The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-01-31
From The Detrolt Free Press J

man who thoyeled the earth from under the leet
OF Andrews, the hero martyr Whot w M,'u q, IsS5
fellow. prisoners, was hanged at AtanIa III ioo|
The above paragraph is suggestive OF
the most tremendous and tragic enters
prise developed by the war. ] refer 10
the adventures of the bridge burners OF
1862. The Andrews spoken OF IN the
paragraph was the leader OF this daring
raid, that was pronounced by Judge AdN
yocate- General Holt absolutely sublime
in the gigantic results it sought to ac-
complish, and in the audacity Of its con-
ception filed with the wildness of
romance" Your correspondent has
seen the spot upon which those illiated
men were hanged, has talked with their
captors and executioners, and will give
you the detailed account Of their advenN
lures, as received from eye witnesses.
In March of 1862 the Confederate
army of the West was concentrated at
Coritnh, Miss, under Beauregard. This
army received its supplies from the rich
Georgia and Carolina fields and its re-
Inducements from extensive drill camps
in these States. These troops and supe
plies were forwarded over single line
of railroad-the Western and Atlantic
running from Atlanta, Ga, to Chatanoo~
ga, Tenn, which had been not inaptly
called the backbone Of the rebellion
The movements, present and prospective,
of the Federal armies rendered it very
important that Beauregard should be cut
off from the camps and granaries in his
rear. But as this railroad that was his
channel of communication ran through
the very heart of the Confederate coun-
try, and was guarded by numberless
soldiers on all sides, it was felt to be
impossible to isolate the willy comman>
der.
Just at this time a man named J. J.
Andrews, Kentuckian, and thoroughly
devoted to the Union cause, sought an
interview with Gen. Mitchell and offered
with detail of twenty men to penetrate
the enemy's country in disguise, capture
an engine and burn the bridges Of the
Western and Atlantic road, The project |
was onsideredimpossible; but Andrews |
persisted that he could accomplish it,
and at length he was empowered to make |
the attempt. 1t was agreed that if he
succeeded he was to be paid $50, 900.
He selected as his lieutenant William
Campbell, Kentuckian, and was fur.
ni>hed with detail of twenty men from
the Second, Twenty-frst and Thirty
third Regiments, Only one man was
taken from each company.
On the 9th of April at a o'clock, the
men, in the disguise of citizens, left their
camps to rendezvous at Shelbyville, the
Federal camp being at Murfreesboro.
At about midnight the twenty two de-
termined men met in the woods beyond
Shelbyville, and the daring plot was for
the first time unfolded 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. Toreach this they we're compelled
to march through 1873 miles of the eneN
my's country, with soldiers standing
guard over every road. After exciting
adventures, the whole party reached
Chattanooga, and, in company with huns
dreds of Confederates who were hurry~
ing to the front to join Beauregard,
boarded the train. They had arranged
to ride to Marietta, rest there for the
night, and start back toward Chattanoo
go the next day and burn the bridges as
they came. Ihey reached Marietta
went to the hotel, registered and turned
in for a nights rest. They were in the
very heart of the enemy's country, with
no possible succor for two hundred miles,
and were determined on the next day to
burn the bridges and destroy the rails Of |
a road that was the vital artery Of the
Confederacy and that was literally lined
with soldiers. Indeed, their devotion
seemed fa!uous, their heroism foolhardy,
their martyrdom self-chosen and fore>
ordained
At 4 o'clock in the morning the men
|
Their general scheme involved the seiz-
ure of the train by some means or other.
The train once captured, they were to
push ahead, burn the bridges and destroy
the track. The details of this plan were
not arranged. Whether the train should
be captured by trick or by direct as.
sault upon the forces commanding it Was
not determined upon. The whole affair
was entrusted to Andrews. His men
we're to watch him closely, and obey his
slightest sign.
The train pulled slowly out Of Mari
eta, and after an hour or so reached Big
Shanty, where it stopped for breakfast. /
Big Shanty was drill camp, and about
10000 soldiers were stationed there.
The engineer, conductor and passengers
were in the hotel at breakfast. The
yankees" had gone in with the rest,
and were quietly eating their breakfast.
Suddenly Andrews appeared at the door
Of the eating hall and said, in leisurely
way:
THE CAPTURE OF THE TRAIN.
"Wel, boys, if you are done, let us go
and get our seats" Immediately his
twenty-one men arose and started out OF
the hall. Their hearts were bounding
wildly within their breasts, and their
faces must have paled with resolution,
for they knew that the hour of their trial
had come And yet they walked coolly
and TRANQUILITY out of that room, con.
scious that they must move so leisurely
as to avoid all suspicion. When they
reached the door they found Andrews
awaiting them. AS they came out he
gave each man hurried whispered word
Of instruction. Then taking three men
with him, he walked slowly and appar>
emily aimlessly in the direction Of the
unguarded engine. In the meantime one
of his hand had slinned in between the