The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-12-17


the country, mistook our way, and after be.
ing hunted through the woods and twice
fired at made our escape. Our travels from
this time were succession OF hardships
and difficulties. We crossed the mountains,
made the Tennessee river, where we found
q small boat, with which we made our way
down the river to Stephenson, Alabama,
4 Here We found the entire rebel force in u
complete state of confusion, accustomed, as
we learned, by visit from our cavalry,
which had made a dash into the town, cap.
turod a few prisoners, and left that morning.
1--WE had succeeded in passing through
the town safely, when we suddenly came
upon q force of rebel cavalry. commanded
by Colonel Stephenson, who took us pris-
oners Just fourteen days after leaving the
balance of our party. We were immodi-
ately 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 cndeav cred
to make MS give the name of the engineer,
as they had n 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 of pardon and persecution they on
deavored to make him testify against An.
drews, but he was true to his word and
companions, and the court could gain moth
from him. Andrews and Pi,tenger were
then sent back to us in Jail, and we expected
nothing less than the whole party would be
hung. At this time (ahout May 10Y Chat
tanooga was threatened by our forces and
for safe keeping we were run of TO Madi-
son, Georgia.
! At Marietta the cars were stopped by
u mob who threatened to drag us 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 a
strong guard around the car, and the mob,
after u great effort, was dispersed.
We arrived safely at Madison, where
after being kept in confinement three days
we were Informed we were to bo taken to
Chattanooga again, NJ the Yankees did not
intend TO try and take that place. Accord
ingly we We're again taken back to that
place, where the whole party, twenty-five
in number, were chained with heavy irons
and confined in u dark dungeon thirteen
| feet square, and for six weeks were fed on
half fare of the most miserable quality. We
sail
left without cent. Again the Court Mar
tial was ordered, but this time at 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 lurkers around camp.
Our forces at that timo advanced upon
Cumberland Gap, and Knoxville was threat
encd, and in order that we might be safely
kept the whole party including the ten at
Chattanooga, were sent to Atlanta Georgia.
| Previous to leaving Chattanooga, Andrew 3
sentence was read to him, which was that
he was to be hung in six days. 1t was then
determined to attempt an escape by cutting
through the Jail, which was accomplished in
ono night, and Just at dnybreak Andrews
twisted his blanket into the form of rope,
and succeeded in reaching the fence John
| Whollam next followed but was discovered.
Andrcws,in attempting TO climb til Jail yard
fence, was also seon and fired upon by the
guard. but succeeded in getting over
| Whollam also made n dash and cleared the
| fence /; both then took to the river, and for
the time escaped.
Three days afterwards Andrews was
| captured and brought back, and soven days
| elapsed before poor Wholan was found
He had travelled eighty miles down the
river, and was twice within hail of the
Union gmboats, but was afraid to make
himself known, As soon as those two had
been breught hack, Andrews was chained
hands and feet, and the irons riVited on, the
shacliles being of immense weight and suf-
fciont to have held Oh OK. The whole
party were then run off to Atlanta, Ga. On
the 7th of June Andrews was taken from
the jail and hung, OF rather strangled 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, aud it
was necessary to dig the sand away in order
that he could be choked, Ills irons and
shackles were still on him,
After remaining III Jail about seven days
the l'ravoGt Marshal came to onr cell and
took out the seven that were tried at
Knoxville, viz: Wilson Ross and p, G.
Shaderick OF the Second Ohio, Slaven and
Robinson of the Thiyty-third Ohio, Joh..
Scott of the Twenty-frst Ohio, and Wm
Campbell, y citizen of Louisville, KY
These We're taken from the cell into an ad-
joining 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, aGd two of the party broke
down, and were allowed 10 live about an
hour, and SEQ them put their comrades in
collins, after which they were again hing
up and their lifeless bodies passed our jail
window i'll about half ali hour"
The main points in the remainder of the
narrative are these
The balance of the party expected from
N Tn IA fol ,,,lI I,I
were not disturhed in their miserable exist
enQe iur four months. In October last, being
informed that they were to be 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, released four
other prisoners, and in q body fell upon
the guard aud disarmed them. They then
scalod the fence and made for the woode,
about mile distant. The guard pursued,
firing, and the party scattered, every man
for himself, except Wood and Wilson, who
kept together and. made tbeir escape How
many were shot or retaken they do not
know, Captain Fry, one of tho party, stag
gered and fell, after being repeatedly shot
at, and he was probably killed After
being twenty-five days in the woods, Wilson
and his comrade reached the Chattahooche
River, and there found boat, in which
they got to Columbus, Ca, subsistng on
raw catfieh and berries on the way,
They did not venture into the. city, but
started for the Gulf COAT, and after eleven
days of suffering and hardships, reached
Apalachicola, and there for the first time in
seven months beheld the flag of the free
floating from the U. S. steamer Somerset,
on bOard which thay were takan and trcatad