High Twelve

TOO LATE

"The Most Thrilling Incident of the War for the Union"

If I were asked to give the most thrilling incident of the War for the Union, I should relate that which follows. If you should ask why it is given here and what relation it bears to Freemasonry, my reply would be a request to wait until the story has been told, for I am about to divulge something which has never before appeared in print.

First of all, it is necessary to give the setting of the wonderful incident. The date was the spring of 1862. You do not need to be reminded that down to that period and indeed for some time after, the cause of the Southern Confederacy had made greater advances than the efforts to crush it. Our Southern brethren were full of patriotic ardor and confident of gaining their independence. Look at a map of the United States and note the military situation in April of the year named. The Confederate line of defense reached from Richmond, Virginia, to Corinth, Mississippi. General Joe Johnston, one of the ablest of leaders, was in command at the Confederate Capital and General Beauregard had charge at Corinth. The single means of rapid communication between these formidable armies was the railway connecting Memphis and Richmond, by way of Chattanooga, Knoxville and East Tennessee. All this gave the highest importance to the Western & Atlantic Road, running south from Chattanooga to Atlanta, with branches to Charleston, Savannah, Montgomery, Mobile and New Orleans. If this road should be crippled, it would be a disastrous check to the transportation of Confederate men and supplies. Could such a blow be inflicted?

The gloom of Monday night, April 7, 1862 twenty-two men assembled like so many shadows in the woods near Shelbyville, Tennessee. The few words spoken were in guarded undertones, until they were grouped together deep in the forest, when the leader raised his voice enough for each listening ear to hear his words. He was slim and tall, with flowing whiskeys and the coolness and nerve of a veteran of a score of battles. His name was James J. Andrews, born in Virginia and a resident of Kentucky. At the opening of the war, he had entered the Union Army as a scout and had done excellent service. The men who gathered near and listened had been picked from Ohio Regiments and ordered to report to him for orders.

Andrews first explained the military situation as I have just done, and added that the enterprise in which they were about to engage was of the most desperate character. If they succeeded, a notable service would be done the Union, but if they failed, every one of them would be hanged as a spy. "We are going into the enemy's lines in civilian clothes," he said, "and must face this fearful danger. If anyone, however, wishes to withdraw while there is time, he can do so how without reproach from his comrade."

The leader waited for a response. It was unanimously in favor of going ahead.

"I am glad," he added, "for you are the men I want as comrades where we shall have everything to gain or everything to lose. Bear in mind one fact: I am the leader and the first tine who gets drunk or flinches at any point of the game, will be shot dead in his tracks."

At this period early in the war, the Confederate scrip had an appreciable value and Andrews divided seven hundred dollars of it among the scouts. He then gave them their final instructions. They were to make their way in squads of two or three, with only their side arms, through the Confederate lines to Marietta, Georgia, where he would meet them on Friday, four days later, and launch the desperate enterprise.

From this point, in the words of one of the party, the "devil's own luck" attended the Union raiders. Proceeding with due caution, the volunteers were unable to get to Marietta until midnight of the 11th. The next day, General Mitchell, the Union Commander, advanced against Huntsville, Alabama. The line was congested with freight cars rushing south from Chattanooga with supplies and the plans of the raiders were blocked for the time. Soon after daylight, however, the passenger train drew out of Atlanta and steamed away for Chattanooga. A large number of passengers were waiting at Marietta and among them were the twenty-two Union scouts. When they met one another, it was without a sign of recognition and as they bought tickets to different points on the line not the slightest suspicion was roused; but the train made such a quick start that two of the scouts were left behind.

The most alert man in the crowd was Andrews, who was pleased to note three empty box cars in front of the passenger coaches. He was sure they would prove a help in the plan he had formulated. He had already decided that the engine should be seized at Big Shanty Station, only seven miles out, where a stop would be made for breakfast. Within a hundred yards of the station were three thousand Confederate soldiers in camp, who would make short work of the raiders if their plans were discovered in time. Beyond Big Shanty was a stretch of more than a hundred miles of railway through the enemys country to Chattanooga, where every rod would be overshadowed by peril.

