YANKEES STILL ESCAPING FROM FORT DELAWARE

 

 I WENT TO A FUNERAL a month or so ago. A boyhood friend of mine had passed away. He was a graduate of Pepperell High School, Class of 1959. Several of his classmates were also there. Among them were Clinton “Dink” Green and Joe Marion. In my opinion, Dink was the best all around quarterback Pepperell ever had. And he had Joe Marion as his principal running back. Joe was rock hard. He wouldn’t quit and you couldn’t stop him for an entire game. Both men put all they had into the team. They’ve done the same in the game of life. Both have been great examples for today’s youth to look up to and emulate. I got to thinking about some historical research that I had somewhere on the Marion family. I love history, especially if it’s local and about local people. With the sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary of the late unpleasantness) right around the corner. It makes this story a good choice. Another piece about a noted Floyd Countian in the struggle for Southern independence, I think makes a great read. So I want you to stop right here…go get yourself another cup of coffee and hurry back. I’m going to tell you a story about Joe Marion’s great-grandfather.

John A. Marion was born in 1837 in Calhoun County, Alabama. When the War Between the States started, John hurried to Fulton County, Georgia in June 1861 and enlisted in Company D 9th Georgia Volunteer Infantry. This story gets a little personal for me here, because my great grandfather’s brother (R.W. Ragland of Chattooga County) enlisted in Company B the same month. In fact, all of Company B came from Chattooga County and Company G came from Walker.

The 9th Georgia, now almost a thousand strong, made up of ten companies, reached Virginia in time for the seven days battle, second Manassas, South Mountain, Sharpsburg (Antietam), Fredericksburg, Suffolk and was now in Pennsylvania preparing for what would be the biggest battle of the war, Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, the 9th (down to 340 men after two long years of war) were marching into the conflict. Along with the 7th, 8th, 11th and 59th Georgia Regiments, they made their presence known. Gettysburg is broken down into many smaller bloodbaths that are well known to historians. Little Round Top, Devil’s Den, The Orchard, and Pickett’s Charge are just some of these. But the 9th Georgia and her sister regiments, led by General “Tige” Anderson, opposed by the 19th Maine and other federal regiments forevermore immortalized the Battle of the Wheatfield that day. The 9th Georgia lost 50 percent of its manpower, half the regiment was killed or were captured. Among those was John Marion. He was captured at Gettysburg and shipped to a federal prison called Fort Delaware.

THIS PRISON consisted of an old fort built in the War of 1812 to protect Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia from attack by sea. It was located on a small island called “Pea Patch Island.” And to this island came John Marion. When he arrived there were 13,000 Confederate prisoners crowded onto an island that might be able to hold four. The water was deplorable, the food almost non-existent. One Georgian wrote many years later that he weighed 140 pounds when he got to Fort Delaware, and when he left he weighed 80. Well, you get the picture. It was a most painful place to be. So John Marion decided he would leave. On Aug. 12, John and five other men tied four well-corked canteens around their bodies to act as life preservers. They got into the water and swam from the back of the island to shore, not an easy swim. One drowned. John and two of his companions swam four miles before they landed about two miles below Delaware City. The other two got swept away and didn’t come ashore for 16 miles. John and his friends lay in a cornfield all night and the next day. After dark on the second night they made their condition known to a local farmer and he gave them a good supper. That night they traveled another 12 miles and then hid out in a barn. They made their way to Maryland where citizens gave them food and new clothes. Their ragged uniforms were now replaced with civilian clothes. To be caught now meant instant execution! However, they took the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad and rode to Dover, the capitol of Delaware. Sitting near them in the car was a Union colonel and a captain. The Provost Guard also passed through regularly. They made their way to the Nanticoke River and got into the canal. They met up with some others who had escaped several days previously. But the canoe they had would only hold five so they had to split up. They eased the canoe down to Chesapeake below Point Lookout, Md. In the little town of Heathville, Md., citizens banded together and contributed $120 to aid them on their journey. They paddled across the bay and made their way to Richmond, Virginia, on the York River Railroad. It had taken almost two weeks to get back to their lines.

THE ESCAPED prisoners expressed nothing but gratitude to the citizens of Maryland and Delaware who did everything they could to aid them. Their story was printed in the Richmond (Virginia) Dispatch on August 28, 1863. But, it doesn’t end here! John Marion received a 15-day furlough and headed home. His intention now was to take the railroad through Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn. and make his way to Jacksonville, Alabama where his folks lived. As he approached Knoxville he was informed that the federals had control of the city and he was almost captured again. At this time he re-enlisted in the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry (Capt. Helm’s Company under Gen. Morgan). He rode with the 2nd Kentucky until after Gen. Lee and Johnston both surrendered. In May 1865 at Paris, Tenn., his unit was disbanded and he returned home, moving to Floyd County in 1867. In 1900 the United Daughters of the Confederacy conferred upon John Marion the Cross of Honor. And the 9th Georgia had been awarded a Confederate Roll of Honor for their battle in the Wheatfield.

John lived till Sept. 6, 1910. His obituary said he was a good church worker and was loved by all who knew him. He lived an exemplary life. A large crowd followed the family to Myrtle Hill Cemetery where he was interred.

One footnote to the story is that A.L. Brooks and C. J. Fuller of Company G, 9th Georgia (Walker County) escaped with John. I know they made it to Richmond with John, but I don’t know if they survived the war (Brooks’ war record is confused with another A. L. Brooks from Alabama) but I hope they did.

Also, the Eighth Regiment Band under Director John Carruth is traveling to Gettysburg on June 19 and 20 once again to play at the battlefield. (John, if you are reading this, please dedicate a song to John Marion and the 9th Georgia in honor of the stand they made).

ONE LAST FOOTNOTE, in June each year they hold a triathlon in Delaware and it begins at the Fort. They give away lots of cash and prizes. All the details for this event are on the net. And, get this … it is billed as “Escape from Fort Delaware.” Come swim the river in commemoration of the 52 Confederate prisoners of war who escaped. That’s great but, it doesn’t mention the 22,000 men who went through there during the war, the deplorable conditions, or the 2,634 who died due to starvation and disease and are buried in a mass unmarked grave. Oh yeah…it’s a 1,500-meter swim and wetsuits are mandatory!

Yankees! Go figure!