Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-04-09
m V1I0R OF THR ONO TROOPS.
FIeudIahnsss ofthe RebeIs-Their most bor-
rible BarbaFism-
The Most Darins project Of the War.


story of the twenty-five Ohio boys who,
starting out upon secret expedition by
command of General Mitchell, from Hunts
vile, Alabama, one year ago, were cap
tured BY the rebels, and more than half
Of them hung, the few survivors having
reached Washington but few days since.
They related the story of their adventures
and sufferings to the President and secre-
tary Of War, who bestowed upon them the
first medals Of honor and valor of the war.
That story, as simply told by telegraph
or by newspaper accounts was thrilling as
an oriental tale, but the full history of
their object and adventures, as told by
them. is the most marvellous which the war
has yet brought to us, and one that will be
told TO wondering ears long after this re-
bellion is crushed, and when the grass has
grown on the graves of those few noble
heroes. The design ofthe expedition up
on which these men started was one the
result Of which, had it been successful, can
scarcely be conceived. The whole history
of the war would have been changed, and
SO momentous was that project that had it
succeeded, the war might have been end
ed months ago by the subjugatiOn of the
rebels. tt was through no fault or lack
in these gallant boys that they were not
then the rescuers of their country; aeci-
dent alone prevented. It is right then,
that we should celebrate their deeds in
song and story.
We are IN receipt of an advance copy Of
the report by Judge Advocate General
Holt to the Secretary of War, containing
the history of the affair, as taken in de-
positions from the survivors. From it we
gather the following facts:
Tie expedition was under the command
of Mr.. J. ]. Andrews, a citizen of Ken
lucky, who suggested it to General Mitch
ell then at Huntsville. The object was
to destroy the communications on the
Georgia State Railroad, between Atlanta
and Chattanooga.
The mode of operation proposed was to
reach a point on the road where they
could seize locomotive and train of cars,
and then dach back in the direction of
Chattanooga, cutting the telegraph wires
and burning the bridges behind them as
they advanced, until they reached their
own lines. The expedition consisted of
"a men, whs, with the exception of its
leader, Mr.. Andrews, and another citizen
of Kentucky-who acted on the occasion
as the substitute of a sOldier-had been
selected from the different companies for
their known courage and discretion. An
epitomized report of what was actually ac-
cOmplished, is thus summed up by Judge
Holt:
" They were informed that the movement
was to be a secret one, and they doubtless
comprehended something of its perils, but
Mr.. Andrews and Mr.. Reddick alone seem
to have known anything ofits precise di-
rection or object. They, however, volun-
tarily engaged in it, and made their way,
in parties Of two and three, in citizens
dress, and carrying only their side arms,
to Chattanooga, the point of rendezvous
agreed upon, where % out Of the "a ar
rived safely. Here they took passage,
without attracting observation, for Mari
eta, which they reached at y o'clock on
the night Of the I1th of April The fol-
lowing morning they took the cars back
again toward Chattanooga, and at place
called Big Shanty, while the engineer and
passengers were breskfasting, they de-
taehed the locomotive and three box cars
from the train, and started at full speed
for Chattanooga. They were now upon
the field Of the perilous operations proPos-
ed by the expedition, but suddenly en-
counteFed un'Orseen obstacles. According
to the schedule Of the road, Of which Mr..
Andrews had possessed himself, they
should have met but single train on that
day, whereas they met three, two Of them
being engaged on extraordinary service.
About an hour was lost in waiting to allow
these trains to pass, which enabled their
pursuers to press closely upon them.
They removed rails, threw out Obstruc-
tious on the road, and cut the wires from
LlulE 10 ALllEs anu dAAhA4Cuf m4bn III nv
ton, q speed of sixty miles an hO1r; but
the time lost could not be regained. After
having run about one hundred miles, they
found their supply Of wood, water, and
oil, exhausted, while the rebel locomotive
which had been chasing them was in sight
Under these circumstances they had no
alternative but to abandon their cars and
fly to the woods, which they did under the
orders of Mr. Andrews, each one endeav-
oring 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 intre-
pidity and indiscretiOn of those engaged
in it. But for the accident Of meeting the
extra trains-which could not have been
anticipated-the movement would have
been complete success, and the whole as
pect of the war in the South and Southwest
would have been at once changed.
The vast Importance of the scheme was
well appreciated in the South, an editor
ial in the Southern COnfederacy, of Chat
tanOOga, saying;
aThe mind and heart shrink back apall-
ed at the bare contemplation Of the awful
consequences which would have followed
the success of this one act. We doubt if the
victory Of Manassas or Corinth were worth
as much to us as the Illustration Of this
grand coup Fstat. It is not by any means
certain that the annihilation Of Beaure-
CARDS whole army at Corinth would be so
fatal blow 10 us as would have been the
burning Of the bridges at that time by
these men,"
The men we're all finally captured, but
before this was done, one of them, Jacob
Parrot, Of Company K, 88d Ohio regiment,
was caught stripped, bent over a stone
and whipped with rawh!de until one
hundred lashes had been laid upon his
bare back, to make him confess the objects
Of the expedition and the names of his