The scouts were scattered through the cars, silent, grim, expectant and eager. Soon the train drew up beside the primitive station and the conductor, William A. Fuller, sprang out upon the platform and shouted:

"Big Shanty! Twenty minutes for breakfast!"

Everybody was hungry and there was a rush into the big roomy structure, since demolished, for the homely but abundant food that was awaiting them. Among those who stepped upon the platform were Andrews and William Knight. The latter was a railway engineer, who with
W. W. Brown detailed by Gen. Mitchell, was to take charge of the engine. Their comrades kept their seats, but every member of the hungry crew hurried into the restaurant. Thus the train was left without a man to guard it.

Andrews and Knight stood near each other. The psychological moment had come.

"Uncouple the last freight car!" whispered Andrews. Knight stepped upon the front platform of the forward passenger coach and lifted out the bolt. Their comrades were peering through the windows. Andrews beckoned to them and they hurried out and slipped into the box cars without attracting attention. Andrews, Knight and W. W. Brown boarded the locomotive and Knight drew open the throttle.

In the nervous strain of the moment, the raiders forgot a little thing, the consequences of which were momentous. No one thought of cutting the bell cord which ran from the engine over the roofs of the cars. As a consequence, the first bound of the "General," as the locomotive was named, snapped the cord and sent out a sharp note from the gong in the cab.

Conductor Fuller was at his breakfast and in the act of raising a mouthful when he heard the signal bell.

"What the mischief does that mean?" he exclaimed, peering out of the window. "Great thunder!" He saw the engine and three freight cars running away from the passenger coaches. He bounded to his feet, snatching up his hat and was out of the door in a twinkling, running at headlong speed along the platform, followed by the engineer and master mechanic. At the end of the platform they leaped down upon the track and pressed the pursuit. Three men afoot chasing one of the best engines on the road!

The passengers and spectators who swarmed out of the building indulged in many disrespectful remarks.

"Go it, Bill, we're betting on you!" "How much start are you going to give the 'General'? Do you think you'll overhaul him at Chattanooga? Take it easy; you've got the whole day before you! Don't tire yourselves out at the start."

Conductor Fuller could not think of any appropriate reply to these observations, and therefore did not attempt any. He grinned at the figure cut by himself and two companions, but his alert brain was quick to form a plan of action, and, unbelievable as it may seem, he carried that plan to success, Since we have now to trace the action of two distinct parties,--the pursuers and the pursued,--let us give our attention to the latter.

Before venturing upon this raid, Andrews made a careful study of the schedules where the trains would meet, the track being a single line, and exactly how to make the best of his chances. The "General" was capable of exceeding a mile a minute when urged, though her regular rate was about half that.

There was no telegraph station at Big Shanty, the nearest being seven miles south, and the swiftest horseman could not reach that point before Andrews would cut the wires leading to the north. He was in high spirits and making his way into the box cars shook the hands of his men and congratulated them upon what he believed would be the certain success of their daring enterprise. While doing this, all were startled by a slackening of speed, but it was due to the closing of the dampers by the regular engineer at Big Shanty; in the hurry Knight had failed to open them. He corrected the oversight and while waiting a few minutes for the steam to generate, one of the men climbed the telegraph pole and cut the wire and others placed obstructions on the rails behind them.

Thirty miles to the north was Kingston, and Andrews was liable to meet the southbound freight before reaching that point. As he preceded the passenger train whose place he had appropriated, he displayed a red handkerchief on the pilot in warning that another train was following him. He felt so secure that he halted at a small station where some men were repairing the tracks and borrowed tools for removing the rails. Since there seemed abundant time at command, the raiders stopped several times, cut telegraph wires and obstructed the track. To "make assurance doubly sure," they even took up a rail and carried it off with them.

The first thrill of misgiving came when they reached the private line connecting with Cooper's Iron Works at the Etowah River Crossing. On this branch stood the locomotive "Yonah" with steam up. Engineer Knight looked at her for a moment and shook his head.

