Person:Joseph Hawk (4)

                    FREMONT DAILY NEWS

   Thursday December 3, 1931

 MARION HAWK PIONEER AND WAR VETERAN, IS DEAD

J. Marion Hawk 85, prominent pioneer, farmer and veteran of the Civil War,died at his him in Green Creek township, at 10:30 Thursday night, following an extended illness with complications.

Interment in Oakwood Mausoleum. (Has since been taken out of mausoleum D/B its disrepair and buried in the cemetery at Oakwood)

Mr. Hawk is survived by his widow, formerly Miss Mary Bower, and three children, Franklin, Ruth, wife of B>B. Clark, and Miss Irma Hawk at home, as well as numerous other relatives and large circle of friends. There are also two half brothers, Alva and Bryon Hawk, and three half sisters, Mrs. Anna Harden, Clyde; Mrs. Etta Kessler, Indianapolis and Mrs. Ida Sherwood, Fremont.

Mr. Hawk always looks back upon his army experience with fond memories. There were thrilling adventures, immanent dangers, deeds of heroism, hair-breath escapes that rise in their recollections like living pictures, and too often. to look on the other side, scenes of sadness and distressing death. It is doubtful is there was in Sandusky CO, a surviving soldier of the war whose career during the struggles was more thrilling than that of J. Marion Hawk. He was born March 31, 1945, the son of Joseph and Sarah (Tillotson) Hawk, pioneer settlers.

Mr. Hawk usually known as Marion, was reared on the farm, and during his boyhood attended the district schools. He was barely sixteen when Fort Sumter was fired upon, and between patriotism for his country's flag, and the love of excitement he was eager to enlist, but his father frowned upon his wishes, Yielding to his impulses in the fall of 1861, Marion ran away from home and enlisted in Company D. of the gallant Third Calvary Volunteers. He remained with the regiment for three years and 9 months, during which long period the history of the regiment was his history. It was in constant and perilous service throughout Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. While on his way home in the fall of 1864 he and a number of comrades were taken prisoners at Columbia, Tenn.

They were escorted to a prison at Cahaba, Ala. and thence were transferred the the stockade at Macon, Ga., where they remains two months, While here he, with a few companions, attempted an escape. They had tunneled over 100 feet, and were almost ready to escape, when a Confederate officer notices the string attached to a small pan used in drawing out the dirt and pulled. The prisoner in the tunnel, thinking it was a companion, cried out: "No wait; it is not full yet." "You had better come out." drawled the officer, and the countenance of the grimy tunneler fell when he emerges and beheld the grey coat. All the work had been in vain.

When removed from the Macon stockade to a train, Mr. Hawk and several others felt that the dreaded Andersonville was their destination so eight of them resolved to escape. They were in a stock car, near the front end of the train and surrounded by three guards, but knocking down the guards they jumped down the swiftly moving train, A guard on a following car aimed his musket at Mr. Hawk, but noticing the gray jacket which he wore, and which he had traded for as a protection in a possible emergency like this, the guard refrained from shooting. The train passed by and the eight prisoners made the best of their new found liberty. They tramped through tangled swamp and mire until nearly sunset, when the ominous blast of a horn told them that the Southerners were in pursuit. They separates, five starting one way, three another. Mr. Hawk and his two companions reached the edge of the swamp. Beyond, the water was deep and the baying of the blood hounds grew louder, Recapture was certain, and to climb tress was the only means of safety against the dogs. The two companions climbed trees upon the dry land, but Mr. Hawk, to give the "Johnnies" all the trouble possible, waded a long distance into the swamp, till it was waist deep then climbed a tree himself. This was February 2, 1865, and the weathers was raw and chilly. He heard the "Rebs" arrive, and take away the two companions. After dark he descended, waded ashore and tramped on alone quite a distance, when a light appealed.

Approaching, for he was hungry and tired, and ready to meet any human being, he found on investigation that the light was in a Negro shanty. Gaining admission, he was asked is he was one of the escaped Yankees whom the Confederate were pursuing with bloodhounds, and he admitted that he was. The colored man fed him and assured him that if he would take dirt from a grave and rub it on his feet and clothes the scent of the bloodhounds would be destroyed. They urged him to take precaution, and two darkeys procured some of the magic mold. Though skeptical, he tried the charm, and somewhat refreshed continued on his weary journey northward all that night, and until three o'clock the nest day, when the baying of hounds and that blast of horns informed his that relentless pursuers were on his track. He was then in an open rolling country, and knew that further flight was useless. Selecting a scrub oak, large enough to bear his weight and keep him beyond the fangs of the hounds, he climbed the tree and awaited the inevitable. Soon the bloodhounds were leaping and howling and gnawing at the base of the tree. Their howls were hideous and deafening, Three elderly men appeared on horseback and requested him to descend, He complied, whereupon the dogs became uncontrollable and Mr. Hawk quickly regained his lofty perch. The old gentlemen finally silenced the hounds, and the escaped prisoner frankly admitted his identity.

Upon the return journey he was permitted to ride each of two horses alternately, but not the third, which was a superior animal, and Mr. Hawk, thus lost and opportunity to make another break for liberty, for he had resolved to risk the shotguns of the old men is once mounted on the fast horse, But though each of the tree old gentlemen walked alternately they kept the best horse to themselves. Stopping at night, a farmhouse, Mr. Hawk was left without a guard, but the bloodhounds let loose outside deterred him from attempting to escape. Mr. Hawk was first sent to Andersonville, and there met his seven late companions, all of whom had preceded him.

He saw the notorious Capt. Wirs, and was imprisoned there about two months, Luckily Mr. Hawk did not fare so badly as many of his companions. He and four other prisoners had a tent and kept a peanut stand; also bought cornmeal from the Rebel guards and sold it to the prisoners. At the end of two months he had $6.00 in greenbacks and about $600 in Confederate money. Prisoners were being exchanged every few days, and the Rebel officers were compelling the prisoners to pay for the privilege of being places on the exchange list. By giving up all their money and other effects Mr. Hawk and his companions finally got out. They were places on a cattle car and sent to Vicksburg, where they were exchanged, Here, with about 2300 other passengers, mostly Union soldiers but including women, he boarded the ill fated "Sultana". The history of that steamer is well known, It blew up about eight miles above Memphis, April 27, 1865 and over 1700 passengers were lost. Mr. Hawk was on top of the boat near the pilot house when the explosion occurred, Putting on his clothes he rolled up his blankets and looking around for some means of escape he saw a stateroom door lying loose and took possession of it.

The scene was horrible beyond descriptions, There were mangled dead and dying lying about, and hundreds were wailing, who must choose between a death by fire or water, Watching his opportunity Mr. Hawk shoved off with his door. He swam bravely for a while, but was seized with cramps in his legs and got badly tangled in the vines and debris of the river raft. Finally reaching shore he made his way northward and was honorably discharges from the service May 15, 1865.

He returned to his fathers farm and was married in 1870 to Miss Mary A. Bower, who was born in Sandusky, City, March 21, 1850. Mr. Hawk owned 140 acres of good land and was always one of the best farmers in the township. He was tall of stature, well informed socially and a leader.