St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-06-22

ing TwitchelPs lines at Huntsville. This
would have been an almost irreparable
blow to the Confederacy, destroying
their communication and preventing
rapid movements of troops.
The men got to Atlanta safely, and
took the morning train once again for
Chattanooga. This train took break
fast at a little station called Big Shan
ty, twenty eight miles out from Atlanta.
1t is, by the way, still an eating station,
the DINING room now being on the
west side of the read, whereas formerly
it was on little eminence to the right,
and about one hundred and fifty feet
from the track. This was the point
selected for the stealing of the train.
There was no telegraph Office, and An
drews thought they could get away
and cut the wires up the road before
the news could be sent ahead from any
other station. The train arrived on
time, about A. NJ, and passengers,
conductor and train men walked up to
the breakfast.room. Andrews and his
men stood around. The supreme mo-
ment had arrived. With strong self
will, the men controlled their agitation,
and waited fer the signal from Andrews.
All around was military camp, there
being at least five thousand COnfeder-
ates in sight, besides guard watching
the train. AT the proper moment, An
drews, who was sitting on the ground,
arises, and his men follow him leisurely
without arousing suspicion. They go
to the head of the train-two who are
engineers, seize the engine the first
three cars are uncOupled, and before
the bystanders can recover from their
astonishment the men are aboard and
the whole dash up the road like a streak
OF Lightning. Three were left, making
twenty aboard. Suspense and conceal
ment were over, and these twenty
braves, in the heart of the enemy's
country, two hundred miles from the
federal lines, take their lives in their
hands and go forward. A few miles
out they stop, cut the telegraph wire
and then dash on again. While the
wire was being cut the rest took up a
rail and carried it with them. Andrews
clasped his hands in ecstacy and declar-
ed that it was IL success, that they
would destroy all the bridges to Hunts
vile and cut the Centederacy in two.
You can imagine the confusion and
tumult at Big Shanty when the engine
and three cars shot away from its men
and passengers. The alarm was given
in the dining-room and the train men
and passengers rushed out with aston
ishment depicted upon every lineament
of their features. The passengers, see
ing that they could be of no service,
went back to breakfast, while the train
men stood around like so many pOOI
bsys at a frolic, and didn't know what
to do. There was one conspicuous ex-
ception-it was the conductor, w. A
Fuller. But for him the probabilities
are that the expedition would have
been a success. Captain Fuller now
lives in Montgomery, Alabama, and has
often told his friends of the part he tool
in the strange affair. He says the frs
feeling was one of profound astonisb
ment. Then he surmised that it wa!
spies. The stolen engine shot away a
the rate of a mile a minute, and Fuller
followed by Mr.. Murphy, ran after i
on foot. The bystanders laughed a
this, yelling to Fuller that he woulG
catch up if he was spry in the legs.
Meantime Andrews and his party
were flying along. They dashed by th,
first three stations without Stacking
to the great amazement of those at hand
Before getting to the next station they
stopped, took off a rail, carried it along
and cut the wires again. They boldly
halted at Altoona, telling the Grove
that gathered around that they wer,
carrying powder to Johnson's army a
COrinth. The story "toOk," and they
were not molested. At the next station
they were to meet the down passenge
train. Andrews boldly stepped into th,
statiOn-hOuse, took the switch keys anC
adjusted the switch, telling the powde
story to all whe questioned him. TIL,
down train came on time, but you cal
imagine their horror when they saw
that it carried red fiag-a sign that al
''extra" train was following. The par
ty held brief consultation, but moth
ing could be done but wait. Bitin;
their lips till the blood almost appeared
and tremulOus with excitement, We
forced to show calm exterior so as no
to excite suspicion, they waited. Twen
ty-five precious minutes were thus lost
which by no possibility could he mad
up. The extra came creeping along a
twelve miles an hour. But to their dis
may they saw that it also carried re,
flag, and they had to wait ten minute
more for another train. When that ha,
passed they dashed ahead, crOwdin
their engine to it's utmost limit. The
stopped to cut the wire and take up
rail as they had done at several othe
points. 1t was slow work for they ha,
not suitable tools. While they wer
doing this they were startled to hea
the shrek of an engine in pursuit. The
had not supposed that the obstruction
could so soon be overcome, and the
saw now that it would be a run for life
They dashed ahead with all possibl
speed.
We will now return to the pursuers
When Captain Fuller saw his train ru
away he started after it on foot, follow
ed by Mr.. Murphy wood contractor
They ran over the cross ties as fast a
possible for three miles. Here the
, found a party of trackmen with smaI
flat car, or truck, This they presse
, into service, pushing it ahead up grade
, and letting it fly down grades, maxim
ten miles an hour on an average. A
the first telegraph station they sough
to use the wires, but of course foun,
communication cut. Twenty miles fror
Big Shanty they reached Etowan sta
ton, and, with the luck which SCENE
, to be against the raiders from the first
they found an old coal engine, belong
: ing to construction train, with steaI
J up. They ran her at her fullest spec
to Kingston, which is equi-distant be
J tween Chattanooga and Atlanta. Whe
: they come to missing rail, which til
raiders had taken up, they stopped
) took up one behind, put it down i
front, and sped on. In this way thei
, delay was no longer than the pursued