The Shasta courier., 1864-06-18
A Great Railroad Adventure.

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Daring and Suffering, a history of the
Great Railroad Adventure. aud Beyond
the Lines, are the title of two very interes'
ting books published by j. w. Daugha1a.r
1908 Chestnut street, Philadelphia. They
are true stories of the war, written by return
ed prisoners, and no ROMANCE could be more
exciting. The first book is by Lieutenant
| William Pettinger, one of that little band of
daring men who penetrated the enemy's lines
| in Georgia in 1869. seized an entire railroad
train and dashed off with it into the heart of
the country. to destroy the railroads, and in
| terrupt the movement of the rebel armies.
The expedition was audaciuus, but it neary
succeeded. We quote, for the pleasure of
our readers, the graphic account of the ad-
venture which Lieutenant. Pettinger has
given. The rest of the book is devoted to an
account of prison life, and the efforts of the
prisoners to escape. 1t is well to premise
that the adventures we dressed in cit-
zens' clothes, and had travelled unsupported
as far as Marietta, where they seized thetrain.
The Lieutenant says:
The waiter aroused us at four o'clock in
the morning, as we told him we wished to
take the train at that hour back to Camp Me-
Donald, which is located at lace called Big
Shanty, eight miles north of Marietta, and is
also a breakfast station. Andrews had gone
to another hotel. and warned the members
of the party there to be in readiness to take
passage. Two of them, Hawkins and Porter
who had arrived earlier, were not warned.
and were, therefore left behind. 1t was not
their fault as they had no certain know led ge
OF the time We were to start, but rather thought
it would be the next day.
There were just twenty of US on the train,
Andrews and nineteen others, of whom sew
eril were engineers, We went along yerv
quietly and inotlensively, just as any o.her
passengers would do, until we reached Big
Shanty. | knew that we were to take poss-
ession of the train at this place, but did not
just know how it was to be done. | thought
we would probably have to fight, and compel
the conductor, train hands, and passengers
to get off. We might have done this, but it
would have required very quick work, for
there were then some ten Thousand troops.
mostly conscripts, camped there and a guard
was placed watching the train. But far
better plan was adopted.
As soon as we arrived, the engineer, CON
ductor, and many of the passengers went owes
to the eating house. Now was our cpporiun-
ity Andrews, and one or two others, went
forward and examined the track, to see is
everything was in readiness for rapid start
Oh what thrilling momen, was that
Oar hearts throbbed thick and fast withem
otions we dared not manifest to those who
were loatng ind iferently around. Ia miu.-
ute, which seemed an hour, Andrews came
back, opened the door, and said. very quietly
and carelessly, :" Let us go, now, boys
Just as quietly and carelessly we arose and
followed him. The passengers who were az
lily waiting for the train to move on and carry
them TO their destination, saw nothing in the
transaction to excite their suspicious. Lels.
urely we moved forward-reacbed the head
of the train-then Andrews. Brown, our en-
glneer, and Knight, who also could run an
engine, leaped the locomotive; Alfred
Wilson took the top of the cars as brakes
man, and tie remainder of us clamberel into
the foremost baggage car, which, with two
others, had been previously uncoupled from
the hinder part of the train. For one mo-
ment of most intense suspense all was still
then pull-a jar-a clang-and we were
flying away on our perilous journey.
There are times in the life OF man when
whole years of intensest enjoyment seem con-
densed into single moment 1t was so with
me then. | could comprehend the emotion of
din dawn Of morning the new found but long
dreamed of shores of America. or the less in
nocent, but no less vivid JOY Of Gortez when
he first planted tie cross Of Spain over the
golden halls of Montezuma Nv breast throb.
bed full with emotions of delight and glad
ness, that words labor in vain to express. A
sense of ethereal lightness ran through all
nv veins. and | seemed to be ascending high
of /. L.
bliss, with each pulsation Of the engine 1t
wasa a moment Of triumphant joy that will
never return again. Not dream of failure
that the greatest difficulty was to reach and
and take possession OF the engine, and after
that, sucsess was certain. Il wouN hare
ben, but for unforseen contingencies.
Away we secured, passing fed. and vii
lage, and woodland. At each leap Of the en-
giue our hearts rose higher. and we talked
merrily of the welcome that would greet Us
when we dashed into Huntsville a few hours
later-our enterprise done. and the brightest
laurels of the guerrilla Morgan far eclipsed
But the telegraph ran by cur side, and was
able by the flashing OF a single lightning mes
sage ahead to arrest our progress and dissi-
pate all our fondest hopes. There was no
station where We took the train.
but we knew not how soon our enemies might
reach one, or whether they might Eot have
portable battery at command. To obviate all
danger on this point we stopped, after run
ming some four miles TO cut the wire.
John Scott. an active young man. climbed
the pole. and with his hand Knocked of the
insulated bcx at the top. and swung down
on the wire. Fortunately. there was small
saw on the engine, with which the wire was
soon severed. While this was being done.
another party took up rail, and put it into
the ear to carry off with US. This did not
long check our pursuers, but we had the sat
isfaction of learning that it threw item down
an embankment. as will be narrated more
after
when the engine first stopped. Andrews
jumped off, clasped our hands in ecstaev.
consratpiating US that our difficulties were
now al over, that We had the enemy at such
aisadyenfage that he could not harm ms
and exhibited every sign of joy. Said he
'oniy one more train to pass, and then we