"We ought to disable her and burn the bridge."

"It is so early in the enterprise that I don't wish to rouse alarm," replied Andrews.

"It is a simple precaution," insisted Knight, who was not pleased with the words of their leader. Andrews declined to accept his advice and thereby committed the most fatal blunder of his life.

The "General" ran a few miles farther and just beyond Cartersville halted to take on wood. Andrews told the station agent that he was carrying a cargo of ammunition to General Beauregard at Corinth. The agent showed no suspicion and gave the captain a time card showing he was to meet the freight train seven miles up the road. The "General" ran to that point and passed upon the siding, but had to wait until three trains had gone by. Two of these were laden with provisions from Chattanooga, sent for in the panic caused by the advance of Gen. Mitchell. This delay would not have occurred had the raiders started on the day fixed by Andrews.

Resuming the flight, another stop was soon made, the telegraph wire cut and more obstructions placed on the track, Then by orders of the Chief and under the skilful handling of Engineer Knight, the "General" showed what she could do by covering the ten miles north to Adairsville in as many minutes. That would be "going some," even in these times. At the point named, they had to wait for two more trains then due. Again the wires were cut and the track torn up. Cross ties were also taken aboard to be used in firing the bridge which spanned the Oostanula River.

In the midst of their labor, all were startled by hearing a faint locomotive whistle behind them! Not only an engine in pursuit, but it was near at hand. Until that moment the raiders never dreamed such a thing was possible.

And now let us switch back to the pursuers and learn how that seemingly marvelous feat had been accomplished.

Our last glimpse of Conductor Fuller showed him and Anthony Murphy, master mechanic of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and Jeff Cain, engineer, chasing on foot the runaway "General," oblivious of the jeering words of the laughing spectators. Captain Fuller sped like a deer for two and a half miles to Moon Station, where he found Jack Bond, section foreman; whose story convinced Fuller that the party who were fleeing were not Confederate deserters, as he had supposed, but Union soldiers in disguise. Fuller had run so fast that his companions were left a considerable distance behind. With the help of Bond and two of his men, a hand car was run back to pick up the exhausted pursuers. It should be stated that this hand car was not the kind used at the present time. It was pushed by two persons who ran along the track, while the others rode and took their turn as motors.

To prove that this pursuit was not a blind one, Captain Fuller explained to his friends that he intended to reach Etowah before the "Yonah" left and to use that engine. When the party came to the obstructions, they tumbled them aside and where the track had been torn up they carried the hand car across the break. Pushing on incessantly they were soon delighted to catch sight of the "Yonah" blowing off steam and ready for business. In the flurry of the moment, the party failed to observe a break in the track and all were tumbled into the ditch. But they scrambled up again none the worse, secured the engine with a coal car attached, and took on eight soldiers who volunteered to help in the chase. It need not be said that the "Yonah" was put through her best paces and the fourteen miles between Etowah and Kingston were covered in fifteen minutes, which, again, was going some.

All, however, was not plain sailing for the ardent pursuers. At Kingston several long freight trains were standing on the main line, having been run past the station on the demand of Captain Andrews to clear the way for that mythical cargo of ammunition for General Beauregard at Corinth. It looked as if the game was up, but Captain Fuller was a man of wonderful resource. With the least possible delay, he abandoned the "Yonah" and sprinted for more than two miles to the northern end of the town, where the Rome Railroad intersected the Western Atlantic. So fast did he run that he left his volunteers behind, but was rewarded by finding an engine with which he renewed his pursuit, taking his station on the pilot to watch for obstructions and signal to the engineer. He had plenty of work on hand until he came to a point where the raiders had taken up a rail and carried it away. This barrier could not be passed and the ready witted Fuller instantly called for volunteers for another run, this time to Adairsville, four miles to the north, where he knew a southbound freight train was then due. Anthony Murphy was the only one to respond and away they sped for three miles more, when they met the freight train with twenty-one cars. The engineer stopped as soon as he could after catching sight of the panting runners, backed his train to Adairsville, ran the cars upon the siding and put on full steam in pursuit of the raiders.

