the two engineers of the party, in the cab, were under way in an instant.
Nothing could have been more successful than the start. They had not anticipated getting the train without a fight, and with their revolvers they were prepared to make one. Their good fortune was all the more singular by reason of the fact that a Confederate regiment was in camp

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immediately at the depot, and the guards were on duty, within a few feet of them, as they pulled out.
With only a few stops, to cut wires and lift rails, the run to Kings ton was easily made, but there trouble commenced. With his men shut op in the box-cars, Andrews side-tracked to allow the regular down freight to pass. At once curiosity was excited in the minds of all about the depot, by the appearance of the well known engine in charge of strangers, with only three box-cars attached, instead of the regular train with the regular crew. But Andrews was equal to the emergency, and with a statement that he had seized the train by government authority, and that it was loaded with powder, which he was directed to hurry through to Beauregard, succeeded in allaying suspicion and repressing inquiry.
In that time of extreme excitement, especially following a great fcattle, almost any story could be told with impunity.
When at last the belated freight came, imagine the chagrin and im patience of Andrews at seeing on the lat-t car the red flag signal that another tr.iin was following. There was no help but to wait, and thus he was compelled to continue to wait for one extra after another, until a whole hour was consumed.
Finally the w.-iy was clear, and dull despair changed to bright hope of glad triumph, as he once more took the track.
Just four minutes later a pusuing engine arrived. It bore W. A. Fuller, conductor of the captured train, and Mr. Anthony Murphy, an officer of the road, and some others who had joined in the chae.
Great as was the daring spirit displayed by our heroes, it was fully equaled by the pluck, perseverance and courage shown by Fuller. When it was announced to him, sitting at the breakfast table, thai bis train had been captured, he rushed out just in time to see it pass from sight.
Without an instants hesitation he blurted after it on a foot and kept after it until, about two miles from the station, he came up to a handcar some section men were using. He pressed it into service and ped on his way, neither dismajed nor discouraged by being thrown headlong from the track by a displaced rail, until at the junction of a short spur of the road, nn the north bank of the Etowah, he found the engine, on which he rode into Kingston. His game wag gone, but he was now able to follow on more equal terms.
While he was getting information, making explanations, recruiting and arming his forces and providing transportation, Andrews stopped to

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cut wires and obstruct the track. Before he had finished, Fuller was af ter him and upon him.
It is impossible in an address of this character to describe the flight, the chase and the capture that followed. It is not too much to say that in all the history of the war, nothing was wilder, more reckless, more daring or more thrilling.
With difficulty, though without much loss of time, Andrews -manaaged to gel by other down trains and succeeded, after passing each sta tion, in cutting the wires in time to keep all news behind him. To dis tance his pursuers xgaiust such obstacles, required the most dangerous speed.
The run from Adairsville to Calhoun, described by J. A. Wilson, who acted an fireman for Brown and Knight, may be given as a descrip tive sample. He says: "Our locomotive was under a full head of steam, the engineer stood with his hand on the lever with the valve wide open. It was frightful to see how the powerful iron monster under us would leap forward under the revolutions of her great ,wheels. Brown would scream to me ever and anon, Give her more wood, which command was promptly obeyed. She rocked and reeled like a drunken man, while we tumbled from side to side like grains of pop-corn in a hot fryingpan. It was bewildering to look at the ground or objects on the road side. A constant stream of fire ran from the great wheels, and to thisday I shudder as I reflect on that my first and last locomotive ride. It has always been a wonder to me that our locomotive and cats kept the tracks. At times the iron horse seemed to literally fly over the course, the driving wheels of one side being lifted from the rails much of the distance. We took little thought of the matter then. Death in a rail road smash-up would have been preferable by us to capture."
When sufficient distance was gained to admit of it, they would stopand cut wires, lift a rail, or in some way obstruct the track. For the purpose of supplying fuel with which to burn bridges, they had at all their stops thrown on board cross-ties, sticks of wood ami whatever was suitable that they could lay hold upon, and when so hard pressed they could not take time to make further attempts to take up rails, they knocked a hole in the rear end of their hindmost car, and at intervals dropped them out with the hope of impeding, if not derailing and de stroying, their pursuers. Most of these, however, in the most aggrava ting manner, bounded from the track. Their final efforts were to aban don their cars one at a time, by uncoupling and leaving them to block

