Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-02-20
A Railway Adventure,
Running n Rebel Blockade in
the Alleghenies.

From Lieut.. Col. q. s. Greene's stories of the
Great Rebellion.
Among the many incidents that, du-
ring the late rebellion, we're connected
with that great nationals.ariery, the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, is one that
/ will relate.
10 the fall of 1861, having been de-
tanned by business in the town of Cum
berland, Nd, | was at last about to
start for Wheeling, when learned that
the road was occupied below Harper's
Ferry by force of rebels, and there
fore no train would pass.
This proved true in reference to or
binary trains, but a special with
which was Hon. Mr.. Pierpoint and a
few other notabilities, had passed be-
fore the rebels eat the track, and was
therefore approaching. On inquiry, i
found that the engineer of the coming
train had been one of my old chums,
ere l had discarded engine driving for
a more profitable business. My friend
Joe M-wss cool, bold, skillful engi-
neer, and as generous as reckless Of
danger.
AS expected, no sooner saw him
and stated my wish 10 go up the road
than heswore that, special or no spe-
cial,' / should ride with him, if for
bothing but to see the last time his
engine, 'Wildfire,' would make.
AS we dashed rapidly along aud were
passing through Black OAK Bottom, 4
couple of i'll looking fellows in citizens
dress, fred at the engineer, but doing
no damage, merely provoking laugh
of derision from him for their WANT of
craftsmanship. On arriving at OAK.
land, Md, we were dissgreeably sur
prised by receiving telegram inform
ing US that party of rebels we're ma
king extraordinary haste to reach the
railway at point many miles shead
of US. Also, they seemed to know
who the special contained, and would
therefore use allendeavors to capture
or kill us.
There was but one car beside the en-
CINE, and in it was briefly discussed
the question of go or stay, while Joe
was having the tender reflled with
wood and water.
Mr.. Pierpoint's business was too ur-
gent to admit of any possible delay;
two or three others concluded to risk
the trip, and I-well, if it is not too
egotistical to say SOL had run risks
on railroads too often to back out be-
cause there was danger ahead, while
the rest concluded to stay and trust to
luck for opportunity of getting away.
Just as we were about to start, the
fireman making mistep on the run
ming board fell and struck the ground
with such force as to break his arm.
Joe hurriedly picked the poor fellow
up, but time was precious just then, so
leaving him TO the care of the gentle
men who had accompanied US, he
started towards me, asking me to come
and run for him, as having no fire.
man, he would have more than he
could do. ! told him, however, to
consider me his fireman for the rest
of the trip, as he WAS best acquainted
with the road; so without more ado
doffed my coat, we jumped on, and
away we went past bsmlr:s, through
wildernesses of stunted bushes, up
grade and down hill at speed rarely
equalled. Our light train made firing
an easy task for me, and | had fre'
quent leisure to scan the beautiful
ranges of the Alieghenies along which
we skirted. Joe was sitting, as was
was usual with him, with his left hand
on the throttle lever, and his body half
out of the side window of the 'cab,'
that he might the better scan the
track ahead.
A few miles south of the famous
Cheat River Bridge is a deep noun
tain gorge with precipitous sides.
1t is shaped like an hour glass, wide
at each end, but tapering ench way to-
ward the middle. The track runs for
quite distance along one side of the
gorge, makes very abrupt turn to
cross the chasm, very deep one, in a
straight line, and then still curving
inwardly, follows the gorge in line
nearly parallel with the track on the
opposite side, for three fourths of q
mile.
We were pitching along with that
peculiar rocking, bounding motion, 40
different from the jar of ordinary fast
speed AS we swept to the top of
grade around the side of q hill that
commanded view of the gorge-Joe
and / both on the lookout-we saw, at
a moments glance, enough TO make US
concentrate our thinking faculties, and
"
done.
There, On the straight track, just at
the edge OF the gorge, lot Of men in
gray uniform, were hastily piling up
some old ties, logs, &C., while at the
point where the curve was the sharp
est-before reaching the gorge-were
several more tueging furiously at a
rail, one end of which seemed to battle
them, as they pulled 1t outwar1s. We
were within mile when we discover
ed them, and as each noticed them the
shout came simultaneously from both
of Us, "The wrong side of the curve!"
The ignorant fools were pulling out the
inside rail, instead of the outside. In
the latter case nothing could have
saved US from running off the track,
and probably into the gorge. Our sin.
gle brakesmaD, seeing the danger-l
suppose from habit-was commencing
to tighten the brake, but at a look
from Joe signalled off brakes Joe,
meanwhile opening the throttle to it's
widest extent as we dashed down the
grade at positively frightful velocity.
huddled together near the track.
SSIZSu d ldIk0 cllCh VI WOOus AAACA0Au6s
if possible, to hurt somebody We
were were going altogether too swift
to fear their taking aim at us; and for
that matter, suppose they considered
our destruction such certainty that
firing al US would be needless. was
DO sing the big stick of wood, and
guessing at the rate of speed-I've had
some practice throwing parcels from
trains in motion-when Joe suddenly
pulled the whistle rope. The hoarse
shrek seemed to stsrtle them for an
Instant; they huddled closer together,
and 1 tossed the stick outward and
downward. l had barely time to see
it crash through the group with the
force of thunderbolt, when, with
jarring plunge, the wheels on one side
struck the naked ties. That part of the
trouble we had feared but little, as the
impetus of the engine was almost sure
to make it mount the track again. On
the track again. but a few rods ahead