The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-02-20
A DARING DEED.
HOW THE TOWN OF ST, ALBANS
WAS TAKEN.

on aud Captured II Vermont Tewn--The
bnnlts Sncked-- TrinI In Cnnndy.
Atlanta Constitution.
Sketches iunumerable, have appcarcd
In newspapers and magazines, on both
sides Of Mason and Dixon's line. purpor-
ting to be 'the most daring exploit of
ihe war" l have, however, seen no al
fusion to what claim, was the most
daring, viz. the capture of st. Albaus,
Vermont, by twenty six confederates in
he latter days Of December "a, or early
In January 'G5. This audacious episode
is 50 lit'b known in Atlanta, that brief
account by one who was almost (not
quite) part of the capturing force, may
not be uninterestiug.
In the summer of 1864 about 12O con-
federate prisoners of war. who had con-
tr.vcd to escape from different northern
prisons made their way to Canada in
preference to taking the risk Of recap
ture in the endeavor to pierce the militia
ry lines, and perhaps have to answer the
charge, so freely made against suspicious
strangers, Of beng spies. Rock Island
Camp Chase, Camp Douglas, Camp Nor.
ton and other prisons of lesser note each
furnished its quota of this contingent.
Now, sucn body Of men, who had the
shrewdress and energy to effect their es-
cape, were not likely to be inactive in
the stirring events which SO much con.
cerned them. Consequently movement
was set on foot looking to the liberation
OF the prisoners on Johnson's Island.
This ended il the capture and execution
OF Major Bca, Of Buffalo, N. Y. Fol-
loving on the heels of their beloved
leaders death, it soon became appsrcn,
that Sherman was about to abandon tie
| sword Of the soldier for the torch of the
lncendiary. AS the mothers, wives and
aGd sisters of these cxiled paticts were
exposed to insult and pillage, naturally
their rage knew no bounds. Said Cap
tam --, of Alabama, to the writer :
There arc enough Of us here to draw
! OIL III, 600 cutthroats form our beloved
homes, If we but hang together and
strike IN the most tender spot, as these
Vandals have been striking us."
as result Of mature doliberation
like clap OF thunder in clear sk7
rews flashed over the wires that "arebcl
horde had captured St. Alban., VT,
Subsequent events developed the fact
that 'the horde consisted of twenty Six
! men, who quietly entered the town and
throwing oil their outer wraps, appeared
IN the garb Of confederate soldiers, arm
cd to the teeth, and enforced an immedi.
surrender. Although the place con
tanned 5000 inhabitants, the mayor and
city officers counseled submission. The
entire male population was corraled in
the public square and held for hours.
twenty being detailed as a euara foi
them, while the other six went through
the pubic buildings, both local and fed
cral, and the national banks. Five mil.
hons III grccnbacks, bonds and securities
compensated the captors.
GA returning to Canada, demand
was made from Washington for their ex.
| tradluOn, The case was taken before -
Judge IN Toronto on wriC Of habcas
corpus, and postponed for ten DAYS &c
enable the prisoners to procure evidence.
NOW, as much courage and greater
shrcwdneSs was necessary to prove these
men were soldiers not mere robbers,
FIVE scouts were Immediately dispatched
tor Richmond, each commissioned on
me same crrand, so if one or more fell
INT" The hands of the enemy some OF
lhcm might get through. On the night
one OF the couriers returned, and or
inc tenth morning, just before cou1,
convened, two others came in with 4
certified copy Of Lieutenant Younu's
commission, and certi led copies of III,
enlistment papers of each and every one
OF 'he other twenty-five. The trial pro.
cccdLd; the court decided the parties
were bchgcrcnts, and they were acouit-
ted accordingly.
80 strong pressure, however. was
brought to bear on the Dominion gov.
crnmcnt that parliament was convened
IN session extraordinary, and the ALLEN
sedltlon act passed under the govern
ment whip and spur. This act NAV be
briefly eptomizcd rs follows: '"1he
goVernal general is empowered to sus-
| pend the habcas corpus by proclamation
| IN the dominion within forty eight
hOurs.n
But little remains to be told. AL
though only twenty-six took part in the
81. Albans raid there were about one
hundred and twenty distributed through
the cities of Montreal, Toronto. St
GATHERINGS and Hamilton. a portion
conceived the idea Of going to Europe,
cDerng their services on n blockade
runner, and gaining entrance to some
sout hern port. This was deemed the
most feasible plan, as it would be mad
ness to attempt returning through the
northern states. Well, they found
themselves, in course Of time, in Edin-
burgh, Scotland, with all arrangements
made to man vessel, prepared for the
purpose on the Clyde, about forty miles
distant, when news came of Lees sur
render and as consequence they sur
rendered their blockade running re-
solves.
How many Of these escaped priso.
hers arc left in twenty-ycars? As write
coincidence presents itself to me
twenty-six men participated in the St.
Albans raid, and it is just twenty-six
years since 1T occurred.
Ii this should catch the eve of anv
one who was in Canada at that time
VIII he confer with the writer of this
the Constitution.
EX-CONFEDERATE.
General Bonhnm's Narrow Escape