The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1863-05-29
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'gine, to impede the progress of til,
lpursuers. Fuller hastily couple,
them to the front of his engine, anC
pushed them ahead of him, TO tn,
first turnout or siding, where the,
were left--thus preventing the coils
ion the adventurers intended.
Thus, the engine thieves passed
Ringgold, where they began to fag.-
They were out of wood, water ant
oil. Their rapid running and mat
tention to the engine, he'd melted al
the brass from the journals. They
had no time to repair or refit, for al
iron horse of more bottom was Close
behind. Fuller and Murphy and thei
men, soon came within four hundred
yards of them, when the fugitives
jumped from the engine and left it.
three on the North side and five OF
the South side--all fleeing precipita
tely and scattering through the thicke'
Fuller and his party also took to the
woods after them.
Some gentlemen, also well armed
took the engine and some cars of the
down passenger train at Calhoun, and
. followed up Fuller and Murphy and
their party in the chase, but short
distance behind, and reached the
place of stampede but very few mo-
ments after the first pursuers did
A large number of men were soon
mounted, armed and securing the
country in search OF them. Fortu.
nately, there was a militia muster at
Ringgold. A great many countrymen
were in town. Hearing of the chase
of the chase, they put out on foot and
on horseback in every direction, in
search Of the daring but now thor
oughly frightened and fugitive men.
We learn that Fuller, soon after
leaving his engine, in passing a cabin
in the country, found mule having
on bride but no saddle, and tied
to a fence. "Rere's your mule" he
shouted, rs he leGped upon his back
and put out as fast as good switch
well applied, could impart vigor to
the muscles and accelerate speed to
the patient donkey. The cry "Here' $
your mule" and "Wheres my mule
have become national and are gener-
ally heard when on the one hand no
mule is about, and on the other when
no one is hunting a mule. 1t seems
not to be understood by any one, tho
it is q peculiar Confederate phrase,
and is popular rs Dixie from the Po-
tomac the Rio Grande. 1t remained
for Fuller, in the midst q this eXcit-
ing chase, to solve the mysterious
meaning of this national by word or
phrase, and give it practical applica-
tion.
All Of the eight men were captured,
and are now safely lodged in Jail -
The particulars of their capture we
have not received. This we hope to
obtain in time for postscript to this,
or for oui second edition. They con
fessed that they belonged to Lincoln S
army, and had been sent down from
Shelbyville to burn the bridges be-
tween here and Chattanooga, and that
the whole party consisted of nineteen
men, eleven of whom were dropped
at several points on the road as they
came down, to assist in the burning
of the bridges as they went back.
When the morning freight train
which left this city reached Big Shan
ty, Lieutenant Colonels II. +. Maddox
and c. p. Philips took the engine and
few cars, with fifty picked men we'll
armed, and followed on as iepidly as
possible. They passed over all diff
ficultics, and got as far us Calhoun,
where they learned the fugitives had
talSen the woods, and were pursued
by plenty of men with the means to
catch them if it were possible.
One gnntleman who went upon the
train from Calhoun, who has furnish
ell us with many of these particulars,
and who, by the way, is one of the
most experienced railroad men in
Georgia, says, too much praise can
not be bestowed on Fuller and Muir
ply, who showed a cool Judgment and
forethought in this extraordinary at.
fair, unsurpassed bs anything he ever
knew in a railroad emergency. This
gentleman, we learn from another
offered, on his own account, $1,000
reward on each man, for the appre
hension Of the villains.
We do not know what Gov. Brown
will do in this case, or what is hi'
custom in such matters, but if sucl
thing is admissible we insist OF
; Fuller and Murphey being promoted
if not by actally give them the highes
position, at least let them be promoted
; by bypct. Certainly their indomitabl
energy and quick correct judgmen
and decision in the many Difficult
contingencies connected with thi
unheard of emergency, has saved al
: the railroad bridges above Ringgol'
: from being burned; the most darini
: scheme that this revolution has de
veloped has been thwarted, and tn
, tremendous results which, if success
! full, can scarcely be imagined, muc
less described, have been averted.-
: Had they succeeded in burning tn
bridges, the enemy at Huntsvill
Q would have occupied Chattanooga be
fore Sunday night. Yesterday the
: would have been in Knoxville, an
9 thus had possession Of all East Ter
l nessee. Our forces at Knoxville
: Greenville and Cumberland GaI
. would, ere this. have been in tn
a hands of the enemy. Lynehburg, Va
= would have been moved upon at once