The new engine was the "Texas." and it will be noted that in heading for Atlanta it was obliged to run backward. The companions of Captain Fuller were a Mr. Murphy, Peter J. Bracken, engineer; Fleming Cox, fireman; Alonzo Martin, wood passer, and Henry Haney, acting brakeman. At the different stations, Fuller had picked up the necessary knowledge of the raiders and knew how far they were ahead, while Andrews, as we have learned, had become aware of the hot pursuit. He was aware, too, that he was running on the time of the southbound passenger train, and in danger of a head on collision, while striving to the utmost to reach Calhoun before that train left. Everything depended upon it being a little late and Andrews banked on this fearfully narrow chance.

Captain Fuller knew the seconds were beyond price. The raiders must be pressed to the limit to prevent further destruction of the track and the burning of the bridges. Only one more locomotive was on the road between Fuller and Chattanooga and if Andrews tore up the track or burned a bridge north of this engine, his success was assured. The leaders of both parties understood the situation and plunged forward with such reckless speed that the passengers believed they were off the rails and crashing over the ties.

When the anxious men of the flying "General" caught sight of Calhoun, they saw the passenger train just starting from the station, but the engineer discovered the locomotive thundering down upon him and backed above the switch, which he threw over so as to turn the approaching engine upon the siding. In doing this, however, he fouled the switch and Andrews could not go on until the train had moved out of the way. There was a good deal of indignation among the employees and passengers over their narrow escape from a horrible mangling and death, but Andrews made the story of ammunition for General Beauregard serve again, and resumed his furious speed stopping three miles farther on to cut the wires once more and to remove a rail. By this time they were near Oostanula bridge, which it was all important to burn. If this were done the pursuit would be over, but the road was wet and while prying at a stubborn rail, they heard the whistle of the "Texas" close at hand. There was only time to loosen one end of the rail which was propped aloft with a tie, when the men sprang aboard and were off again. At the same moment the pursuing engine burst into sight and seemed to be crowded with armed men, though in fact there were only seven upon her.

There was no slackening of speed and remembering that the engine was running backward by all known rules, she should have been thrown off, but striking the elevated end of the rail, she hammered it down in place and rolled safely over. It was marvelous.

No time was left to fire the bridge. The only hope for the fugitives was in throwing their pursuers off the track. The last car was uncoupled, Engineer Knight reversed and sent it spinning down the track to collide with the other locomotive. But the engineer of that slowed up, so the two met with only a gentle bump. when he pushed the car to the first siding, ran it upon that, and was off again it the former tremendous speed.

The second car of Andrew's train held the cross ties which he had taken aboard to be used in firing the Costanula bridge. This, of course, was now the last car. The rear end was smashed in and the runaways began tumbling the wood out. As if the run of "devil's luck" was not to be broken, nearly every one of the pieces upon striking the ground bounced aside and left the rails free. When the "Texas' came to a point where a rail had been lifted out, one was taken up behind the engine, laid down in front, and the locomotive passed safely over.

At Calhoun, Fuller caught sight of a telegraph boy, whose hand he caught while going fifteen miles an hour and snatched him aboard the engine, at the risk of dislocating his neck. At the same terrific pace the raiders thundered through Resaca, Tilton and Dalton, with the pursuer vomiting fire and smoke close behind. Captain Fuller slowed up enough at Dalton for the operator to drop off to run into the office and telegraph to Chattanooga to be ready to stop the runaway unless it could be overtaken before. Fearing that such a despatch might be sent, Captain Andrews made a brief halt, while one of his expert climbers shinned up a telegraph pole and severed the wire.

The all-important message from Dalton had flashed over that wire two minutes before!

