John Morehead Scott (1839 - 1862)

Born 1 Jan 1839 in Stark, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Rachel M (Davis) Waggoner — married about 24 Sep 1861 (to 18 Jun 1862) in Findlay, Hancock, Ohio, United States

Died 18 Jun 1862 at age 23 in Atlanta, DeKalb, Georgia, United States

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Biography

John was born in 1839. He was the son of Thomas Scott and Eliza Moorhead. He passed away in 1862.

John Scott married Rachel M Davis on September 24, 1861, in Findlay, Ohio, just after he joined the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at the age of 22 on September 19, 1861. ^[1]

He joined the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at the age of 22 on September 19, 1861. Scott became a Sergeant in Company F. He was one of 24 men who volunteered to take part in what became known as the "Andrews' Raid" or the "Great Locomotive Chase" on April 12, 1862. He was captured and was among the 7 men who were hanged at Atlanta by the Confederates.

He was hanged as a spy and awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on 4 Aug 1866. ^[2][3][4]

From A Moorhead, Morehead Genealogy ^[5]

John M (presumably, the "M" is for Moorhead), b ca 1839, Stark Co., OH, d 18 June 1862 by hanging as a spy by the Confederates; m 24 September 1861, Rachel M. DAVIS.78 John was 2nd Sergeant in Co F, 21st Regt, OVI, and volunteered to be a member of Andrews' Raiders, the famous group who went south to Big Shanty, GA, commandeered a Southern train, and attempted to run it north to Chattanooga, burning bridges and disrupting the Confederates on the way. Rainy conditions hampered fire setting, and the persistent Confederates followed with another train, eventually overtaking and capturing the group. Seven, including John M. SCOTT, were hung at Atlanta. The entire group was awarded the newly-created Medal of Honor, including those hung, whose awards came posthumously. Their action was the first recognized for the medal. Walt Disney memorialized the event with his movie, "The Great Locomotive Chase," in 1956. John M. SCOTT was portrayed as the one selected to climb telephone poles and cut the wires. John and others of the party are buried in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga, surrounding a large stone with a miniature of the train, "The General," on top, and a description of the mission and names of the participants; visited by the author, June 1986.

From Find-A-Grave...^[6]

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served during the Civil War as a Sergeant in Company F, 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in at the age of 22 on September 19, 1861. He was one of 24 men who volunteered to take part in what became known as the "Andrews' Raid" or the "Great Locomotive Chase" on April 12, 1862. His citation reads "One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., and attempted to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta". The raid fizzled out after dogged pursuit by the crew of "The General", the train that was captured by the Raiders. Sergeant Scott was captured along with the rest of the group, was tried with 7 other group members, and hanged in Atlanta for being a spy. After the end of the war, his remains and the remains of his comrades were recovered and re-interred in what became Chattanooga National Cemetery. In 1866 he became the recipient of one of the first posthumously awarded Congressional Medals of Honor, with the Medal being presented to his widow on August 4, 1866. After years of it being in the possession of his family and descendants, the Medal was donated to the Southern Civil War and Locomotive History Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia (the former Big Shanty), where it can be seen today on display.

Bio by: Russ Dodge

Excerpts from Daring And Suffering: A History Of The Great Railroad Adventure ^[7]

From Chapter IV: John Scott, an active young man, climbed the pole, and with his hand knocked off the insulated box at the top, and swung down on the wire. Fortunately, there was a small saw on the engine, with which the wire was soon severed. While this was being done, another party took up a rail, and put it into the car to carry off with us. This did not long check our pursuers, but we had the satisfaction of learning that it threw them down an embankment, as will be narrated more fully in a Confederate account inserted hereafter.

From Chapter XI: Scott was married only three days before he came to the army, and the thought of his young and sorrowing wife nearly drove him to despair. He could only clasp his hands in silent agony.

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #50801519
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_Civil_War_Medal_of_Honor_recipients
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Locomotive_Chase
4. ↑ https://www.southernmuseum.org/exhibits/current/the-general/
5. ↑ A Moorhead, Morehead Genealogy: some descendants of John Moorhead, Ca., 1720-1785, Cumberland and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania, Stark, Hancock and Wood Counties, Ohio, and points West, compiled by Rex K. Moorhead, 1992 (Originally obtained at https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE520478 which was a broken link as of 09 Apr 2019)
6. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #11578
7. ↑ Daring And Suffering: A History Of The Great Railroad Adventure, by Lieut. William Pittenger, One of the Adventurers, 1863 J.W. Daughaday, Publisher.