The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-02-13


were to be pushed ahead, burn the
bridges, and destroy the track. The |
details of this plan we're not arranged. |
Whether the train should he captured |
by trick, or by direct assault upon |
the forces commanding it, was not de- |
termined upon. The whole affair was
intrusted to Andrews. His men were
to watch him closely, and obey his
slightest sign.
The train pulled slowly out of Mari
eta, and after an hour or 80 reached
Big Shanty, where it stopped for break
fast. Big Shanty was drill camp, and
about 10000 soldiers were stationed
there. The engineer, conductor, and
passengers were in the hotel at break
fast. The yankees" had gone in
with the rest, and were quietly eating
their breakfast. Suddenly Andrews ap-
peared at the door of the eating hall and
said, in leisurely way
"Well, boys, if you are done, let us
go and get our seats" Immediately his
twenty-one men arose and started out of
the hall. Their hearts we're bounding
wildly within their breasts, and their
faces must have paled with resolution,
for they knew that the hour of their
trial had come. And yet they walked
coolly and TRANQUILITY out of that room,
conscious that they must move 80 leis-
urely as to avoid suspicion. When they
reached the door they found Andrews
awaiting them. AS they came out he
gave each man hurried whispered
word of instruction. Then taking three
men with him, lie walked slowly and
apparently aimlessly in the direction OF
the unguarded engine. In the~mean-
time one of his band had slipped in be-
tween the baggage and passenger cars
and uncoupled them, leaving only three
cars attached to the engine. The other
members of the band stood by the open
doors of the baggage cars, ready to leap
into them at a moments notice. Sew
eral thousand confederate soldiers were
standing around in sight, many of them
almost touching the cars. AS soon as
Andrews and his three companions
reached the engine, they leaped briskly
upon it, he having first given subtle
signal with his hand that whisked the
other raiders into the baggage car as If
by magic. Then the throttle of the
engine was opened, her lever was pulled
back to its utmost stretch the great
iron monster thrilled for a moment,
trembled uneasily, then hattened to the
track, and went flying away towards the
west. Not until the engine was fairly
out of sight did the crowd begin. to
understand what had been done. When
the truth was realized the most frantic
uproar arose; the mass of soldiers, citi-
zens and train hands huddled upon the
track in pitiable confusion; yells of rage
swelled into the air, and the SHARP
crackle of comment broke the monotone.
Suddenly two men, hatless and coatless,
sped from ont of this bewildered crowd
and with pale, determined faces, started
in pursuit of the engine. These were
the conductor and engineer. Messrs
: Fuller and Murphy, who, on foot, amiC
= the sudden and uncontrolled laughter o
= the crowd, started out to catch the men
who were flying away at the rate o
= sixty miles an hour with their train.
t The twenty-five men upon the engine
s had an almost impossible task before
= them. They had to burn the bridge
s upon their route-they had to cut tn
s telegraph wire as they proceeded to pre-
: vent the alarm preceding them-the.
t had to meet and pass two of the regula
S trains of the road-they were followe'
i by maddened enemies-and evensif the
o should reach Chattanooga, the terminu
of the road, in safety, they would tint
7. themselves in a strongly fortified pos
v of the enemy-a hundred miles froI
n their own lines-and in momentary ex
d pectation of the sight of their pursuers
q And yet they went ahead, bravely an
e carefully. When out about one mil
% from the. station (where there was II
1t telegraph operator) they stopped an
rs cut down the wire and pulled up a IA
t, or two. Remounting their engine, the
,e hurried on. When they reached til
le first station above Big Shanty they tol
o. the tanktender that they were pullin
D. through an extra powder train for Beal
ID regard, and asked for a schedule. II
le gave them one, and they found tn,
I'd they would meet the down passeng,
rs train few stations above. Havin
more than enough time to make IL
k, schedule, they pulled along leisurel
s, stopping occasionally to tear up IL
at track. They had no tools with whiC
at 10 take up the rails, and had to bait
ne them down with hammers. While e
he gagged at this work they were astound'
he at hearing a short distance behind the
u the whistle of an engine IN pursui
he With one convulsive effort they tore I
to the rails they were hammering at al
or remounted their engine. AS they did
of they saw the engine manned by the
To pursuers rush around the curve.
ch was stopped by the torn track, and
rs the mean time the raiders flew out
rd sight. They had to stop SO frequentl
N. however, to cut the wire that their pr
ia suers kept in sight nearly all the wa
dis The chase was a headlong one. T.
to men stood on the COW catcher of the pI
ed suing engine, to leap off and remove c
de structions from the track and to tear
ht, rails from behind the engine and
he them down in front. At length, just
ley they were nearing the station VIII,