Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-02-06

Nke95am> y E 5vsss5 : ts of
@ ~: s; :: !; s: s:
Gsz- assemble at
Marietta, Ca, capture o locomotive
, 'r run north, destroying en- route the
hr;lnes and telegraph between the
uIac, of capture a I'D Chattanooga.
The expedition was suggested and
ABDUCTED by j. J. Andrews, q spy.
The soldiers volunteered for the SER
z;ce aid were told the nature and
nnr,ose of it. They were armed only
With revolvers, exchanged their uni
fo.rns for citizens dress, and deceived
the eremy's troops and people,
Twenty-Five of the party assembled
al Marietta on Friday evening. April
Il, took assage on the north bound
train about daylight next morning,
and when the train stopped for break
last at q station called Big Shanty
they quietly uncoupled the locomotive
and three box-cars, and started at full
speed up the track.
Pursuit was made as soon as DOS
sble, The adventurers met with un-
expected difficulties and DELAYS. and
after running about one hundred miles
we're compelled to abandon the train
and scatter in the woods. The sur
rounding country was aroused; the
tugitives were hunted down, and all
were captured and imprisoned.
After some months Andrews, the
leader, and seven others were tried by
nurt-marIial and hanged, and eight
made their escape. The remaining
six were exchanged in the following
March.
The absorbing story of this unparal-
leled enterpri e is told in detail by the
Reverend William Pittenger, one of
The survivors, in volume entitled
Capturing Locomotive"
No romance contains more of danger,
pluck, resolution, endurance, suffer-
ing, gloom and hope than this truthful
account of an actual occurrence in our
War of Rebellion. It does not detract
from the interest of the story that the
author Of the book is not full ' informed
rs to che origin of the enterprise, and
is not strictly correct as to its purposes
and their Importance.
second that was planned, both of which
he enormously assumes were inaug-
urated under the authority of General
Mitchell for the purpose of enabling or
facilitating the capture of Chattanooga
by that officer
The facts are as follows: The rebel
line, extending in the winter of l861-62
from Columbus, on the Mississippi
River, to Bowling Green, Kentucky,
was broken in the center by the capture
OF Forts Henry and Donelson, and the
enemy was forced to fall back. The
main body from Bowling Green retired
VIA Nashville through Middle Tennes-
see to the south of the Tennessee River.
General Halleck, adhering to his in
, terror line, moved his troops up the
tennessee River in March, with view
TO breaking the new line the enemy
M, nad established, or was about to estab-
lsh, along the Memphis and Charles
ton Railroad.
Buell.. who with the Army of the
ONO had seized Nashville in the latter
end OF February, 1862, and was about
marching westward to Joint Grant ut
Savanna, on the Tennessee, was not
anmlndful of the advantage of break.
ing, west of Chattanooga, the railroad
winch led the rebel forces from the
east "a and south to his flank, and also
alrectly connected them with Corinth,
against which Halleck was moving.
Inc spy Andrews, who was in Buell's
service service, represented, early in March
lo62, that with a party Of six trusty
men he could destroy the bridges
petween Chattanooga and Bridge
port and also the important bridge
over the Tennessee at the latter place
t t thus effectually prevent the enemy
nom using that route either to re-en
lofce Corinth or return to Middle Ten.
nesse.
me services rendered by the spy
anureWs had not been of much benefit
~ buell, and the General did not ell
courage the proposition; but, in conse
,Iuehce mainly of the confidence ant
hhiigency of the spy, he finally directed
a aly' to confer fully with Andrews
;n use his discretion as to authoriz
TSS and organizing the enterprise
4u3 chief of staff, on the strength o
auurews' assurance that an engineer
unnlng reyular train over the roat
l Ias IN our interest, and would use hi
s s"S for the purpose, sanctioned
su1 arranged the undertaking.
General Mitchell was directed to fur
a.sn SIX men If volunteers for the service
MUG s1;t De found. That is all Genera
tal'eneli had to do with the original en-
terprise.
t, Herewith is given a copy of lette
t han General Buell. on the subject, AM
lure 1T can be stated thai Genera
H Tue knew only of the first expedi
',o'l-the one he authorized. TIL
yv;tpnd, sent by General Mitchell
r Uncut Buell's authority, was neve
r, SARATOGA, Aug. S, 1863.
rs General l.. Thomas, Adjutant Genera
s, mi'ed states Army, Washington, d. c.:
ulti,' lin the Official Gazette of the 21s
Gn .nnio l see report OF Judge Advocat
two ,t IA Holt, dated the 9th OF March, rela
ISrS W IAN expedition set on foot in April
Tho ,' Under Under the authority and direction" a