The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Pennsylvania Tragic Train Wreck-- Part 2

Telegraph operator Douglas Kent left work at 9:30 AM and was never heard of or seen again amid rumors of being drunk.

Confederate and Union dead were buried quickly in shallow mass graves between the track and the Delaware River.  Confederates were four to a casket which were made from wreckage.  Individual coffins for the 17 Union dead arrived the next day.  A total of 48 Confederates died.

Confederate survivors were taken to Shohola and housed in railroad buildings and some of their injured were housed in local homes.  John and Michael Johnson were taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Hickock, but died during the night.  The Hickock's decided on giving them a Christian burial and the Johnsons were taken across the Delaware River and buried at the Congregational Church in Barryville, New York.  The graves were unmarked so that the guards would be unable to find them.

The Hickocks were questioned by Union authorities, but never revealed the location.  Eventually, a single stone marker was erected and is still there.

Five Confederates escaped from the wreck and were never recaptured.

On January 11, 1911, soldiers and prisoners were disinterred and taken to the Elmira Woodlawn national Cemetery.  Their graves are marked by a single monument with two bronze plaques: one facing North for the Union soldiers and one facing South for the Confederates.

A little-Known Story of the War.  --Old Secesh

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