A Civilian For The Union

An Ohio civilian, William Hunter Campbell was hung June 18^th 1862 for his action in what has become known as the Great Locomotive Chase.

William Hunter Campbell was born September 9^th 1839 in Fox, Carroll, Ohio the son of Samuel and Sarah (Hunter) Campbell.  He was described at the time of the Civil War as “a man of two hundred twenty pound, handsome as Apollo, and of immense physical strength, which he was slow to use when roused, though good-natured and clever.”

Campbell was in Kentucky in 1862 visiting friends in the 2^nd Ohio, when he was recruited to steal a train from Confederate territory and bring it through Union lines.  The man who recruited him was James J Andrews, who was also a civilian.  Andrews also brought in 22 soldiers from the 2^nd, 21^st and 33^rd Ohio.  All the men went south, wearing civilian clothing and met up in Marietta, Georgia.  They all got on a train pulled by the locomotive called The General, except two on April 12^th 1862.  When the train stopped in Big Shanty, Georgia, Andrews, Campbell and the other Ohio men stole the train.  The train was chased as it moved north in what has been called the “Great Locomotive Chase”.  When the train ran out of fuel near Chattanooga, Tennessee the raiders were captured.

Campbell being a civilian was placed on trial and was convicted as a spy.  He was taken; along with six of other men, to the corner of Fair ST and South Park Ave in Atlanta, Georgia on June 18^th 1862 and hung.  Campbell’s execution didn’t go quite right, it was described that “two of the seven, Campbell and Slavens, being very heavy men, broke the ropes, and fell to the ground insensible. In a short time they recovered, and asked for a drink of water, which was given them. Then they requested an hour to pray before entering the future world, which lay so near and dark before them. This last petition was indignantly refused, and as soon as the ropes could be adjusted, they were compelled to re-ascend the scaffold, and were again turned off!"  Campbell was buried first near where he was hung, but was moved April 25^th 1866 to the Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Hamilton, Tennessee and reinterred near the Ohio Memorial.

A Train Chase

The Great Locomotive Chase occurred April 12^th 1862 in Georgia.

The Union civilian scout and spy James J Andrews proposed isolating the city of Atlanta, Georgia by destroying the Western and Atlantic Railroad.  Twenty-two men from the Union regiments of the 2^nd, 21^st and 33^rd Ohio along with one other civilian, William Hunter Campbell arrived for the raid in Marietta, Georgia before midnight April 10^th 1862.  There were some delays due to heavy rains and two of the men didn’t make it, but joined the Confederate Army.

The train the “General”, going north, stopped the morning of April 12^th 1862 in Kennesaw, Georgia so the crew could have breakfast.  This stop gave Andrews and his raiders the chance to steal the locomotive.  The plan was to take the train north towards Chattanooga and meet up with the Union Army.  The “General’s” conductor William Allen Fuller chased the train on a handcar.  He found another locomotive at Etowah, Georgia, continuing to chasing Andrews and his raiders to Adairsville.  At this point the raiders had torn up the tracks and Fuller continued the chase on foot.

Fuller’s next train was the “Texas” which he ran backwards, still chasing the “General”.  Fuller was joined by Confederate troops at Calhoun, Georgia.  The raiders continued north cutting telegraph lines, but they were unable to set the bridge at Tunnel Hill on fire.  Just north of Ringgold, Georgia and only eighteen miles from Chattanooga the “General” ran out of fuel.  Andrews and his men left the train and dispersed.

Within two weeks of taking the train Andrews and all of his men were captured.  They were placed on trial as unlawful combatants and spies.  Andrews and seven of his raiders were found guilty and hung.  Eight of the remaining men escaped from prison and made it back to Union lines, the remaining men were exchanged as prisoners of war on March 17^th 1863.

A good web site if you would like to read more is The story of Andrew's Raiders