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the way. Their last one they first set on fire and then left it on theChickaiuauga bridge, while the whole party took to the engine and tender.
But all was of no avail. Their pursuer was as relentless as fate and no obstructions or danger could delay or appall him. When hecame to a broken track, he lost less time repairing it than it had re quired to break it, and it seemed the work of but a moment to stop and remove obstructions, and, finally, when he came to the cars that had been dropped, almost without any slackening of speed, he coupled them on in front and pushed them ahead of him to the next siding.
And thus it was that on, and on, and on, mile after milp, through Calhoun, Kesaca, Dalton, Tunnel Hill and Ringgold; over bridges and fills, through cuts and tunnels and around curve:; up grade and down, with rattle and roar, and clouds of smoke and streams ot fire, the flight and the chase were kept up until finally, after having run more than one hundred miles, for the want of fuel, water and oil, all of which had been exhausted, unablelonger to keep up steam and continue the race,A.ndrews commanded his men to desert the engine, and separately or in small squads make their escape as best they could.
Judge Advocate General Holt says, in his report to Secretary Stanton: "The expedition thus failed from causes which reflected neither upon the genius by which it was planned, nor the intrepidity and dis cretion of those engaged in conducting it. But for the accident of meet ing the extra, trains, which cuuld not have been anticipated, the move ment would have been a complete success, and the whole aspect of the war in the South antj Southwest would have been at once changed. The expedition itself, in the during of its conception, had the wildness of a romance, while in the gigantic and overwhelming results which it sought and was likely to accomplish, it was absolutely sublime."
They scattered in all directions, and some of them well nigh suc ceeded in eluding their pursuit, but in lime all were hunted down,, captured and taken before the military authorities at Chattanooga, to-
whom they fully disclosed that they were soldiers, giving their names, companies and regiments accurately, together with full information asto the character of their service, and how, by the orders of their supe riors, they had been sent upon it. This should have secured for them, that decent and honorable treatment to which prisoners of war are al ways entitled. That they had gone into the enemys country in citizens" clothing did not alter the case, since they had not gone as spies,

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had not acted as such, but had gone by commands they were bound to obey; not to depredate and rob or steal, but to strike and destroy a quasi-public property, the destruction of which had become a mili tary necessity in the work immediately contemplated. Their mission was not different in nature from many upon which Confederate soldiers had come within our lines, and the dl-guise of citizens clothing for such a purpose was justified by scores of precedents the enemy had given. In no instance during the whole war, from its beginning to its ending, was any Confederate soldier, similarly captured, treated otherwise than as a prisoner of war; but no such good fortune awaited the hapless band. On the contrary they were treated woise than the vilest and most danger ous felons should ever be treated in any civilized country. They were promptly and rudely consigned to an imprisonment so atrociously barbarous as to disgrace even the passions of both slavery and secession. Their prison was the half underground basement of what was then known as the old negro jail. It was a room exactly thirteen feet square, with no entrance whatever except on a ladder, by a trap-door, through the ceiling. It had no furniture or conveniences of any kind or description, ex cept only four buckets for water and slops. No light nor air was admitted, except through two grated and barred holes in the wall, each of which was about twelve inches square. Into this dungeon twenty-two men were crowded, chained together in pairs and threes. There was barely room for all to stand within the space. They could sleep only on the naked floor, and in only the most cramped and tiresome positions. Here they were kept for more than three weeks, wearing their chains all the while; fed on the scantieit and poorest of rations, denied the most necessary ac commodation!:, and only sparingly and grudgingly furnished with an in sufficient supply of a poor quality of water to drink. What they suf fered during this time no language can describe. If you would s!ake off a space thirteen feet square upon the green sward, in the open air, and compel twenty-two men to occupy it for only one week, during the most pleasant weather, with good water, good food, and every relief consistent with their remaining within lines, their lot would become shockingly miserable, but manifestly it would give only the faintest idea of the heartless brutality to which these youne heroes were subjected. Death itself on the field of battle would have been far preferable.
Finally Andrews was tried by court-martial and sentenced to he hanged as a spy. He wa* taken to Atlanta, and there executed on the 7th day of June, 1862. He met his fate bravely and uncomplainingly,

