The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-04-23
= rHRiLLING NARRATIVE.
nm oeksng Rebel BarbA
menx. of Rexur led Prisoners.
JupoE ADVOCATE GKsERAL's OrFIcE,(
March q, 1868.

SIR. have the honor to transmit for
your consideration the accompanying de-
positions Of Corporal William Pittinger.
compau, G, Cad regiment Ohio volun-
teers; Private Jacob Parrot, company 4,
SD regiment Ohio volunteers private
Robert Buffum, company II, 2lst regl'
imeut Ohio volunteers Corporal William
Reddick, company B, SD regiment Ohio
volunteers Private William Bensinger
company q, 2fss Ohio Volunteers
IN at this Office on the 25th inst, 10 CON-
pliance with your written instructions
from which the following facts will ap.
pear:
These non commissioned officers and
privstes belonged to an expedition set on
foot in April. 1863, at the suggestion of
Mr.. j. j. Andrews. citizen OF Kentucky,
who led it, and under the authority and
directions of Gen. o. NJ. Mitchell, the
object Of which was to destroy the com.
municstion on the Georgia State railroad,
between Atlanta and Chattanooga.
The mode of operations proposed was to
reach Q point on the road where they
could seize locomotive and train of cars,
and then dash back in the direction of
Chataanooga, cutting the telegraph wires
and burning the bridges behind them as
they advanced, until they reached their
own lines. The expedition consisted of
tweuty-fcur men, who, with the exception
of its leader. Mr.. Andrews, and another
citizen of Kentucky, who acted on the oc-
cssion as the substitute Of soldier, had
been selected from the different compa-
MES for their known courage and discre-
ton. they we're informed that the
movement was TO be secret one, and
they doubtless comprehended something
of it's perils, blu. Mr.. Andrews and Mr.
Redd,ck alone seem to have known any
thing of its precise direction or object
They, however, voluntarily engaged in it,
and made their way. in parties Of two aud
three. in citizens dress. and carrying
only their side arms, to Chattanooga, the
the point of rendezvous agreed upon,
whore twenty-five out of the twenty -four
arrived safely. Here they took passage,
without attracting observation, for Mar
rictta, which they reached at Is o'clock
on the night Of the llth Of April
The following morning they took the
cars back again towards Chattasooga,
and at place called Big Shanty, while
the engineer and passengers we're break
fasting, they detached the locomotive and
three box cars from the train, and start
cd at full speed for Chattanooga. They
were now upon the field Of the perilous
operations proposed by the expedition,
but suddenly encountered unforeseen OBJ.
stacles. According to the schedule of
the road, of which Mr.. Andrews had
possessed himself, they should have met
but single train upon that day. where
~ they met three, two of them being en-
gagged ON extraordinary service. About
an hour was lost in waiting to allow these
trains to pass, which enabled their pursu-
ers to press closely upon them. They re.
moved rails, threw out distractions on
the road, and cut the wires from time to
time, and attained, when in motion a
speed of sixty miles an hour but the time
lost could not be regsined. After hav-
ing run about one hundred miles,
they found their supply of wood, water
and oil exhausted, while the rebel loco
motive which had been chasing them was
in sight. Under these circumstances
they had no alternative but to abandon
their cars and fy to the woods, which they
did, under the orders of Mr.. Andrews,
each one endeavoring TO save himself as
best he might.
The expedition thus failed from causes
which reflected neither upon the genius
by which it Was planned, nor upon the
iutrspidiiy and discretion Of those engag.
ed in conducting it. But for the acct
dent of meeting the extra traius; which
could not have been anticipated, the
movement would Lave been q complete
Euccess, aud the whole aspect of the war
in the South and Southwest would have
been At once changed. The expedition
itself, 10 the daring Of its conception, had
the wildnesS Of romance; while in the ri.
gaatie and overwhelming results, which
it was sought and likely to be accomplish,
1t was absolutely sublime. Thu estimate
of its character entertained in the South
will be found fully expressed In an edito-
rial from the Southern Confederacy, q
prominent rebel journal, uuder the date
Of the 18th Of April, and which 10 appen-
ded TO and adopted n part Of Mr.. Pit
tenger,s defpotism. The editor says -
.'Tbe mind and heart shrink back ap-
palled at the bare contemplation of the
awful consequences which would have
followed the success Of this one act We
doubt u TIN victory of Manassas or Cor.
NTH we're worth as much TO us AZ the
frustranon Of this grand coup a. etas. II
Is not ~ sny means certain that the ami
hiiation Of Beauregard's whole army
would be 30 fatal blow to us ss would
have bAsn tine burning Of the bridges at
that time by these mem
30 soon Is those composing the expe-
diton had ::leit the cars and dispersed
themselves IN the woods. the population
Oh The country round turned out ia their
pursuit, employing for this purpose the
dogs winch are trsined to hunt down the
iug'tise slaves Of the South. The whole
twenty nVe were captured. Among them
was private Jacob Parrot of Co. X. SD
regiment OF Ohio volunteers. When ar
tested he vas. without any form of trial,
taken possession OF by military officer
and four soldiers. who stripped him, bent
him over stone, and, while two pistols
were held over his head, lieutenant in
rebel uniform Inflicted with a rsvhide
upward 81 hundred lashes on his bare