THE 101ST PENNSYLVANIA IN THE CIVIL WAR: ITS CAPTURE AND POW EXPERIENCE

Four or five hundred prisoners were moved on foot through the city of Charleston to the Branchville Railroad Depot where they were to be loaded on freight cars.  Since there was not sufficient space inside, some POWs, along with a guard, were loaded atop the cars.  Approximately 11 a.m., as the train got underway, Conley and two of his fellow officers from the 101^st Pennsylvania--Captain Thomas B. Dawson of F Company and 1^st Lieutenant William C. Davidson of C Company--agreed that they would try to escape at the first opportunity.

Dawson, a 23 year old farmer from Beaver County, Pennsylvania, enlisted in Company F of the 101^st P.V. in November 1861.  By September 1862 he was 1^st Sergeant of his company, by March 1863 he was the company’s 1^st Lieutenant, and by June 1863 he became its Captain.  Lieutenant Davidson, a teacher from Beaver County, enlisted in November 1861 at age 22 and was mustered in as 1^st Corporal in C Company.  By November 1862 Davidson was a 2^nd lieutenant and two months later was promoted to 1^st lieutenant.  Both men were considerably younger than Conley who, at age 31, was mustered in as a lieutenant when the regiment was organized.

When they reached the Branchville depot, they encountered crowds of curious citizens who hoped to glimpse the Union prisoners who were being loaded on a train that was headed for Columbia, SC.  At approximately 10 p.m., after crossing the Congaree River, the train stopped for water at a station that was bordered by thick woods on both sides of the track.  It was here that the three Union officers began their escape.  Undetected, they climbed between two rail cars, stood on the coupling, and then, after lowering themselves, layalongside the track.  The rail cars projected over them and hid them from the guards’ view.  Recalling the experience, Conley later wrote, “It was a moment of great suspense.  Minutes seemed lengthened into hours. We knew, if discovered, the guards would fire on us and one or more of us, might instantly be killed”

As the last train car passed, Conley was able to see that it was a passenger car that was used by off-duty guards.  On the rear deck of the car hung a lantern; an armed guard stood with his rifle at the ready.  Conley could see the guard aiming at him and could hear his two comrades running into the woods.  As he rolled away from the rails, he heard the report of a musket, felt the sting of bullet in his right hip, and heard the dull thud of a Minie’ ball striking the ground.