The daily Chattanooga rebel. [volume] (Griffin, Ga.) 1864-1865, 1864-06-28

The Louisville Journal of the 9th gives an
interesting description Of the uncertainty OF
railroad travelling in Kentucky during the
presence Of -. Morgan:
From persons who were passengers on the
cars and eye witnesses u the whose affair
we have learned the full details Of the cap
ture When about half a mile this side al
Smithfield the train was thrown violently
from the track by the previous removal Of
several rails. a volley of carbine and pis-
tol shots were discharged into the cars at
the same time. \ number Of passcngers
were aboard. and in all about twenty j.
diefs. but six Of whom were armed. The
others were straggiers, being returned 20
was the attack on the train that every body
lost ,ontrol Of themselves. and in a pcrfcc.
state of alarm, surrendered without the
slightest resistance. The guerilla band mum
bercd ten mon, and they claimed To be sol
diers of General Dbhn Morgan's command
They were armed with rcvolvers and car
bines. and aside from their citizen dress
presented the appearance OF soldiers.
Immediately after the surrender the arm :
were taken from the Federal soldiers and
broken tp pieces. Tho chief then admins.
tered to them an oath, requiring them to sup
port tn, S''.stI'~-~ Con fa4laraey or ut least
not to make war upon it No written pa
role vas dsmanded; they seemed to be salts
fed with making the "Yanks" swallow the
verbal oath. AS a general thing tn, passen-
gers were treated in Il civil manner \ few
persons were robbed of small amounts oi
money, bat to pillagc did not seem to be the
object of the band. The baggage car and
two passenger. coaches were DESTROYED by
fire. The captured soldiers were forced t.
carry rails and kindlc the flames which con.
stunned :he ears. The two rear coaches " ere
occupied by ladies, aud with Il show of gal
l;,ntry the gucril!as rolled the coaches Ia x
from the main train, which saved them from
destruction. The express goods AMI trunks
were thrown from the cares before they were
set on fire. None of the baggage hel,ngiag
to the passengers were intcrfcrcd with. the
mail was not opened or rinel. though few
of the way packages &crc burned with the
cars.
One If the ladies, who stood a short dis
tance from tie scene Of disaster aud witness
ell the whole affair, was approached by one
ofthc gueriilas and Offered Az orange. She
declined the prciferei Gift, but was obliged
to accept it, rs they strongly insisted that
she should receive a slight mcmento from
rebel hands. After completing their work
of destruction the band moved off in the di-
rection of Smthficld. The leader who claim
ell to be a Lieutenant, was recognized Il
we'll known citizen. living in tho vicinity of
Nandykc's Mills. 1t is almost impossible ~
oHjccture what the object of the guc:iila>
was in making the attack upon the trai".-
They did not seem to have a desire to plum
der the passengers as general thing. They
only robbed parties whom they thought had
in their possession Government or Company
funds. The simple destruction of a train by
a party of this kind does not seem to form
sufficient cause for the attack. and such pro-
cccdings are somewhat unusual by guerrilla
hands. Whatever Il cir object was. we mast
admit their actions wee strangely marked
by show of gallantry and an exhibit Of tie
desperate. \ more close inquiry intc the
case may furnish solution to the riddle.