Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-06-27

The Passengers Story
The night mail upon tho Cumberland
Valley railroad had reached the heavy ~
grade few miles beyond Kanakia station
when it became evident to the passengers
that somerbing had gone decidedly wrong
The speed 6t the train sensibly slackened
there came series of tremendous iolts
| accompanied by u curious and unp)easan
whirrng sound; followed in turn by
| complete stoppage, A dozen heads were
thrust inquisilively out of the Car windows
and as many voices insisted on knowing
all abcut it Immediately. In these days o
magnificent collisions and holocauss, tn,
travelling public exhibits an astonishing
amount of interest in railway concerns, tt
tn" great Scorn and Indignation of al
officials connected.
You have nothing to fear" said The
conductor, who passed through the car
superb in gold buttons and official dignity
"We have struck an up grade where ar
oil train stopped an hour ago. The tracks
are oiled and the drivers don't take hold
We shall get the sand TO running in hal
Il minute"
1t was doubtless clear enough to those
yTho understood such matters, bnt to me
his explanation was mere jtrgon. A.
somebody said of Coleridge's commentary
on his poem, "Christabel,' | wished she
would explain his explanation
The gentleman who occupied the seal
Immediately in front of me, IL fine
middle-aged person, with an erect, mill
tary air, seemed to have no difficulty ir
making out the state of affairs. He smiled
and was preparing to settle himself com
fortably in his scat again, when l tapped
him upon the shoulder aud said:
Excuse me, sir, but what has occurred
The conductors explanation is Chinese tc
me. What does he mean by the track.
being oiled?'
The gentleman tnrned about and f.ceC
me.
ut is a simple matter" he said. court
eously, "lo those who have an idea o
railroad affairs The power of an engine
depends upon the friction of the driver!
on the track-taking hold, AS it is called
If there is oil upon rails, especially upor
an up grade, there is no friction. conse
quontly the wheels simply spin arounc
upon tho tracks without moving the train.
"Ah," said |, II comprehend"
81 could illustrate the case by an even
which occurred TO me upon this very spo
some years ago. | have always though
it Il remar kablc incident, and perhaps yor
may find it so. The circumstances | refel
to-" he continued, "took place during the
war. was at the time an adlutant upon
General Thomas staff during the exciting
and momentous campaigns in the Eloun
tains of Tennessee. If you remember
there were many times when it was feared
that our hour had come. Our communi
cations were repeatedly cut off and oul
whole command in danger of instant
destruction. Ii was at one of those crise
that the event l am going to relate occur
red"
1--WE were at the time entrenched upor
II spur of the hills around Chattanooga
whittier we had been driven by the des.
perate courage of the confederates. Oul
men had fought bravely and well, but
they were exhausted with long marches
and constant action. Our stores had run
low, but one line of communication was
left open to us-that of the railroad into
the eastern part of the state. BY brill
liant flank movement the confederates
succeeded in throwing IL line across this
one highway; and there we were, hemmed
in like woodchuck in his burrow. Star
walton or surrender stared as in the face.
One or the other of these alternatives we
must accept in few days at most, unless
some unexpected change took place very
speedily.
1t l., perhaps, difficult for US to compre-
bend the feelings of Il commander, hither-
to successful, and with the fate, perhaps
of II nation depending upon his action,
placed in such position rs our general
then was. saw his face grow hourly
more pale and despairing, his step slower
and more feeble, and his whole air that of
"A man whose heart and spirit were break,
ing under the strain. But Thomas was
not the man to yield until every resource
had been sounded to the bottom. And
there was one resource yet left-a desper
ate and almost hopeless one, it is true.
Forty miles to the eastward of us lay
command of nearly thirty
thousand men, serenely unconscious of
our danger and their own. Seven days
before Stockton had been directed to
occupy pass in the mountains on the
left, and had TO hold it until further orders.
OF course, unaware of the predicament of
the main army, he would make no move.
ment to our relief. Communications
were now cut off, and it seemed a matter
of utter inlpossibility to reopen them
the heavy line of confederates
which Law across the railroad. Thomas,
however determined to try it, and | was
selected for the dangerous, but honorable,
duty of the attempt.
We had reason TO suppose thlt the enc.
nv had not destroyed the railroad, and
that if we were not captured at the
outset we might get an engine through TO
Kanakia station, where Stockton lay.
At 10: 80 my orders were given me, and
mounted the engine, which was either
10 carry me to my death or to save the
army. 1t was not powerful machine
but it was the best at our disposal, and in
good order fortunately. One of our men,
who had been an engineer, undertook to
manage the engine, another to fire it.
Both were cool, tried men, but us we
stepped into the cab together, saw them
shake hands with their comrades and bid
hem farewell. Evidently neither Of them
expected to get through alive.
PUT in couple of extra tallow cans,
John" said the engineer. "We are
going to make time, and l expect the old
machine will heat up finely"
The cans were slowed away in the
the engineer opened the throttle
valve. and amid an impressive silence in
he crowd surrounding the starting point
we moved slowly away. About two
niles distant lay the first battery which
he enemy had thrown up to command
he road; beyond that were several more,
o say nolhug of the picket lines scattered
l.ong the tracks. So you will perceive
We were to run pretty warm gauntlet.
We had proceeded but very short dis
ance when there WIS flash and report
rom the shrubbery skirting the road, and
bullet crashed through the window of
he cab. An outpost had discovered us,
nd had given US foretaste of what we
night expect further on.
LET her OUT" l said to the engineer.
There is no use in trying to hide our
elves. Speed is our only chance now."
Very good, sirw replied the engineer,
pening the valve as he spoke. The
ngine bounded like spurred horse. On
ve went, swaying from side to side. until
! seemed as if we must jump the track
our friends along the road
we're not idle. Bullet after bullet whistled
" us; but fortunately, what with the |