New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-24

CAPTURING A LOCOMOTIVE: \ MiHiohiir Nv me
Rev WiiIIAM PIrrsNGER. Piladelrma' D. D. AF
pincott Co. lss2. limo pp 33L
No more romantic and pcrilous expedition W"'
ever undertaken than the one described III 'nH' 90
pretending ard straightforward narra,No' IN
actors were so few that we become aclua,"''"
every one Of them a2 the story nnioids, an" 'n'
recon-, Of their doing and daring ana suhIni"s
invested with a genuine personal interest lac oo-
iect aimed II was of sufficient Importance to )ns'y
bich-rnirdcl and courageous men IN bIaNing th'
upusuai risks which the service imposed. i"c
Increment was planned with admirable in'eHlse"''
and skill There go lack OF either disc'euo"' y,
nuda-ity in carrying it out and the acueN'he'' w.
complete success was only ruS'r"''" ~
M accident which could not have te'h i'r'S''"'
Considered simpyaS n story II Is iaS'ma''"1 n''"
the beg unlrg 30 its tragic end, and besides '">
has the merit of reproducing the scenes oi tie h'roc
period through which the country was passing
tweutv ycare ago. with greater vlyidncss t'ah the
biz,orc If ,,.v OF the great campaigns could por-
tray them.
In early Auril of 1850 General Mitchc1s DIVISION
in ITS southwark march throuch Tennessee had pen
ctrated rs far as Shclbyvillc The battle oil SIMON
was racinr $50 miles TO the west, and McCIelian
was preparing 10 move on Richmond. II "'i''"
Mitchell could seize and hold Chattanooga 'u"'
planting himself on the great railroad hhe CONN,
ngthe two grand armies OF the Rebellion call'd'
advantage would be gained.
70 insure the success ofthIs hol movement II was
necessary to destroy tho railroad between 'n''-
,anocra and Atlanta, 80 that no Rebel irrois co'u
!. tu-riol mn from the South. Under the leader
fnip Of "a Kcntuckian named Andrews, tW'Hy-'""
volunteers from Ohio regiments i'll Ml'chcIS com
r,nud undertook 10 sever the Rebel communications
Nv WAY of the Georgia State Railroad and tins hook
contains The story of that hazardous enterprise
Tho soldiers Of this forloru hope, dressed IN
.i,,>cu's cIcthce and representing Themselves rs
good SccessiouiSts set out on loot through INC
cnemv's country by twos and threeS' anu alt'I
many adventures, camc together at Marietta
ro;ut on the railroad a little north OF Atlanta. Inc
1,lan was t. take passage on some north-bouud
1,,ir and nj an opportune moment, ovcrpowcr the
trrard seize the engine and drvc onward with Il"
speed, burning bridges and tearing up track as
thcy went. and leaving trail of flame and
destruction behind them; to dash clean through
Cbattanooga and meet Mitchell ~ be advanced
along the McmphS road. II was carly IN the morn
ing Of April - when these lyenturonS travellers
with tickets lor different points to avert SnNplcIon'
bearded the train, and finally seated themselves III
the same car. At broad daylight the conductor
called ont: Big Shanty; twenty minutes Tor
breakfast and at once passengers. engineer aud
traiumen all poured into the long eating ROOM lcay-
The lines Of a rebel encampmeut.
The little band sauntc1cd forward. each falling
into his appointed place. when in twink!ing, on
u slgual given, Tire passenger COACHES were
,,ncoupled an engineer aud fireman Of the party
srr,1r into the cah the valve was pulled open, and
the engine. tender and three ears moved on as the
remaining adventures lcaPrd into the open doors
OF one of the box-cars. A few minutes placed
the exuiting party beyond what seemed
20 be the dIugor of any successful
rar>pit for there was 10 telegraph at Big Shanty
md no other engine at hand But 1t was ono DAY
10, late Genera! Mitchell had ad> auccd TO Hunts
VILE. and his approach was threatening that all
the rolling stock about Chattanooga had been
ordered South. aud the delay caused by meeting
these uuscheduisd trains was fatal Andrews, rep
,esenting himself a Confederate officer OF mgh
rink. who had impressed the train for the purpose
of running powder through to BeauI'g@l
nj Coruth, excited no suspicion. Bat while
lac WAS losing precious minutes IN waiting Tor the
eytT., trains and moving them of he track the con
dnctor at BIC S!iantv left his coffee AID began the
pursuit on foot until he reached a hand-car, aud
soon after iua swift locomotive, which, hy rare
Good fortune. had come down II the road on n
1,fiyato track from large iron works jus, IN the
mex of time Before the raiders found opportunity
forauy serious work their puTSuciS were upon them
desperate chase cnSIe0 until finally, after
I'm Of nearly 100 miles, the captured locomotive,
now faded and shattered, WAS abandoned. and the
oav,ors scattered 10 the shelter Of tucL woods.
The details Of this exciting rde furnish enough Of
jpuGcnt for romance Of regulation sue, but the
story Of the capture Of one group aieranoicr until
lhcy met again an mbrohcn band III
,ell dungeon is almost rs graphic; and
,le same can be said Of the chapters which
contain the succ,sfu, escapes, after some fuiteSs
;a;l-brcakIng and rccapturcs Of eight Of the prison
,rs With the execution Of Andrews The my stcrious
leader of the expedition. the tragedy begins. Seven
others were hanged later under circumstances not
pleasant 10 contemplate. The remaining STA were
exchanged at last and among them WAS the writer
of this boob-then young soldier OF the "a
Ohio Volunteers. and now a Methodist minister be-
longing 10 tic NcN-JcrScy Conference.