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and was buried, without shroud or coffin, with his feet still chained to gether. In 1887 his remains were removed to this spot.
The next step was to take twelve of ihe party to Knoxville, and? there put them on trial one at a time. When seven of them the sever*, who lie buried here had been tried, the proceedings of the court wereinterrupted by the approach of the Union troops, and all, includingthose left at Chattanooga, were hurried away to Atlanta lor safe-keeping..
Those who were tried were ably defended, but fruitlessly. From thebeginning their fate was sealed, and sealed literally and cruelly. They were led to believe they would be acquitted and held only as prisoners of war, for parole or exchange, as they should have been. But on the 18th day of June, 1862, without a note of warning of any kind, they were taken from their imprisonment and hanged by the neck until dead.
Xothing in all that bloody chapter of war was more revolting or less excusable. They had committed no crime. They were not spies. They were only soldiers who had obeyed orders wilh a bravery and daring that should have excited the admiration of the enemy, but, instead, thesequalities appeared only to excite bitterness, hatred and malice, and death in its most appalling and ignominious form was tbe penalty.
I shall not dwell upon the details of that horrible hour, except only to snatch from them their one single bright feature. Just as they wereabout to be swung into eternity, George D. Wilson, acting as spokesman for his comrades, craved permission to speak a few words. The favorwas granted, and thereupon he made a speech that deserves to live as long as the history of that Rebellion is read of men. There were no stenographers present, but universal account from all who heard it con firms the following as a substantially correct published report of what he said: "He began by telling them that he was condemned to death as a spy, but he was no spy, that he was simply a soldier in the performance of duty; he said he did not regret dying for hU country, for that was a soldiers duty, but only the manner of death, which was unbecoming toa soldier. Even those who condemned them well knew .that they werenot spies. Then leaving the personal question, he declared that he had no hard feeling toward the South or her people; that they were fightingfor what they believed to be right, but they were terribly deceived. Theirleaders had not permitted them to know the facts, and they were bring ing blood and destruction upon their section of the Nation for a meredelusion. He declared that the people of the North loved the wholeNation and the flag, and were fighting to uphold them, net to do any in-

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jury to the South, and that when victory came the South would reap the benefit as well as the North. The guilt of the war would rest upon those who had misled the Southern people, and induced them to engage in a causeless and hopeless rebellion. He told them that all whose lives were spared for but a short lime would regret the part they had taken in the Rebellion, and that the old Union would yet be restored, and the flag of our common country wave over the very ground occupied by his scaffold."
Another moment, and that brave, patriotic, truthful and prophetic tongue was forever hushed in death. A published account of the tragedy concludes as follows: "No coffins had been provided. The bodies were laid in a shallow trench, just wide enough for their length, and long enough for all the seven to lie close together, and tbea the earth was filled in upon them."
Thus it was that eight of the ill-fated party perished. After several months further imprisonment, eight others broke guard and escaped, and still later the remaining six were exchanged. All who survived returned to their regiments. Some were so disabled by the hardships through which they passed that they were soon discharged, but most of them con tinued to render good service until the end of the war. All were given medals of honor, and most of them were promoted to the rank of com missioned officers.
Gen. Eufus R. Dawes, member of Congress from Marietta, O., him self a gallant soldier, who knew how to appreciate such services and bardships, labored zealously to secure a. special and suitable pension for them. It passed the House, but failed in the Senate. It is to be hoped this appropriate act of justice will yet be done.
It would be interesting to recount the daring exploits of those who escaped and set forth the eventful experiences of those who remained prisoners, but time and my particular duty admonish me to confine my self to the dead. When the war ended and the Stars and Stripes did once more wave over the spot occupied by that loathsome scaffold, and the great Nation for which they had given up their lives cast about for tier broken and scattered jewels, that trench was remembered, and with loving hands its occupants were taken up and gently borne to this spot, that they might here sleep in honor with that Nations dead.
Under all the circumstances, that act might well have been the last tribute. But now, after the lapse of twenty-nine years, comes this days work. And what years they have beehl Since these men died, the

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greatest part of that which is best, most brilliant and most glorious in our history has been written.
At that time Lincoln had not yet issued his emancipation proclama tion. Vicksburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Atlanta, the march to the sea, the Wilderness, Appomattox, re construction, universal liberty and political equality for all men were yet to come. It would not have been strange ii these great deeds had forever diverted attention from the event under consideration, or had destroyed appreciation for it by contrast and comparison.
If these men had been great commanders, great scholars, great states men, or great citizens, in any ordinary sense of the term, our presence here would need no explanation. But they were the very opposite. They were simply typical, volunteer, Ohio boys, hardly out of their teens, without name, family, influence, or station, to cause them to be remem bered and honored, as they are remembered and honored to-day.
Why is it, then, that we are here? What purposes are we seeking to promote? Why should the General Assembly of a great State turn aside from its ordinary cares and duties to take such action as has been mentioned? Why should a Justice of the Supreme Court and the two distinguished and honored citizens who are his associates on the commis sion labor, as they have, with zealous pride to discharge the duties that have been intrusted to them?
The answer is plain and simple. In the first place, there is no bitterness, vain glory, or unworthy spirit of any kind involved. It is but stating the exact truth to repeat, as fairly applicable to the whole of that great army who wore the blue, the dying words of Wilson, that he had no hard feelings toward the South or her people. That he loved the Union and the flag, and was fighting to uphold them, and not to do unnecessary injury to any one." Even in the midst of that great struggle they did not want to kill anybody, except only as it became necessary to kill somebody to kill secession. They believed in the union of these States. They believed the highest interests of the South, as well as the Xorth, required its preservation, and believing slavery to be the disturbing cause of all our differences, they gladly struck it down. But with it all there was no malice. And as it was then, so is it now. The one great thought that lies at the bottom of every such demon stration as this, is that of profound gratitude to the man who saved us,

