Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-26
WILD g. DARING HEROES.
Of Bridge Burners OF s6s.

A paragraph that appeared in the dis
patches at the time Of the recent visit OF
the Presidential party to Atlanta. Georgia,
brought out the following scrap Of history
from correspondent Of the Detroit Free
Press, concerning the most daring and tra-
getic enterprise developed during the war
that of General MIrcuELL's bridge.burn.
ing expedition in 1862:
The Andrews spoken of in the paragraph
was the leader Of this daring raid, that
was pronounced by Judge Advocate Gen
eral Holt absolutely sublime in the 81
gnntic results it sought to accomplish, aud
in the audacity OF its conception filled with
the wildness ol romance" Your cores
pondent has seen the spot upon which
those ill-fated men were hanged, has talked
with their captors and execntiOners, and
will give you the detailed account Of their
adventures as received from eyewitness
In March Of 1862 the Confederate Army
Of the West was concentrated at COrinth
Miss, under Beauregnrd. This army re-
ceived its supplies from the rich Georgia
mud Carolina fields, and its rcinforcements
from extensive drill camps in these States.
These troops and supplies were forwarded
over n single line Of railroad - the Western
aud Misunderstanding from Atlanta Ga, to
Chattanooga, Tenn, which had been not
inaply called "the backbone of the rebel
lion" The movements, present and pros
pcctive, of the Federal armies rendered it
very important that Boauregard should be-
cut of from the camps and grannries in
his rear But as this railroad that was his
channel of communication ran through the
very heart Of the Cunfcdcratccountry, and
was guarded bv numbcrlcss soldiers ON
all sides, it was lclt to be impossible to iso-
late the willy commander.
just at this time a man named J. j. An.
drews, n Kentuckinn, aud thoroughly de
voted to the Union cause, sought un intor-
view with General Mitchell, and Offered,
with detail Of twenty men, to penetrate
the cncmy'S country in di-guise, capture
an engine and burn the bridges uf The
Western e. Atlantic Road. The project
WAS considered impossible, but Andrews
persisted that he would accomplish it, aud
at length he was empowered to make the
attempt, 1t was agreed that il he succeed
cd he was to he paid $4,000. lie selected
MS his lieutenant, VIM Campbell, n Ken.
tuckidn, AMI was furnished with a detail
Of twenty men from the Second, Twenty.
first aud Thirty-third Ohio regiments.
Only one man was taken from each Com
prnv.
On the 9th Of April, at four o'clock, the
men in the disguise of citizens, left their
camps to rendezvous Mt Shclbyville, the
Federal camp being Mt Murfreesboro. At
about midnight the twenty-five determined
men met in the woods beyond Shelbyville,
and the daring plot was for the first time
unluldcd TO the detailed soldiers. The
council over, the raiders scattered into
squads of two or three and started for
| Chattanooga, the northern terminus OF the
Western and Atlantic road. 10 reach
this they were compelled to march through
l32 miles OF the enemy country, with sol
diers standing guard over every road.
After exciting adventures the whole party
reached Chattanooga, and, in company
with hundreds of Confederatcs who were
hurryng to the front to join Beaur, gard
boarded the train. They had arranged to
ride to Marietta, rest there during the
night, start back toward Chattanooga the
next day, and burn the bridges MS they
came. They reached Marietta, went tC
the hotel, registered and turned in for q
nights rest. They were in the very hear
Of the enemy's country, with no possible
succor within two hundred miles, and were
determined on the next day to burn the
bridges and destroy the rails OF n road that
was the vital artery of the Confederacy
and that was literally lined with soldiers
Indeed, their devotion seemed fatnous
their heroism ioolhardy, their martyrdom
sell-chosen and foreordaincd.
Al four o'clock in the morning the mer
were awakened and hurried on the train
Their general scheme involved the seizur
Of the train by some means or other. Th,
train once captured, they were to pusl
ahead, burn the bridges and destroy tn
track The details of this plan were no
arranged. Whether it should be capture,
by trick, or by direct force upon th
forces commanding it, was not determined
upon. The whole affair was entrusted t.
Andrews. His men were 10 watch hin
closely, and obey his slightest sign.
The train pulled slowly out OF Marietta
and after an hour or so reached Big ShantS
where it stopped for breakfast. Bi
Shanty was n drill camp, and about 10, 90
soldiers we're stationed there. The engi
neer, conductor and passengers were i
, the hotel at breakfast. The yankees
had gone in with the rest and were quietl
eating their breakfast when Suddenly An
} drews appeared ut the door Of the eatin
! nan anu Silu1 III lciSuIClN wa
THE CAPTURE OF THE TRAIN.
? "Well, boys, il you are done, let us go an
get our seats Immediately his twenty
two arose and started out of the hall.
, Their hearts were bounding wildly Will
!, in their breasts, and their faces must hay
: been paled with resolution, for they kne
that the hour OF their trial had come an
yet they walked coolly and TRANQUILITY OF
of that room, conscious that they mu
move so leisurely MS to avoid all suspiciol
When they reached the door they foun
Andrews awaiting them. As they cam
out he gave each man hurried whisperc
r word of instruction. Then taking thr,
4 men with him, he walk apparently ain
lessly in the direction of the unguarde
engine. In the meantime one of his ban
had slipped in between the baggage an
n passenger cars, leaving only three cars a
( tnchcd to the engine. The other memhe
of the band stood 10y the doors of the bai
=, gage ear ready to jump into them at M
, ments notice. Several thousand Confede
" ate soldiers were standing around in sigh
many of them ALMOST touching the car
As soon as Andrews and his three compai
ions reached the engine they sprang brsl
. ly upon it, he having first given subt
signal with his hand that whisked Il
4 other raiders in the baggage ears Ms il |
= magic. Then the throttle OF the engil
WAS opened, her lever was pulled back
. its utmost. The great iron monster Thrill
!, ed for moment, trembled uneasily, tn,
= flattcned to the track and went flying aw'
" toward the West. Not until the engi
= was fairly out Of sight did the crowd beg
!; to realize what had been done. VIII,
. the truth was realized the most irant
3, uproar arose the mass OF soldiers, eitize
:, !" aud train hands huddled on the track
." pitiable confusion; yells Of rage swell
;, into the air, aud the sharp crack lc Of COZ
" ment broke the monotone. Suddenly "
= men, halless aud coatless, sped ont fro
= this bewi ildered crowd with pale, detcrmi
~ !, ed faces. and started in pursuit. OF the c
;, gino. These were the conductor and q
:, gineer, Messrs. Fuller and Murphy, "
/; on foot. amid the sudden and uneontro
= Lilo laugi,tar ~ tl,a crowd sfar'aI otl