The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-12-19

Georgia.
At Marietta the oars were stopped b.
a mob, who threatened 10 drag ~ from
the cars and hang us to tree, but the
officer in charge Of the train prevented
them from carrying it into execution, by
/ placing strong guard arouod the car,
and the mob, after great effort, was dis
persed.
We arrived in safety at Mpdison where
after being kept in confinement three
days We were informed We were to be
taken to Chattanooga again. as the Yam
KEGS did not intend to try to take that
place. Accordingly we were again taken
back to that place, where the whole par
ty, twenty in number, were chained
with heavy irons and confined in dark
dungeon thirteen feet square, and for six
weeks were fed on half fare Of the most
miserable quality. We were stripped of
all in our pockets and left without cent.
Again the Court Martial was ordered,
but this time OF Knoxville, and twelve of
our party were taken there and confined
in large iron cages. The Court found
seven Of them guilty of being spies and
luEkers around camps.
Our forces at that time advanced upon
Cumberland Gap, and Knoxville was
threatened, and in'order that We might
be safely kept, the whole party, including
the ten at Chattanooga, were sent to At
lanta. Ga. Previous 10 leaving Chatta-
nooga, Andrews sentence was read to
him, which was that he was that he was
to be hung in six days. 1t was then de-
terminded to attempt an escape BY cut.
ting through the Jail, which was acccm-
plshed in one night, and just at daybreak
Andrews twisted his blanket into form
Of = rope, and succeeded in reaching the
fence. John Whollam next followed, but
was discovered. Andrews in attempting
to climb the gail guard fence, was also
seen and fired upon by the guard, but
succeeded in getting over. Whollam also
made a dash and cleared the fence: both
then took to the river, and for the time
escaped.
Three days afterward Andrews was
captured and brought back, and seven
days elapsed before poor Whollam was
found. He had travelled eight miles down
the river, and was twice within hail Of the
Union gunboats, but was afraid to make
himself known. As soon as those two
had been brought back, Andrews was
chained hands and feet. and the irons riy-
eted on, the shackles being of immense
weight and sufficient to have held an OK
The whole party we're then run off to At
| Ia mi ha ofy
was taken from the Jail and hung, or
rather strangied to death, for the tree on
which they hung him was so low that
when his head touched the limb his toes
touched the ground. and il was necessary
to dig the sand away in order that he
could be choked. His irons and shacllls 8
were still on him.
After remaining in Jail about seven
days, the Provost Marshal came to our
cell and took out the seven that were tried
at Knoxville, viz: Wilson, Ross and P
G. Shaderick, of I'd Ohio, Slayen and
Robinson, SD Ohio, John Scott, 2lst
Ohio, and Vim. Campbell, citizen of Louis
vile, KY. These were taken from the
cell into an adjoining room, and then
sentence of death was read to them, and
permission refused them to return to their
comrades before execution, which took
place in half an hour after leaving us.
They were hung with cotton ropes, and
two of the party broke down, and were
allowed to live about an hour, and see
them put their comrades in cofiins, after
which they were again hung up, and their
lifeless bodies passed our Jail windows in
about half an hour.
The balance of the party expected from
day to day to be taken out and hung, but
were not disturbed in their miserable ex-
istence for four months. In October last.
being informed that they were to te tried
by court martial, and expecting no mercy,
they, on the evening Of the 18th, rushed
upon the jailer when he brought up their
supper, deprived him of his keys, releas-
cd four other prisoners, and 10 body fell
upon the guard and disarmed thsm.-l
They then scaled the fence and made for
the woods, about mile distant. The
guard pursued. firing, and the party scat
tered, every man for himself, except Wood
and Wilson, who kept together and made
their escape. How many were shot or
retaken they do not know. Captain Fry,
one OF the party, staggered and fell, after
being repeatedly shot at, and was proba-
bly, killed. After being twenty-five days |
in the woods. Wilson and his comrsde
reached the Chattahooche river, and there
found boat, in which they got to Colum-
bus, Ga, subsieting on raw catfish and
berries on the way.
They did not venture into the city, but
started for the Cult coast, and after eleven
days Of suffering and hardship. reached
ApAlachicola, and there for the first time
in seven months beheld the flag Of the