Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-12-19

laE JOURNAL
SEVEN MONTHS IN DIXIE!
EXECUTION OF FEDERAL SOLDIERS.
A Romantic Narrative.
The Key West Nsp Era, of November 10,
contains long and highly interesting &C
count of seven months experience in rebeldom,
by two Ohio soldiers, who formed part of an
expedition sent out by the lamented General
Mitchell, in April, last on hazardous mission,
which unfortunately failed. The men arrived
at Key West from Apalatchicola Bay in the |
steamer Stars and Stripes, and give their |
names as Mark Wood and Alfred Wilson, of
Company G, 21st Ohio regiment, commanded
by Col. Norton. They state that in April
last their regiment formed part Of Maj. Gen.
0. NJ. Mitchel's division, Gen. ellis brigade,
then stationed at Shelbyville, Tenn. While
there secret expedition for dangerous SER
vice was organized and placed under the Or
ders of a man supposed to be a spy of the
commander of the division. twenty-five
men, whose names are given, were detailed
for the service. The whole party was dis
guised in citizens dress, and left Shelbyville
on the 7th of April. They proceeded to Man.
chester, Tenn, where they represented them
selves as Kentuckians. Their design was to
destroy the bridges from Big Shanty to and
beyond Chattanooga, as as far as Bridgeport,
Tenn. They procured an engin by strategy
and proceeded on their perilous mission, cut
ting the telegraph wires and taking up rail
from the track after passing each station
About twenty miles south of Dalton they set
fire to car and ran 1t upon bridge to dss.
troy it.
In the meantime the engineer at the Rome
Branch suspected something wrong, and
started in pursuit, with a quantity Of loose
rails to repair the track. He arrived at the
bridge in time to run off the burning car, be-
fore it had ignited the bridge.
We copy the balance of the report as it is
printed.
In the meantime we had switched off to let
an express pass, which train was duly in
formed af our character by discovering the
track torn up, and stopped, but was seon
joined by the Rome engineer, who had sue
ceeded in turning the burning car Oft the
bridge; they then both started for US, laying
the track as they went along, which they
could do in a much shorter time than we
could tear it up.
Thus it was they overlook us at work, and
as soon as we found ourselves discovered,
speed was our hope, and at it we went, but
unfortunately for us, our fuel was nearly out,
and it was then determined to leave the en-
CINE and take to the woods. Accordingly
we stopped and reversed her, intending she
should run back upon our pursuers, but in
this we failed, as she had not sufficient steam
to run her over, and our object had failed
from a combination of unfortunate circum-
stances. Ten minues more would have set
the bridge on fire, and the Rome engineer
with the rails could not have followed US, and
the down express was entirely useless it was
our intention to have destroyed all the
bridges, run into Chattanooga, wait until the
evening train passed, and then gone on to
Bridgeport, destroyed the bridge over the
Tennessee river, and then away for Hunts
vile and join Gen. Mitchell.
Our troubles now commenced, and the
greatest of all our disasters was the division
of our party it was now every man for him.
self. We started for the Tennessee river, but
being entirely unacquainted with the country,
mistook our way, and after being hunted
through the woods and twice fired at, made
our escape. Our travels from this time were
a succession of hardships and difficulties
We crossed the mountains, made the Tennes-
see river, where we found small boat, with
which we made our way down the river to
Stephenson, Ala. Here we found the entire
rebel force in complete state of confusion,
accustomed, as we learned, by visit from our
cavalry, which had made dash into the
town, captured a few prisoners, and left that
morning.
''We had succeeded in passing the town
safely, when We suddenly came upon force
of rebel csvairy, commanded by Col Stephen.
son, who took US prisoners, Just fourteen days
after leaving the balance of our party. We
were Immediately recognized as belonging to
Andrews party, and after being confined one
night in Stephenson, we were taken on the
cars to Chattanooga and confined in Jail,
where we found the whole party. 1t was en-
deavored to make US give the name of the en-
gineer, as they had terrible fate in wait for
him, but not one of the party would divulge
his name.
"A court martial was ordered for the trial Of
Andrews, and Pittenger Of the I'd Ohio was
taken out as witness, and by alternate offers
ofpardon and persecution they endeavored to
make him testify against Andrews, but he
was true to his word and companions, and
the court could gain nothing from him. 40.
drews and Pittenger were then sent back to
us in Jail, and we expected nothing less than
the whole party would be hung. At this
time, about May 10, Chattanooga was threat
ened by our forces, and for safe keeping we
were run off tn Madison Ga
cat Marietta, the cars were stopped by
mob who threatened to drag US from the cas-
and hang us to o tree, but the officer in charge
of the train prevented them from carrying it
into execution, by placing strong guard
around the car, and the mob, after great
effort, was dispersed.
"We arrived in safety at Madison, where,
after being kept in confinement three days
we were informed we we're to be taken to
Chattanooga again, as the Yankees did not
intend to try and take that place. Accord
ingly we were taken back to that place, where
the whole party, twenty-five 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 mis-
cradle quality. We were stripped of all in our
pockets and left without a cent Again the
Court Martial was ordered, but this time at
Knoxville, and twelve of our party were taken
there and confined in large iron cages. The
Court found several of them guilty of being
spies and lurkers around the camps
"Our forces at that time advanced upon
Cumberland Gap, and Knoxville was threat
ened, and in order that we might be safely
kept, tho whole party. including the ten at
Chattanooga, were sent to Atlanta, Ga. Pre-
vious to leaving Chattanooga, Andrews, SEN
tence was read to him, which was that he
was to be hung in six days Il was then de-
termined to attempt an escape by cutting