The PLUMSTEAD Family

THE HANGING AND "SWIM'S JAIL"

Immediately after their capture, 22 of the "Andrews' Raiders" were marched through Chattanooga in shackles and chains. They were finally thrown into a slave prison. The cell was below ground and had no windows. It measured 13 feet by 13 feet.

Confederate spies were also placed in the cell with the "Raiders", acting as if they were also Union soldiers that had been captured by the Confederacy. The "Raiders" were able to identify the Rebel spies rather quickly. The Confederate soldiers complained about the food and made excuses not to eat the "awful stuff". Eventually, the Confederate soldiers were removed and the "Raiders" were left alone in the cell for the rest of April.

As the weather warmed, the "Raiders" were permitted to spend much of their time outdoors. They remained in their chains at all times. The group was said to be filled with "melancholy" especially during the early evening hours. It was reported by the survivors that Sergeant Major Marion A Ross tried to lift the morale of the "Raiders" by singing his favorite songs, "Nettie Moore", "Carrier Dove", "Twenty Years Ago". It was said that everyone enjoyed his "stirring" song "Do They Miss Me At Home?"

The singing was so well liked by the citizens around the prison, that they would gather along the walls each evening in hopes that they would hear the "Raiders" singing.

With the approach of the fighting nearing Chattanooga, the "Raiders" were taken from their 13 X 13 cell, placed in railroad box cars and taken to Atlanta. They spent two long days in the boxcars, under heavy guard and faced the unrelenting heat. It was said that hundreds of citizens would come by to view the prisoners and numerous times threatened to lynch them.

Once they were back in Jail, the group attempted their an escape. They fashioned keys from bones by whittling them into shape and unlocked their chains. They cut a hole in the ceiling beams. Unfortunately, their attempt failed when they reached the outer gates. They were caught and then severely beaten.

After the escape failed, the Confederate jailers asked the "Raiders" to choose 12 out of their group to be sent to the Knoxville Prison in Tennessee. Not knowing what the Confederates were up to, the "Raiders" figured that the 12 individuals were to be executed. They chose the dozen men who did not have families. Several volunteered their lives.

When the 12 men arrived in Knoxville, they were surprised to find that they were being treated much better than they had been while in "Swim's Jail". In early June, the Union Army, headed ironically by General Mitchell was nearing Knoxville. The Confederates returned the 12 men to Atlanta.

The Union Army began to threaten Atlanta. The Confederate Officers in charge of the doomed men chose to take matters out of the hands of the Confederate Government and decided upon the fate of the "Raiders" themselves.

On June 12, 1862 Confederate soldiers surrounded the jail. A hastily prepared death sentence was read to the bewildered "Raiders". The names of the men to be executed were read aloud. They were: William Hunter Campbell, George D Wilson, John Moorhead Scott, Philip Gephart Shadrack, Samuel Robertson, Samuel Slavens and Marion A Ross.

Long about now, the "Raiders" discovered that a few days earlier, James J Andrews had been hung. Witnesses stated that the trench below Andrews was too shallow and that Andrews dangled, alive while the trench was deepened and that eventually, Andrews died of strangulation. Their leader was dead and this was soon to be their fate.

Reactions varied greatly to the news of their own deaths. Shadrack, who volunteered for the mission stated, "I am not prepared to meet my Jesus!" John Scott had been married only three days when he went to fight in the war. He stood silent, tightly clasping his hands. Tearfully, Samuel Slavens began, "wife - children - tell...", he said no more. Marion Ross said with a tremor in his voice, "Tell them at home, if any of you should escape, that I died for my Country, and did not regret it".

The men were hung on June 18 in Atlanta. Their bodies were piled together in a trench in front of the gallows. Later, they were removed and reinterred in Chattanooga.

The remaining prisoners spent nearly another year in prison. A second escape was successful for half of them in October. The remaining prisoners were exchanged for Confederate prisoners in March of 1863.

It has been reported by those remaining "Raiders" that after Ross met his death, never again were any of the prisoners able to sit and sing the "lonely" songs that were favorites of Ross.

The newly created, Congressional Medal of Honor was issued to 19 of the "Andrews Raiders". The first to receive the Honor was Private Jacob Parrott. The first posthumous recipient was Marion A Ross. The Medal was issued to his now widowed Mother on September 17, 1863.

James J Andrews did not receive the Medal of Honor as he was a Civilian.

This story reflects the horrors and sadness of the Civil War.

THE HANGING AND "SWIM'S JAIL"

With special thanks to Debbie Sue King for permission to copy this page. To see her complete website click here.

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