Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-01-01
.ood and water. we abandoned the

wood and water, we abandoned ID
train.
The reader may already have antici
pated the cause of the failure Of our en-
terprise. The fret train we met wa
the regular down train from Chattanoo
ga. the other three were extra trains
which were running of rolling stock
government stores. DO, from Chatta
nooga. Gen. Mitchell having moveI
to Huntsville. Ala. and sending de
tachment Of his division tn Bridgeport
alarmed the rebels and caused this re
moval OF their stocks. stores. DC. Hst
We been sent one day sooner, Or Gen
Mitchell deferred his march from Shell
byville one day later. J 6rmly believ'
we would have been successfsl in. oul
important mission. After we aban'
doned the train. our leader advised u,
to scatter. Though he was brave
man. the majority OF our company diff
fered with him. and would have pre-
ferred remaining together TO fight oul
way through. We were all armed
with revolvers. We took to the wood.
and scattered in squads Of from two tc
FIVE in number. /; happened on a day
of general mastering. many being col,
lected At the different towns on the rail-
road; and they were soon apprised Of
our escape, and started out Immediately
in pursuit OF as. Our attempt to es-
cape appeared almost hopeless. being
within the enemy's lines and about $50
miles from ours.
We were all caught in a few days,
some on the first dag- some on the Sec
ond. -oihers some days after. As fast
as caught. we were put in the most con-
venient jails. Myself and four others.
after leaving the train, Travelled all night
and the next day. then concealed our
selves-about noon were surprised by
four men, who were armed; not seeing
any more, we thought they might be
hunters. As they approached we step
ped out from our hiding place. resolved
in case Of emergency to defend our
selves. We inquired Of them if they
had seen any strange negroes in their
travels, feigning to be hunting fugitive
slaves. They replied they had not
one Of them walked down the bill a
short distance. and by making a few
calls, had us surrounded BY some fifty
men, they dashing at us as if intent on
killing US right off. They ordered us
to surrender. and considering prudence
the better part of valor, we Yielded
They took us TO Ringold and lodged us
in jail 10 await the night train to Ma
rietta, where We were conveyed that
night and committed TO the tender mer.
cies Of dungeon, so dark that we
could scarcely descern between day and
night. Being very tired we enjoyed
the night in restoring exhausted nature.
In this. Southern house Of entertainment
they kept us several days and nights.
bringing two more of our party to en-
joy our society in this sbominable place,
after which they hand-cuffed us, (I
guess we scar" safe), when they re-
moved US 10 Chattanooga, Tenn. In
addition to hand cutting us, they bound
us together in pairs with trace-chains
around our Decks. When we arrived
at that place we found they had our
brave leader and a goodly number of
our party confined in an indiscribable,
miserable dungeon, and Of course per-
mitted US to enjoy their society. In
few days the remainder Of our company
we're lodged in the same place.
Nov would invite to these facts the
attention Of such as profess not to be-
lieve the reports Of the cruel treatment
our prisoners receive from rebels. II
any should doubt my statement refer
them TO those Of our party who were
SO fortunate as to make their escape, viz:
John Wollam. SD Ohio Reg; John R.
Porter, 9lst Ohio Reg; Capt. David
Fry, of the ed East Tenn. Reg. and
NJ. G. Hawkins. SD Ohio Reg, of
Portsmouth. Ohio. In this dungeon.
IS ieet square and almost indiscribabIy
filthy. infested with lice innumerable.
they kept our party, 99 in number. for
about two weeks. when, to our great
Joy, Gen. Mitchell stirred them up, l
think at Lookout Mountain, and they,
fearing we would be recaptured, ran us
to Madison, Ga. kept us few days in
a more tolerable place. Their fright
having subsided, they removed us to
Chattanooga. This time they put us
in room above the dungeon. where it
was light enough to read and work
One Of the boys, when we were search
ed secreted pocket knife. We saved
the bones from our meat rations. and
with said knife, succeeded in making
keys to unlock our cuffs, after which
we dispensed with them as general
thing, wearing them only on particular
occasions-in the presence Of the guard
as a matter Of respect. So we out gen.
eraled them in the band-cuff affair."
At this place, Mr.. Andrews was tried
BY Court Martial, the decision Of which
was never made known. In short
time ls Of the party were taken to
Knoxville. Tenn, where a Court Mar
tial was in session. trying the boys
After seven were tried, the Court Mar
tial was suddenly interrupted by the
approach of the Federal Army. They
then moved the boys to Atlanta, Ca
The ten left at Chattanooga resolved to
make their escape; accordingly. Mr..
Andrews. with the noble pocket knife,
succeeded in few days in making an