In April, 1862, J. J. Andrews, a citizen of Kentucky and a spy in General
Buell's employment, proposed seizing a locomotive on the Western and
Atlantic Railroad at some point below Chattanooga and running it back to
that place, cutting telegraph wires and burning bridges on the way.
General O. M. Mitchel authorized the plan and twenty-two men volunteered
to carry it out. On the morning of April 12th, the train they were on
stopped at Big Shanty station for breakfast. The bridge-burners (who were
in citizens' clothes) detached the locomotive and three box-cars and
started at full speed for Chattanooga, but after a run of about a hundred
miles their fuel was exhausted and their pursuers were in sight. The whole
party was captured. Andrews was condemned as a spy and hanged at Atlanta,
July 7th. The others were confined at Chattanooga, Knoxville, and
afterward at Atlanta, where seven were executed as spies. Of the fourteen
survivors, eight escaped from prison; and of these, six eventually reached
the Union lines. Six were removed to Richmond and confined in Castle
Thunder until they were exchanged in 1863. The Confederates attempted to
destroy the locomotive when they evacuated Atlanta.
[Illustration: BATTLE BETWEEN THE MONITOR AND MERRIMAC.
_Painted by E. Packbauer._
_Copyright, 1901, by Perrien-Keydel Co.,
Detroit, Mich., U. S. A._]
[Illustration: THE BIGGEST GUN OF ALL--THE 20-INCH MONSTER FOR WHICH NO
TARGET WOULD SERVE