Captain Andrews and his men fell back on their old recourse of hurling obstructions upon the track and cutting the telegraph wires, but nothing could be gained by the latter action and the pursuers overcame the other difficulty as they had previously done and the moment the track was clear the speed was raised to the highest limit. Captain Fuller was only five minutes behind the "General" when he shot like a cyclone through Tunnel Hill. Andrews uncoupled the two cars and left them on the track, but as before the engineer of the "Texas" met them with a gentle bump, ran them upon the first siding and resumed his pursuit with the same bloodhound persistence he had used from the first.

At Ringgold the fleeing engine, like an exhausted racer, began to show signs of distress. All the fuel, water and oil had been used. The brass on the journals became red hot and then melted. A little further on she came to a standstill. She could do no more.

"Scatter," said Captain Andrews to his comrades, "and do the best you can for yourselves."

This was half way between Ringgold and Graysville, when pursuers and fugitives were only a quarter of a mile apart. The raiders had set their last remaining freight car on fire with the intention of cutting it loose on the next bridge. When they took to the woods, they followed a westerly direction. Captain Fuller ran forward and coupled on the burning car. The flames were soon extinguished and the car was sent back to Ringgold in charge of the engineer. In passing through Ringgold, Fuller noticed a force of militia hastily mustering and sent word to the commanding officer to follow them on horseback and lose no time in sending them into the woods after the fugitives! This was between one and two o'clock in the afternoon. Despite their great exertions, enough to tire the strongest athlete, Captain Fuller, Anthony Murphy, Fleming Cox, and Alonzo Martin joined in the hunt. Four of the raiders were overtaken in the fork of the Chickamauga River, at Graysville, and one of them was forced to tell who they were. The freshly scouted militia beat the whole woods till dark and a few days later the last of the raiders were run down and captured, though several came very near reaching the Union lines. The two who had been left behind at Marietta were also taken.

Some time later a Military Court placed the prisoners on trial and eight were executed, eight escaped from prison at Atlanta, and six were exchanged. If such punishment seems cruel, it must not be forgotten that it was strictly in accord with the laws of war. It would be hard to name any other nation that would have shown clemency to a single member, when all were spies beyond the shadow of a doubt.

The following letter from the War Department contains valuable information:

RECORD AND PENSION OFFICE
WAR DEPARTMENT
Washington City, February 18, 1903
Mr. W. L. Danley
General Passenger Agent
Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway
Nashville, Tenn.

Dear Sir: In response to your letter of the 11th instant, in which you request information relative to the members of the "Andrews Raiders." this information being desired for use on the tablets that are to be placed on the engine "General," that was used by Andrews and his followers in the raid made by them on the Confederate line of communications south of Chattanooga, Tenn., in April, 1862, I have the honor to advise you as follows:

It appears from the official records of the War Department that the following named persons participated in the raid on the Confederate line of communications between Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Marietta, Georgia, April 7 to 12, 1862:

Jas. J. Andrews, leader, citizen of Flemingsburg, Ky.
William H. Cambell, citizen of Kentucky.
Marion A. Ross, Sergeant-Major, 2d Ohio Infantry.
William Pittenger, Sergeant, Company C, 2d Ohio Infantry.
George D. Wilson, private, Company B, 2d Ohio Infantry.
Charles P. Shadrach, private, Company K, 2d Ohio Infantry.
Elihu H. Mason, Sergeant, Company K, 21st Ohio Infantry.
John M. Scott, Sergeant, Company F, 21st Ohio Infantry.
Wilson W. Brown, Corporal, Company F. 21st Ohio Infantry.
Mark Wood. private, Company C, 21st Ohio Infantry.
John A, Wilson, private, Company C, 21st Ohio Infantry.
William Knight, private, Company E, 21st Ohio Infantry.
John R. Porter, private, Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry.
William Bensinger, private, Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry.
Robert Buffum, private, Company H, 21st Ohio Infantry.
Martin J. Hawkins, Corporal, Company A, 33d Ohio Infantry.
Wm. H. Reddick, Corporal, Company B, 33d Ohio Infantry.
Daniel A. Dorsey. Corporal, Company H, 33d Ohio Infantry.
John Wollam, private, Company C, 33d Ohio Infantry.
Samuel Slavens, private. Company E, 33d Ohio Infantry.
Samuel Robertson, private, Company G, 33d Ohio Infantry.
Jacob Parrott, private, Company K, 33d Ohio Infantry.

