The National tribune., 1885-04-16
ENGINE THIEVES" "
The Great Story of Capturing a
Locomotive"
BY REV. wM. FITTENGER,
ICofYRIGnTED. tssi,.
CHAPTER XVII.
ROMANTIC ESCAPES.

| u, II.
| pany when they ran for the woods. The latter
will be remembered as having previously es-
| capped frOm Chattanooga in company with Au-
drews. and eluded his pursuers Tor Il long time.
1t was Oct. 10 when they started, and they
reached the Federal liues at Coriuth. Miss,
Nov Is. being thus two days over month on
| the way. They endured the greatest hardships.
| When in wooded country they travelled both
| night and day. subsstiug on wild grapes. chest
| nuts. hIckorynuts, wanuts, and some few
| sweet potatoes. In few instances they got q
| little mOrsel Of corn-bread from some negroes.
| This was not always gift. Several times they
| slipped into the fields where the negroes were
at work and stole their scanty dinners. Neces-
| sity knew no law. For whole week they
| had no bread, nor any other food, except the
| nuts gathered in the woods.
Their sutferings with cold were also very
| great. as their clothes were light and almost
worn out and tho nights very chill. Twice
only they slept in houses. One night they
travelled till they were chilled and weary and
almost perishing with cold, when they fortu-
nately discovered nest of hogs. IL was 10
| time to be choice; SO, routing cut the inmates.
| they took possession of the warm bed. and slept
| soundly till morning!
They found many streams on the way.
| which they wero obliged to wade, or float across
on logs. Porter was a man of clear religious
| faith and great constancy, while WOflam was
| full Of resources, though somewhat reckless.
| He longed Tor the Tennessee River, down which
he had foated alone once before, and some
where on which he knew Federal troops were
| to be found. 1t was - days, however, before
| the stream was reached. 1T point 40 miles west
| of Chattanooga. The worst of their trials were
| now over. They pressed a canoe into the
| vice. and used it as Wolam had done before,
! padding and floating down stream ut night.
| and hiding it and themselves in the most
cret place they could find. during the day. Two
| advantages over a solitary traveller. Not only
| does companionship assist in keeping hope alive
| in each breast. but one can watch while the
| other rests, and thus their resources are hus-
| banded. The voyagers met with no remarkable
| adventures until they reached the head OF
| Muscle Shoals. which they could not pass
account OF low water. Abandoning their canoe
| here, they made circuit Of 10 miles by land,
| aud came back to the river below the Shoals.
| Here they borrowed" skiff, and continued
| their journey until within l. miles of Pittsburg
| Landing, where they finally left the river
! Twelve miles of travel brought them TO Cor
| iuth,--a post occupied by Union troups.-where
| they were received with all the welcome that
could be given TO comrades long considered
| dead. They had passed over 300 miles in u
| straight liue, probably double that distance
| by reason of the circuits they made, and this
without assistance. and while stunning all
| about them as foes.
w. ~.
| Mason were thrown together iii the hurry of
| escape although ouly the former two had in-
tended to travel in company. Mason's intended
comrade WAS recaptured. Dorsey aud Hawkins
We're also at first. in the squad. The FIRST
night while hiding in The woods. Mason became
very sick. and for two days remained within a
short distance of Atlanta. This was very dan
| gerous, and he finally told Brown and knight
| to leave him and make good their own escape.
This the heroic boys refused to do, but on the
contrary. took him to q house. as he was grow
ing rapidly worse. They were well received.
and given some food in the kitchen. Just as
they had finished it. three men. who had prob
ably seen their arrival. came in at the front
door 10 arrest them. This was an alnIust
unique incident ia tho history Of our eXpedi-
tiOn,-the attempt TO arrest any members of
the party without having an overwhelming
superiority in nnmbers.-and, as might have
been expected. it miscarried. Our comrades
did not deny being escaped prisoners but when
told that they must surrender and 20 back To
Atlanta, Brown. who hardly knew the mean
ing Of fear, gave in his soft silvery voice the
very decided reply. No. we wont: now. see if
| we do aud with Knight sprang through the
back door. There was alternative but TO
abandon Mason: but the other two were tho
strongest aud most agile of our ngmher,-had
always been our leaders in all athletic sports
and were ab!o To give good account of them
selves either in race fight. They ran round
the end OF the house and then struck towards
piece of woods half mile away, Keeping uu-
der the shelter of iercg which extended to-
wards the Ids. The Confcderites ran out
at the front door with their shot-gunS lust
as the fugitiyes were flying along the fence.
Not wishing to try ioot-raco, the former
mounted their horses and gall0pei out
from the house down q lane that led to tlio
nam road. attempting thus to head them oH
while the owmer Of the house where they had
stayed anloosed his pack of hounds, which
were soou the trail in full cry. The fugi-
| tiyes changed their course tn avoid the chance
Of 4 shot FROM the road aud to keep at right
| angles with il. Before the woodland could be
reached. tile dogs closed in upon them, aud the
struggle which followed was short aud decisive.
| Brown and Knight. seeing the dogs gaining
| upon them. selected place where Loose stones
| were abundant and gave their barking foeS
| reception which must have astomished them.
Sb,ues weighing pound or more. hurled at
| CLOSE quarters by the strong arms of desperate
men, are not to be despised by the most savage
of blo0dhounds. The whole pack were soon
| crippled driven into hasty flight.
| But by this time tho hUrsemeu were near
| and our hunted comrades were obliged to run
| again at full speed. changing their course. with
| the purpose of eludinG their armed pursuer5
| They got into SOME brushwood and ~ "seesaw-
! ing and lacking" hoped to get out Of islt of
| the hors men. But tho dogs still followed tho
| trail though they dared not come near and
| the brave pair wonid doubt have hecn run
| down In time hy the aid of dogs and horses
| had they not found u little creek. in whic.
| they waded long enough to throw the dogs otf
! the scent; then the eypauso of timber about
| the creek soon hid them froul their human
| foes.
| That day they reached Stone Mountain.
| about Is miles east of Atlanta. and afterwards
| Travelled only at night due nnrth, with the
| North Star for their guide From their day
| time hiding places they Frequently saw parties
| of patrollers. but were never discovered.
Mason was taken without resistance and sent
| back to Atlanta. where he Joined us. being the
| sixth aud last recaptured.
| Brown and Knight did not venture again to
| "A house. and suffered greatly for want of food
| From the hnuse they had teft 50 precipitately
| they Travelled six days with nothing to eat
save what tho woods furnished. They even
chewed brush to appcase the giiawiugs of hun
ger. On the seventh day they obtained great
1 feast hy catching gouse, which they tte raw,
| aud also procured little OF the cen left in IL
| field by the huskers. Two days after they
| found tree of apples, very poor. hat precious
| to them. aud. after having devoured as many
| us they could, carried supply with them.
| Before night, however. they had still better
! fortune They discovered drove Of half
| grown pigs. To get one was not easy. hat Those
| men were not readily haHled. Their plan was
[ SOON laid: KNIGHT hid behind tree with /,
| club, while Brown tolIcd Il coufidine member
of the drove by biting oil bits of apple aud