The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-10-18


gives an account Of the capture Of
railroad train st Ceniralia. Missouri
/ by guerrillas under Bill Anderson
We append the statement OF an eye
witness. lf these guerrillas should b
taken and shot, as they deserve to be
all the 'copperhesd' papers in lh
country would 20 into mourning owe
the cruel treatment Of their friends
STATEMENT oF AN BYE WITNESS
HORRIBLE DETAILS.
From an eyewitness, gentleman
from Indiana, we learn the horribl
details OF the Centralia slaughter. tn,
engineer OF the horthward bound trail
said the steam in the beiler was quite
low, aud after he discovered the char
acler of the troops at Centralia, il wal
an utter impossibility 10 back the trair
out Of danger. This may be true, bu
many people will ask why tha
train was suffered to run into banC
of bushwlackers, when the conductor
and passengers saw them a mile dist
ant, and ii was well known that Bill
Andersons gang had that morning
been at that station.
As soon as the train stopped, An.
deson walked to the platform and or
dered the passengers TO march OUT
Our informant said Anderson appear
ed TO be man about five feet len in.
ches high, rather slim, black beard
long black hair inclined to curl, and
altogether a promising looking man oil
about 81 years Of age. He was dress
ed in Federal soldiers coat, black
pants, and cavalry hat. He ordered
the citizens--men, women and child.
ren---to march in one direction where
they we're formed in lines two deep,
and those dressed in soldiers clothes
we're marched in an opposite direction.
In getting off the platform two of the
soldiers hung back, and talked against
obeying orders. They were shot by
Anderson and tumbled off between the
cars. This had the effect OF causing
a stampede of passengers. who rushed
OIL the cars in great confusion. There
were twenty-four soldiers aboard the
train, belonging to the 23d, oath and
the old 25th Missouri infantry. Some
were wounded and sick, returning
home on furlough, and some were dis
charged. One was wounded in the
leg and Ihobbled on crutches. All the
soldiers were formed into line, and
Anderson walked up to them, and thus
addressed them:
You Federals haYe just killed six
of my soldiers, scalped them and left
them on the prairie. / am too hon
orable a man to permit any man to be
scalped, but / will show you that |
can kill men with as much skill and
rapidity as anybody. From this time
forward | ask no quarter, and give
none. Every Federal soldier on whom
put my finger shall die like dog.
If | get into your clutches, / expect
death. You are all to be killed and
sent to hell. That is the way every
id soldier shall be served who falls
into my hands"
Some of the soldiers demonstrated.
and declared that they were just from
Sherman's army, and had nothing
whatever TO do with killing and scalp
ing any of his men. Anderson replied /:
81 treat you all as one. You are Fed
erals, and Federals scalped my men,
and carry their scalps at their saddle
bows" A line Of bushwhackers with
revolyers were then drawn up before
the soldiers, who cried and begged for
their lives, but every man was shot.
All fell but one, who vas shot through
the shoulder. He dashed through the
guerrlllas, ran through tue line of cit
izens, chased and fred at by the fends,
under the cars, aud from
thence under the depot building. The
was fired and he was soon
forced to come out. He emerged from
The smoke and flame, and with club
knocked down two Of Anderson's men
before they killed him. lie fell pierre
ed by twenty bullets. The passeng.
ers were then robbed Of their watches.
ewelry and money.
One young man was on his way TO
81. Joseph with his mother. He slip
ped hundred dollars in grecnbacks
nto bis bootleg. and on demand hand
ID oyer the balance. A guerrilla ask
ID him If he had secreted any money,
ind he denied that he had. He was
old that he would be searched. and
hat if any funds were found on him
Ie would be killed. lie then aeknowl-
dyed that he had secreted one hund-
ed dollars in lis boot. which was
lrawn off by the guerrilla, the money
and the young man shot
lead. a gold watch was found ii the
'oot Of a German, and he was Instant
Y killed.
Our informant thinks that at least
twenty-five Of Major Johnsoa's men
we're buiehered, who came in after tie
rain was burned.
Saeh are the proceedings Of The out-
ass Anderson. lie and bis men de-
rrve death. Are there not soldiers
nough'in AIissourito rid lae State Of
hose fienIs