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and Fiipreme thankfulness to Almighty God for the great blessings that have come to our whole country through the victory of the Union armies. This sentiment grows with the years and with our increasing greatness and prosperity as a people. Time, therefore, but makes more manifest our duty to all who periled and sacrificed their lives for these pricelessresults. But upon these particular men fell an uncommon misfortune. They not only lost their lives, but they lost them in such a way as toplace a stigma upon their memory.
Ohio is here to-day to remove that stigma. By this action she re claims them from all imputation of crime, and effaces forever the ignominy of a felons death. She proclaims to the world and future generations that they were neither thieves nor marauder?, but brave and honorable men and soldiers; that their punishment was unmerited, and that their names shall shine on the roll of honor among the brightest of all that illumine the puges of our history.
It is but another added to the many illustrations the world has given of the impotency of blind malice to blacken virtue, disfigure worth and pervert the truth. Socrates has been all the nearer and dearer to the worlds generations because compelled to drink the fatal hemlock. Cicero has grown continually greater and grander through all the cen turies that his name has outlived the wicked madness that condemned him to death. And as truth and justice have vindicated these and and thousands, so too have they vindicated those whom we are here to honor.
This monument is cur visible and enduring testimonial of that fact. We erect and dedicate it in an impressive presence. Not only are we in the midst of the dead, but We are surrounded with bloody fields and his toric heights. Every spot on which the eye rests is hallowed ground. Our memories are filled with the dcedsof other days. Visions long gone come back. A torn, dismembered and bleeding country rises before us. Grief and mourning are in every household. Countrymen are strivingagainst countrymen. Two flags are in the sky. Two governments are struggling for the mastery. Hooker is again battling in the clouds, and once more Thomas is storming Mission Bidge. Agiin we see the movingcolumns, waving-flags and glittering bayonets. Once more we hear the roar and tumult of battle the rattle of musketry, the shriek of sheila the shouts of the victors, and the groans of the dying. Oh, horrible nightmare! Beak away from it and look again. The scene is changed. The armies have vanished. Where was war, reigns peace. Warring;

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States have become loving sisters. One flag floats fur all. The same in stitutions everywhere prevail. The curse of slavery is no more. The Union has been preserved. The best blood of the Nation has washed out the one and cemented the other. The Constitution of the faihers has. been perfected by the sons. The Nation has entered upon a new life, We are already the strongest, richest and happiest people on the face of the earth, and yet all that we are is but a feeble preface to the grandejr that awaits us.
What has wrought this transformation? The Union arms. Their triumph secured all these blessings.
Who now can paint the picture we would, have piesented to-day had the rebellion succeeded? Disunited slavery here free States yonder. An irrepressible conflict no longer restrained by common interests. The Ohio river a boundary line between hotile governments. As many flags as fancies, and as many rebellions as Jeff Davises. Standing armies burdensome taxes depreciated credit respected by nobody despised by all even by ourselves.
And yet there are men who sanctimoniously roll up their eyes and lugiibriout-ly proclaim that "Only God knows which side was right."
This monument is a solemn protest against such silly and wicked nonsense. The man who would Degrade the war to a mere trial of strength or display of valor is guilty of a crime second only to the re bellion itself. Valor there was on both sides, and that, too, of the high est quality, but the sublimity of the struggle was in the principles at stake. They related to our moral as well as our political welfare. Hu man rights and personal liberty, as well as American nationality, were bound up in the issue. Free, popular government was on trial Success was our triumphant salvation failure would have been our unspeakable ruin.
Who is so blind as not to see? Who so unfaithful as not to accept these results and abide by them? Their good influences have not been confined to ourselves. While uplifting us, they have gone abroad to be felt in every civilized country on the face of the earth. An enlarge ment of the rights of the subject in England, a Republic in Fiance, universal manhood suflrage in Germany, a substantaial curtailment of the prerogatives of royalty, and a broader recognition of the right of the people everywhere to paiticipate in their own government, are but a few of the many important consequences that have resulted from the impe tus our achievements have given to the cause of humanity. Who s-> in-