It further appears that eight of these men, whose names appear below, were executed by the Confederate authorities at Atlanta, Ga., in June, 1862: Andrews on June 7, and Campbell, Ross, George D. Wilson, Shadrach, Scott, Slavens and Robertson on June 18. On October 16, 1862, the eight following named made their escape from prison at Atlanta, Ga.: Brown, Wood, John A, Wilson, Knight, Porter, Hawkins, Dorsey and Wollam. The remaining six members of the raiding party were paroled at City Point, Va., March 17, 1863. Their names follow: Pittenger, Mason, Bensinger, Buaum, Reddick and Parrott.

On March 25, 1863, medals of honor were presented to the last mentioned (paroled) soldiers in person by the Secretary of War, and were the first medals of honor awarded under the authority conferred by the joint resolution of Congress approved July 12, 1862, and Section 6 of the sundry civil appropriation Acts of March 3, 1863. The men who escaped from prison in October, 1862, were also subsequently awarded medals. Of those who had been executed, medals were delivered to the mother of Ross and to the widows of Scott and Slavens. In the case of Robertson a medal was also issued, but to whom it was delivered cannot now be ascertained.

Very respectfully,
(Signed) F. C. AINSWORTH,
Chief Record and Pension Office

The "General" shared in the vicissitudes of the war and having been overhauled and thoroughly repaired in the north, was returned to the state of Georgia in excellent condition. It was on exhibition in Columbus, Ohio, at the Grand Army Reunion in September, 1889, and has been shown elsewhere, including the World's Fair in 1893. The veteran engine, an old fashioned wood-burner, is held in high esteem by the lessees of the Western & Atlantic Railroad and is carefully preserved in charge of a custodian employed by the company in the Union Depot at Chattanooga, Tennessee, an interesting memento of the terrific experience many years ago.

On a beautiful eastern slope in the National Cemetery in that city the graves of Captain Andrews and his seven comrades who were executed in Atlanta, are placed in a semi-circle in front of a beautiful monument erected by the state of Ohio in 1890. A bronze miniature of the "General" surmounts this monument and the front of the die bears this inscription:

"Ohio's tribute to the Andrews Raiders, 1862, erected 1890."

On the left of the die are the names of those who were executed in Atlanta, June 18th, 1862; on the right, the names of the eight who escaped from Atlanta, October 16th, 1862, and on the rear, the names of those exchanged from Libby Prison, March 18th, 1863.

This monument was unveiled May 30th, 1891, with impressive ceremonies, among which was an eloquent oration by Hon. J. B. Foraker.

In justification of the assertion that the success of Andrews' raid would have had a decisive bearing on the War for the Union, I give the following extracts from an editorial in the "Atlanta Southern Confederacy," under date of April 15, 1862:

"Since our last issue we have obtained full particulars of the most thrilling railroad adventure that ever occurred on the American Continent, as well as the mightiest and most important in its results if successful, that has been conceived by the Lincoln government, since the commencement of the war. Nothing on so grand a scale has been attempted and nothing within the range of possibility could be conceived that would fall with such a tremendous crushing force upon us as the accomplishment of the plans which were concocted and dependent upon the execution of the one whose history we now proceed to narrate.

"Its reality--what was actually done--excels all the extravagant conceptions of the Arrowsmith hoax, which fiction created such a profound sensation in Europe."

"But for an accident their calculations would have worked out as contemplated and the results would have been the most terrible to us of any we can conceive as possible and unequaled by anything attempted or conceived since the war commenced."

