The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-02-10

the Subsequent Fortunes of the Leader
and His Party.
The death procession reached Atlanta
little after noon, and the prisoners were
conducted by their guard To IA room used
as barracks, two squares from the depot.
Here they were kept under close guard
awaiting the completion of the arrange
ments for the military murder. The foot
chains had not been removed from An
drews. and as he walked up into his room
with the short, halting step that they re-
quired. the clanking was horrible. Not
very much was said in these few sad
moments Andrews did speak in his
quiet way of the better life, and his wish
to meet all his comrades in heaven. His
words could not fail of making deep
| impression, though hope of vengeance for
the coming deed would have been sweeter
| to the poor boys than almost any kind Of
prospect beyond the grave. But soon 2
| body Of strange soldiers came up TO the
| building Their commander entered and
asked Andrews in a very respectful tone
| il he was ready now. The latter answered
! in the affirmative, and then babe Good
! by tn the comrades who had passed
through so many dangers with him.
The procession moved out Peachtree
street the most fashionable and beautiful
street of Atlanta, aud continued for about
two miles from the depot. On the way,
the provost marshal asked Rev. W. j.
Scott, a Methodist clergyman, to accom-
pany them and act as chaplain. He
almost refused, but Andrews spoke in his
winning, courteous manner, saying, II
would be glad to have you go, sir" Such
an appeal Scott could not resist, and at
tended him TO the last, writing many
years after his recollection of the affair.
A great crowd. in addition to the strong
guard, went along, but there appears to
have been no unseemly tauntS or disorder.
| To Mr. Scott Andrews gave substantially
the same account of the enterprise that
has already been given, colored little by
the fact that he did not wish even i'll
death To say one word that might in any
way injure those comrades who had been
so true 10 him.
No element of pathos in the terrible
scene was lacking. 4 few scores of yards
from the road, in little valley, scat
fold was erected There were thin woods
around, and night was coming on. \
rope circle fenced off the spectators to
respectful distance. Mr.. Scott spoke the
words that he judged fitting; Rev. Mr..
Conyers led in prayer; Rev. Mr. Conner
administered some religious counsel to
the patient prisoner, who probably
thought that all the sins of which he re-
pented were less than the sin of rebellion
of which they were guilty. NocofIin was
provided, but Il few hundred feet away
the grave was already open. The signal
was given, and the not uncommon bung-
ling Of an execution added new horrors.
| The cotton rope stretched so that the
shackled feet reached the ground. From
motives Of humanity the ground was
shoYeled away, and the soul liberated.
The pathoS of this death is indescrib-
able The drop falls and the mere physi-
NJ AGONY is soon over. The body, weak
,.t by the last terrible struggle for life
ode not SO much for self as for the
loving heart in lar away flennngsuurg--
cannot long resist. Then the corpse is
taken down; the horror bound spectators
still linger. The poor remains of man
OF superb beauty and princely endowments
are carried TO the shallow grave on little
hill crest, and there, near large stone,
"which may mark the grave, if any friend
ever wants 20 know where it is" as a
spectator Charitably said, he is laid to
rest. There is no shroud. The only
grave clothes are the tattered garments
left from the last sad race for life. Can
the reader conceive anything more pitiful
than the view presented just before the
damp earth is thrown on the cold, up
turned face? The busy brain, from which
came daring enterprises and cool action,
is quiet forever. The limbs that tOiled so
far COR patriotism, fame, perhaps for VEN
geance, and at last for life, labor no more.
The heart so true TO country and com
rades, so faithful under forms of false
hood is stilled. The utmost depths of
adversely have been sounded, and the
enemy can touch him no more. Even the
welded shackels, which seem to bind in
the grave, have lost their power. 1t is
well that man has one refuge from every
earthly misfortune; and as evening gath
cred its shadows over the little heap of
freshly turned earth in the wOOd-a spot
long unrecOgnized-was he not better of
than the comrades from whom he had
Just parted, or those more distant, whose
fate was trembling in the balance at
Knoxville?
Some days or weeks after the compile
ton of this mournful tragedy man came
to the old depot at Stevenson, Ala, which
was then used as n storehouse by the
Federals. He seemed to be a stranger,
and went cautiously to SerGt. William
Hunter Myers, of Company X, Thirty
third Ohio, and asked TO speak with him
alone. Myers at once assented and took
him into the room. The man looked to
see that no one was near the door or win
dows, and then said: ~ have papers in
my possession which would cost me my
life if the Confederates should discover
them on me. WANT to get clear of them. "
Myers took the papers and glanced over
them, finding the letter of Andrews to his
mother and his twill" already quoted.
He was perfectly familiar with our expe.
dition, belonging TO the same company as
Parrot. This made it easy for him to
! recognize the great interest of the papers,
for up to this time only scattered and
partial information had been brought
through the lines. On inquiry the man
said he was a fireman on the Georgia
State railroad, and that he had been en-
ployed for several years in that capacity.
His native place, however, was Hagers.
town, Md. and lac had stood the ways OF
the rebels IS long as he could, and was
now anxia IS to get home. Myers wanted
to know how he came in possession of the
papers, but he declared that he dared not
tell. Finding that ne had nothing more
to say he was sent under guard to Hunts
vile. from which place it was easy foI
= him to reach his old home; and the papers
also, after considerable detention, arrived
Z at their destination.
! The account of the escape and recap
G ture Of Andrews was published in The
Il Cincinnati Commercial, about the 10th OF
e June, and reached the sister of Miss Lay
n ton, with whom that lady then made hen
I home AS she was already in deep dis
a tress because of Andrews long delay
I Il n