Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-20

Col Marion t. Anderson, vice president Of
the association, is q native of Indiana, and at
the time of the surrender OF Fort Sumter was
college student in indianapolis. The next
morning after the surrender he laid aside his
books. bid adieu to his alma mater and returned
to his home for the purpose OF being one OF the
first to answer the call Of President Lincoln for
troops.
On Thursday, April IS. 1861, he entered Camp
Morton as q soldier and WAS mustered as q pri-
vate into company {, seventh Indiana volun-
teers. on the ed OF same month. his regiment
was the first 10 leave the state. 1t ordered
to Grafton. W. Va. where il arrived at o clock
June /; lett there June 2. proceeded to Phil
lpi AMI led the advance into that place, and
there captured the first rebel Gag Of the great
war, which was taken in action June s. 1851.
Young Anderson being a daring rider was
Especially detailed as one of q company of forty
scouts. He rendered excellent service in and
around Phillip, LAUREL Hill, Bealton and Car
ricks Ford, participating in each of those en-
gaSements. He, with said company, and at
times with but one companion; passed through
many hair-breadth escapes and hand-:o-hand
contests. On or abou. the middle Of August,
bis term OF enlistment having expired, he was
honorably discharged. He very soon re-en-
listed as a private in company D. fifty-frst reg
iment, Indiana volunteers, and again entered
the field. Abou. the LIST Of December. 1851, he
received his first promotion--to that of orderly
sergeant After the great battle Of Shiloh he
was made second heutenant-April so, 1861, -
and the following December he was commits
stoned as captain of his company. His regi-
ment was engaged for ten or eleven days prior
to and during the bloody battle o; Stone river.
On the 9lSt o! December, when at the head Of
his company. he received his first desperate
wound, by u bomb shell. His wound was thought
to be mortal. but be recovered and rejoined
his regiment in time 20 accompany II on the ia
me- aaGa nv FAR 70 he rant
Of the rebel army. Said raid was destined
to be an unfortunate one for the entire COM
mhnd. Ammunition became exhausted fur
Their fighting vas an impossibility; beyond the
line where reinforcements could reach them,
surrounded by five times their number, the
brigade was forced to surrender. This enlisted
men were sent home, but the officers were taken
TO Libby prison, Richmond, Va, and there re-
tanned. Capt Anderson. with some seventy
four other captains, was forced to undergo one
of the most trying ordeals during his incarcera-
ton that men were ever subjected to. They
were by Gen. Winder compelled to draw lots for
their livee, as two of their number were
doomed to die at sunrise the rext morning, tho
unfortunate ones being Capts- Flynn and Saw
yer.
After eight long months Of Incarceration,
starvation and brutal treatment this young
officer succeeded in accomplishing what he had
from the first, been planning to do-that was
to take French leave. Therefore, on the night
of December IL. 1868, with but one companion,
he made a daring, hazardous, but successful
escape from that bastile Of the south to the
Union lines. Arriving at Williamsburg after
undergoing great hardships, about am. De-
cember 10, his clothing in rags and tatters, en-
tirely baresooted, his feet full of briars and
thorns. torn and bleeding and almost famished
from hunger, exhaustion and suffering. he
soon recuperated and again went to the front,
joining his regiment at Chattanooga. where he
was at once detailed at regimental head
quarters as a field officer. Col. Anderson veter-
sRized with his regiment and took them home
TO Indiana on their veteran furlough. Upon
his arrival at Indianapolis he was rendered q
commission as lieutenant colonel Of a new regi-
menr. Believing and feeling that his duty was
10 hs old regiment. then so short OF officers, he
pe-sis;endy refused tho promotion and re-
turned TO the field with two bars on
his shoulder. instead of silver
leaf. From the time he Joined
his regiment At Chattanooga in January, 1864,
until the close Of the vAx in 1855 b vas con-