"This unheard-of act was doubtless undertaken at that time and place upon the presumption that pursuit could not be made by an engine short of Kingston, some thirty miles above, or from this (Atlanta) place; and by cutting down the telegraph wires as they proceeded, the adventurers could calculate on at least three or four hours the start of any pursuit it was then reasonable to expect. This was a legitimate conclusion." . . . "By the merest accident, the most daring scheme that this revolution has developed was thwarted, and the tremendous results, which, if successful, can scarcely be imagined, much less described, have been averted." Details were given at length showing the certain defeat of the several armies of the Confederacy that would have resulted owing to the strategic position of the Union army, which was planned in view of the success of the expedition. Then follows the declaration: "It is not by any means improbable that our army in Virginia would have been defeated, captured or driven out of the state this week."

The mind and heart shrink back appalled at the bare contemplation of the awful consequences which would have followed the success of this one act." . . . "It was all the deepest laid scheme, and on the grandest scale that ever emanated from the brains of any number of Yankees combined. It was one also entirely practical, for almost any day for the last year. There were but two miscalculations in the whole program, and these were two accidents which could not be anticipated. Their calculations in every other point were dead certainties."

No one can read the story of the Great Railroad Chase without being filled with admiration for the seemingly incredible exploit of Captain W. W. Fuller. Summed up, it may be said that a single man pursued on foot one of the finest engines and a train, and captured them with a score of armed scouts on board. Fuller's sprint for miles at topmost speed, outstripping his companions, the continuance of the chase on a clumsy hand car, another run for miles, a dash with a locomotive, a second sprint for miles, a pressing of the pursuit with an engine that had to run backward at the rate of more than a mile a minute over a rickety road, the passage of all sorts of obstructions, lifted out and twisted rails, heaps of ties and burning freight cars, the prevention of the burning of bridges by the raiders, until the fleeing engine was literally exhausted and incapable of going another rod, and finally the running down and capturing of the fugitives after they had fled to the woods--these constitute an achievement which, were not the facts proved, would be unbelievable.

A quarter of a century after the incidents, when the North and South had become warmer friends than before, Captain Fuller was an invited guest at the Grand Army Encampment at Columbus, Ohio, when in a speech setting forth the Confederate side of the chase and praising the bravery and services of the raiders, he added:

"I desire to say to the Grand Army of the Republic, and especially to the people of Ohio, you are unable to do too much for the surviving members of that expedition, nor can you do too much in memory of the dead."

At this writing (December, 1910) five men who took part in the memorable raid are living: William Knight, Stryker, Ohio; John R. Porter, Windfall, Ind.; William Bessinger, McComb, Ohio; Daniel A. Dorsey, Enid, Oklahoma, and Wilson W. Brown, Farwell, Michigan.

I learn from these veterans that at the time of the raid there was only one Freemason in the party, Marion A. Ross, Sergeant-major, 2nd Ohio Infantry. This fact may be accounted for by the youth of the men, most of the survivors becoming members of the Order after the war. The sad truth remains that Ross' Freemasonry did him no good, although in numberless other instances, Unionists and Confederates were saved through such membership.

Doubtless several causes operated against Ross. It must ever be borne in mind that the raiders were spies and had incurred the penalty which their leader told them was certain to be inflicted if captured. It is easy to see that however anxious brother Masons might have been to befriend the unfortunate man, they were powerless in the circumstances, even if convinced it was their duty to do such a thing.

Again, some of Ross's surviving comrades tell me he declined to make his Freemasonry known, perhaps through delicacy or because he believed he would be exchanged. Brother William Bessinger writes me:

"Ross refused to make himself known as a Mason till the hour of his execution at Atlanta, when it was too late. I believe he might have saved himself had he done so before his trial, but this is only guesswork on my part."

Brother Daniel A. Dorsey tells me:

"Ross made himself known as a Freemason to a Dr. Davis, who was one of the party who captured him. Dr. Davis said he recognized the tie which bound them, but it was out of his power to do anything for the prisoner. I joined the Order in 1869 and have Masonic knowledge that Ross was a Master Mason, entitled to all rights and privileges as such."

