Evening star., 1911-08-20

much longer than Fort DoneISon Lad
done. and was satisfied that as soon as
it had been captured the next movement
would be eastward toward Chattanooga.
thus throwing his own division IN al
vance He determined therefore. TO
press into the heart OF the enamys coun-
try as far as possible. occupying strate-
gcal points before they were adequately
defended.
April s 1sG2-the day after the battle
or Pittsburgh Landing tor Shiloh). of
which however. Mitchell had received no
intel!igence-he marched swiftly south
ward from Shelbyville. Tenn, and seized
Huntsville. in Alabama (about fifty mil
10 the SOUTH. April II. and then sent a
detachment westward over the Memphis
and Charleston railroad TO open railway
communication with the Union army al
Pittsburgh Landing. on the Tennessee.
Another detachment commanded hy
Mitchell in person. advanced eastward on
the same day seventy miles by rail d-
rectly into the euemys territory. arriving
unchecked within thirty miles of Chat
tanooga. In two hours time he could
have reached that point, the most i'm
portant position in the west, with 2,ov0
men. Why did he not go? The story Of
the railroad raid is the answer.
The night before breaking camp At
Shelbyvi!le, Mitchell sent an expedition
secretly into the heart Of Georgia to cut
the railroad communications Of Chatta-
nooga (situated just "A few miles beyond
Georgias northern boundary liuet To the
south and east. The fortune Of this at
tempt had most important bearing upon
his movements. and Will now be mar
rated
In the employ of Gen Buell. was a
spy, named James j. Andrews. Who had
secured the confidence OF the Union conf
T- ~ rr.Ef Fs...l ..4.ff
him secretly with eight men TO burn the
bridges west of Chattanooga but the
failure of expected cooperation defeated
the plan, aud Andrews. after Visiting At
lanta. and inspcctnG the whole Of the
enemys lines I'm that vicinity and north
ward. had returned. ambitious TO make
another attempt.
His plans for the second raid were
submitted 10 Mitchell, and Uu the eve of
the movement from Shelbyville u Hunts
vile The latter authorized IA to TAX
twenty-fuur men. secretly enter the enc
my's territory, and, hy means ot captur-
!ng trdiu. burn the br Gges on the
northern part of the Georg a States rail-
road, and also one OF the East Ten
nessee railroad where il approaches the
Georgia state line. thus completely iSo-
lating Chattanooga, which WAS then viz
tually ungarrisoned.
The soldiers for this expedition. or
whom the writer was one. were selected
from the three OHIO regiments belcngins
TO Gen. j. ". Sils brigade, ben. simply
told that they were wanted for secret
and very dangerous service. So far a.
known not a man chosen declined the
perilous honor. our uniforms We're ex-
changed for ordinary southern dress. and
all arms, except revolyers. were left in
camp.
On the 7th of April. by the roadside
about a mile east Of Shelbyville, in the
late twilight, we met our leader. Taking
US little way from the road he quietly
placed before the outlines Of the
romantic and adventurous plan. which
was to break into small detachments Of
three or four, journey eastward into tie
mountains and then work southUarj,
travelling by rail- after we were welt
within the Confederate lines. and finally