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sensible to all this glory, as not to hft proud of the United Stares of America? Only he who grovels in the durknt-si of the past. Thank God that darkness can not last much longer. Th brightness ol coming greatness will shortly dispel its faintest trace. Soon the last of the was generation will begone, and almost ere we know it our sixty-five tnillionr of people will have grown to more than a hundred millions. In that day no one will be heard expressing doubt as to the right of that great struggle. With our merchant marine on every sea, our ships trading in every port, and the influence of our institutions dominating the con tinent and inspiring the world, nobody will mourn for slavery, defend rebellion or chatter about State sovereignty. Obeying a common con stitution and following a common flag to a common destiny, the preju dices that have drawn sectional lines will be swallowed up in a generous rivalry thatk nows not either Xorth, South, East or West, hut only a com mon pride in every portion of our common country. That glad day is swiftly coming. Let us run to meet it.

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--<S-NORTH ALABAMA-^-

AKD GEORGIA.
This r,-i,.n is n-ii..;vn.-.l f..r ils Timl,.-!-. \V:,1.-r 1 ..-!. A-.Ti-ilm,-;,1 [:I.S..I,IV,.,:MI.| w.-nllli ..iToiil iin.l Ir-.ii ..f ,l|,,M-i..r <,ii:ilily. Tin- v:iri..|y in' s.iil ;ni.l ni;irv,-l..n-iv i-!i:.i-iniiiu ilivi-rsilv .if X-.-IHTV in 'IVlin---.-(-. Nnvlli .MiilBiniji. iiM.l (M-i.i-ai;, ^iv.-> iiii.i.iiii.-inv i,. l!,,- .,11.,-r .-liHiw-l.-nsiU- :i.lv : iii. t i Ws,,!'ll,is,-,.:11; t.v:,. This liiiiliwuy.

/i

THE LCOKOUT MOU^TAiW ROUTE

1:

H.-nv.-1-ii Ih<- N-rili :itnl Smith, uiiii In Hi.- KuM vi:i Cii:iiliiii.i..-j:i. olli-i>

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I'NsriM'AS.SKli.\ri-llMMuHATlllNS f.,,- tl :iv.-i -

IH-IWIH-I, ||-

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ROADWAY

THE BEST.

SERVICE HnlS-t I'iii-lni- an.l Sli-i-|iiii;j I'an.. .Mo.li-1 I'ay (.nfl,,-- wllli l.ava!,.ni~

LUXURY. fOMFORT AKO CONVENIENCE COMBINED.

! S-,. lliat y.iir Tii-ki-ts iva.ltivi-i- iln- X. <:.. * St. I.. li:iilu-:i.v . if you wi-h in i.ik ai T,; ..n"SS-e North Alabama. Go^raii. n ri the So'ut" anfl Sou'heast. wiiha i icw m :i.-.|ii:iiin y.mrs.'li' with il,.- a,lvaina-j,-s 1 of tills ivai.ni. ti. iiiiivlnisi- laiMl.'.i-iiiaU.-iiiv,-..|iiii-iits. I'm- inl..rmali..!i as t,. rati-sah.l i-.mt.->. a|iply t.. (.'..II|.,.M Ti,-l;.-: Au<-nti-vci-ywln-iv

J. w. Thomas,

W. f. March,

W. L. Dan'ey,

inajsi-r. Aw-Hii-n'l fiiss. .V Tii-krl Airt. C'.-i.'l 1'ass. Ai Tic-ki-t Ajji
NASHVILLE:, TE:NN.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN COMPANY

I OPERATING
Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain Railway,
(STANDARD GAUGE),
Lookout Inn and Lookout Mountain House.

L o OK OUT o INN. IT o MOUNTAIN o HOUSE,

-il SEASON 1891. KRatoi, 3.5 to S5.O* Per Day.

Rate*, 2.OO to S3.0* Per Day.

Im-class in all it> departments. CnUlne and ser- Modern family hotel Now open lor the season.

nce equal to the best New York hoteto. Scenery Elegant apartments. From this hotel a most

oiBurpaiKed on this Continent.

magnificent sunrise view can be had.

Address UHA8. T. WILSON, Kltr, Lookout Mountain, Tenn,

Address P. H. WEILBACHEK, M'g'r, Lookout Mountain, Tenn.

Weekly and Monthly Rates, and all other information cheerfully furnished ipon application.
Take cars at Georgia Avenue (Belt Line) Station, via Chattanooga and Lookout fountain Railway (Standard Gauge). Fare, round trip, 60 cents.
JERE-BUTE.., General Manager, Bi PITCH, Asst General Manager, CHATTAN&OGA, TESX..