Captain W. W Brown's words have a strange impressiveness:

"Ross did not make known his Freemasonry to any of us while we were in prison together, but a few minutes before the trap was sprung which sent him and his comrades into eternity, he made some kind of a sign (we Masons know what it was), which caused a stir among those who had charge of the execution. There seemed to be several Freemasons present and the execution was delayed for fully five minutes, but then went on."

Ross's cry for help was made too late.

W. J. Knight, the engineer, says:

"Our party was divided at Chattanooga. Twelve were sent to Knoxville for trial before court martial, I being one of them. At Knoxville, we were allowed counsel. Four names were submitted, from which we were told to select two. It so happened that those chosen by us were Unionists at heart, and Freemasons. Their names were Baxter and Temple. I believe both are dead. They took Ross out of the iron cage we were in and had a long secret talk with him. They gave him money, and there was an improvement in the quality and quantity of our food.

"'When seven of our men had been tried, the court martial was broken up by the threatened capture of Knoxville by the Unionists. We were sent south to Atlanta and seven executed. Ross gave the sign of distress when on the scaffold. A minister by the name of Scott, now dead, pressed his way to his side and asked what he could do for him. Ross asked whether there could be a stay of proceedings in order that he might communicate with the Union authorities. An earnest conversation followed, lasting several minutes. The clergy-man would have been only too glad to serve his brother in distress, but, as I said above, the appeal of Ross was made too late."

Since the foregoing was written, I have received a letter from Captain Wilson W. Brown, under date of February 18, 1911, a portion of which I quote. It will be noted that the veteran gives an account of his escape from prison, a point which is not brought out in the preceding narrative.

Brown, then a sturdy young man, was detailed by General O. M. Mitchell as one of the engineers on the memorable raid, the detail duty being too important to make its performance depend upon a single life. In fact, a third engineer was selected, Martin J. Hawkins, but he was left at Marietta and took no part in the venture. Brown handled the throttle a part of the time, a fact which cannot be questioned. He is recorded in the War Department at Washington as one of the engineers, and has a medal of honor given in recognition of his daring patriotism.

By the way, General Ormsby MacKnight Mitchell gave promise of becoming a brilliant military leader. He was the first director of the observatory in Cincinnati, which establishment was founded in 1845 mainly through his efforts. He was eminent as a lecturer on astronomy and invented va1uable apparatus. Among his discoveries are the exact period of rotation of Mars and the comparison of Antares or Corscorpii. He was the author of a "Popular Anstronomy," and I recall that the first geography which I studied when a small boy was written by him. His promising career was cut off by yellow fever in 1862, while he was in command of the Department of the South.

Referring to the pursuit by the Confederates, Captain Brown says:

"We were overtaken and captured in pairs after we had finally abandoned our engine and taken to the woods. We were all imprisoned and Andrews was hanged first. He had papers on him which convicted him quickly. He was hanged thirty days before any others of our party. He was cool until the last. When he stepped upon the scaffold he said quietly: 'Boys, I have often wished to know what lay beyond Jordan; meet me over there.'

"The trials of the members of our party on the charge of being spies were begun and carried out in the order in which we were captured. The trials began at Knoxville, but the approach of the Union army at that time caused us to be hurried from Knoxville to Atlanta. When we were taken thither Jefferson Davis telegraphed an order to have the seven hanged that had been already tried and one day they were taken out of our room and executed. Every one met his fate bravely.

"My turn came next, and Davis ordered another court to be convened for the trial of the rest of us. At that time, however, the battle of Shiloh was drawing heavily upon the officers of the Confederacy and they couldn't get enough officers just then to try us. Six men with rifles were left to guard us. We determined to make an effort to escape. We were in the second story of a building surrounded by a fence.

"We selected our two fastest runners to dash for the guard who stood with loaded gun at the gate. Then we scurried down stairs out into the yard, surprised the guards, wrenched away their rifles and ran for our lives. We were pursued by bloodhounds, and narrowly escaped capture, but threw the dogs off the scent by crossing a number of streams. We traveled four hundred miles, continually in peril, suffering greatly and often on the verge of despair before we reached the Union lines and safety."