Capturing a Locomotive: A History of Secret Service in the Late War.Pittenger, William
History
Capturing a Locomotive: A History of Secret Service in the Late War.
Pittenger, William
Chattanooga Railroad Expedition, 1862; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns
"We came in sight of the camp late in the day, and marched into
camp and reported at headquarters. Here we found several rebel
officers, one of whom, who bore the marks of a colonel, turned
his attention to us. After a short interview, which seemed
plausible to him, he ordered us to report to the commanding
officer of the Ninth Georgia Battalion for enlistment. One of
the companies not being full was called into line, and took a
vote whether or not we should be received into the company. The
vote was unanimous in our favor, and we, after giving
fictitious names, were assigned to a certain mess for our
suppers. After supper we made the acquaintance of several of
our new messmates, relating dismal stories of our treatment by
the 'Yankee' hirelings in Kentucky, which made a good
impression on our comrades as to our loyalty to the
Confederacy.
"Everything went right with us until in some manner it leaked
out among the rebels that the Yankee raiders, by mistake or
accident, had left two of their party at Marietta. How this
information got out I never learned, but it could not be
otherwise than that some of our party had indiscreetly told
more than he ought when captured. Who the man was we never
learned."
Then followed the usual questionings, ending in the acknowledgment by
these two of their share in the enterprise and their position as
soldiers. It is not necessary to suppose, as Porter does, that one of
the two captured on Saturday--it could have been no others, for Porter
and Hawkins themselves were arrested Sunday morning--gave information of
two of our number being left behind. Porter and Hawkins told the same
Kentucky story,--even enlarged upon it to their rebel messmates, and
this was enough to direct suspicion towards them. Then when examined
separately by the rebels it was impossible that they could avoid
becoming entangled in their stories. After examination these two were
committed to the Marietta jail, where they met Dorsey and his comrades,
as narrated above.
The last one of these narratives that our space will permit us to insert
is the most eventful of all. Alfred Wilson and Mark Wood were the last
of the whole party to be captured. The story is told in the most graphic
manner by Wilson in his published account of the expedition. I would
gladly give it in his own words but for its great length, and for the
further fact that he gives literally many of his conversations with the
rebels, in which both parties indulge in no small amount of profanity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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