The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-02-20
A DARING DEED.
HOW THE TOWN OF ST. ALBANs WAS
TAKEN.
Twenty Six Prisoners Escape From Prison
and Capture Vermont Town The
Banks Sacked-Trial in Canada.

Twenty Six Prisoners Escape From Prison
and Capture Vermont Town-The
Banks Sacked-Trial in Canada.
IFrom the Atyanto Constitution
Sketches innumerable have appeared
intnewspapers and magazines, on both
SIDE of Mason and Dixon's line, pur-
porting to be "the most daring ex-
plsits of the war;" I have, however,
seen no allusion to what I claim was
thu most daring, viz, the capture of
St. Albans, Vermont, by twenty six
Confederates, in the latter days of Ds
cember, '64, or early in January, '65.
This audacious episode is so little
known in Atlanta that brief &C
count by one who was almost not
quite) a part of the capturing force,
may not be uninteresting.
In the summer of 1864 about 100
Confederate prisoners of war, who had
contrived to escape from different
northern prisons made their way to
Canada, in preference to taking the
risk of recapture in the endeavor to
pierce the military lines, and perhaps
have to answer the charge, 60 freely
made against suspicious strangers, of
being spies. Rock Island, Camp
Chase, Camp Douglas, Camp Morton
ard other prisons of lesser no,e, each
furnished its quota of this contingent.
Now. such body of men who had the
shrewdness and energy to effect their
escape were not likely to be inactive
in the stirring events which so much
concerned them. Consequently a
movement was set on foot looking to
the liberation Of the prisoners on John
sons Island. This ended in the cap
ture and execution of Maj. Beal of Buff
falo, N. Y. Following on the heels of
their beloved leaders death, it soon
became apparent that Sherman was
about to abandon the sword of the
soldier for the torch of theilcendiary.
AS the mothers, wives and sisters Of
these exiled patriots were exposed to
insult and pillage, naturally their rage
knew no bounds. Said Capt. -,
of Alabama, to the writer: "There are
enough of us here to draw off 10000
from 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 deliberation
like clap of thunder in a clear sky
news flashed over the wires that "a
rebel horde had captured st. Albans,
Vt Subsequent events developed the
fact that "the horde" consisted of 26
men, who quietly entered the town
and throwing off their outer wraps,
appeared in the garb of Confederate
soldiers, armed to the teeth, and en-
forced an immediate surrender. AL
though the place contained 5000 in
habitants, the mayor and city officers
counselcd submission. The entire
male population was crrraled in the
public square and held for hours,
twenty being detailed as a guard for
them, while the other six went through
the public buildings, both local and
Federal, and the national banks. Five
millions in greenbacks, bonds and
securities compensated the captors.
On returning to Canada, demand
was made from Washington for their
extradition. The case was taken be-
fore judge in Toronto on a witt of
habeas corpns, and postponed for ten
days to enable the prisoners to procure
evidence. Now. as much courage and
greater shrewdness was necessary to
prove these men were soldiers
mere robbers, five scouts were i'm
mediately dispatched for Richmond,
each commissioned on the same er-
rand, 50 if one or more fell into the
hands Of the enemy some of them
might get through. On the ninth one
of the couriers returned, and on the
tenth morning, just before court con-
vened, two others came in with a GER
tilted copy of Lieutenant Young's
commission, aud certified copies of The
enlistment papers of each and every
one of the other twenty-five. The
trial proceeded; the court decided the
parties were belIigerents, and they
we're acquitted accordingly.
So strong pressure, however, was
brought to bear on the Dominion gov
ernment that parliament was convened
in session extraordinary, and the
ALLEN sedition act passed under the
government whip aud spur. This act
may be briefly epitomized as follows :
"The goyernai general is empowered
to suspend the habeas corpus by pro-
clamation in the dominion within
forty eight hours"
But little remains to be told. AL
though only twenty six took part in
the st. Albans raid there were about
one hundred. and twenty distributed
through the cities of Montreal. Toron-
to, St. GATHERINGS and Hamilton. A
portion conceived the idea of going to
Europe, Offering their services on a
blockade runner, and gaining entrance
to some southern port. This was
deemed the most feasible plan, as it
would be madness to attempt return
ing through the northern states. Well,
they found themselves, in course OF
time, in Edinburgh, Scotland, with all
arrangements made to man a vessel,
prepared for the purpose on the Clyde,
about forty miles distant, when news
came of Lees surrender and as a con-
sequence they surrendered their
blockade running resolve.
How many Of these ex- escaped
prisoners are left in twenty years? As
/ write coincidence presents itself to
me-twenty six men participated in
the St. Albans raid. and it is just
twenty.six years since it occurred.