Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1863-06-25
Tie Georgia Railroad Raid.


7 Our readers will remember tt
{ daring attempt made year ago b
. a picked party Of Federal soldiers t
!. destroy the Georgia State Railroad
which was prevented and the partic
pants arrested A portion Of tn
prisoners have been exchanged an
arrived North, where they made tbei
statement to Advocate General Holt
who reported the same to the FEEDER
al War Department, as follows:
These non- commissioned officers
and privates belonged to 40 expedi
ton set on foot 10 April, 1862, al
the suggestion of Mr. j. j. Andrews
citizen Of Kentucky, who led it,
land under the authority and direc-
| lion Of Gen. O. Al. Mitchell, the ob-
lj4ct Of which was to destroy the
Communications on the Georgia State
railroad, between Atlanta and Ghatta.
nooga.
The mode Of operation proposed
was TO reach point on the r1ai
where they could SEIZE locomotive
and train OF cars, and then dash back
in the direction OF Chattanooga, cut
ting the telegraph wires and burning
the bridg behind them as they adj
yanced, until they reached their own
lines. The expedition consisted of
"a men, who, With the exception Of
its leader, Mr.. Andrews, aud another
citizen of Kentucky-who acted on
the occasion as the substitute Of
solGier-had been selected from the
different companies for their known
courage and discretion. They we're
that the movement was to
be secret one, and they doubtless
comprehended something Of its per-
lis, but Mr.. Andrews and Mr.. Reddick |
alone seem to have known anything |
Of lis precise direction or object. -
They, however, voluntarily engaged
n it. and made their way, in parties
If two aud three, in citizens dress,
ind carrying only their side arms TO
Jhattanooga, the point Of rendezvous
greed upon, where twenty-five out
# the twenty-four arrived safely. :.
Here they took passaga, without at
racing observation, for Marietta,
which they reached at II o'clock on
he night Of the llth of April.
The following morning hey took
he cars back ag,in toward Chatts-
ooga. AT place called Big Shanty,
nile the engineer and passengers
Icrc bres kfasting, they detached The
1comotive and three box cirs from
be train, and started at full speed
or Chattanooga They were now /,
pom the field Of the perilous
perations proposed by the ex .
edition, but suddenly encountered
Unforeseen obstacles. According to !
he schedule CT the road, Of which Mr.. 5
Indrews bad possessed himself, they J
bouId have met but single train
D that day, whereas, they met three, I
go Of them being engaged on extra
rdihary service. About an hour $
as lost in waiting to allow these
aims to pass, which enabled their. $
urauers TO press closely upon them
hey removed the rails, threw out 9
distractions upon the road, and cut {
le wires from time to time, aud at }
lined when in motion a speed Of l
xty miles an hour but the time
st could not be regained. After 9
aiming about $50 miles they found I
lat the supply OF wood, and water, :
ID oil, was exhausted, while the rebel
comotive which had been chasing s
lem, was in sight. Under these +
roulnsiances they had no alterna.
We but to abandon their cars AMI Gy [
the woods, which tIlay did under I
le direction Of Mr.. Andrews, each v
le endeavoriDg 10 save himself as 8
st be might. r
TIE expedition thus filled from G
uses which reflected neither upen a,
ID genius by which it vas planned, b
,r upon the intrepidity and discre- ei
N Of those engaged 10 conducting t.
But for the accident Of meeting fc
70 extra irains-which could not Il
I'VE been anticipated-the more :"
ent would have been a complete d
ccess, and the whole aspect Of The CT
lr ID the South and Southwest ~
ould have been at once changed al
be expedition itself. in the daring. o.
its conception, bad tbe wildnssa q