The National tribune., 1885-04-23
"ENGINE THIEVES
The Great Story Of Capturing
Locomotive"
BIZ REV. wM. PTTTESGER.
IcopyRIGHTED, 1851.
CHAPTER XVIII.
FROM ATLANTA TO THE GULF.

| adventures than Wood and Wilson. The south
ward course they took saved them from an en-
ergetic pursuit but their unwillingness TO trust
| the negroes exposed them to imminent peril OF
| starvation. The idea that any of our party
would seek for the Gulf blocksding squadron
probably never entered the head OF any pursuer.
1t was well that this route was chosen by Will
son, for in no other way coHld he possibly have
succeeded in carrying his sick cOmrade with him.
The manner in which poor Wood, who had been
for months suffering from fever, and wasscarcely
able to walk about the Jail, was taken from
ATLANTA to the sea" by starving comradc,
would seem q most improbable invention IT met
in work of fiction. l extract the complete
account of the escape, with a few unimportant
omissions, from the Adventures of ALI. Will
son." written by himself and first published in
book form in Toledo, 1880. The account be-
gins in the Atlanta jail-yard. The necessity
for immediate flight was first seen by Wood,
who exclaimed
"Alf come on. quick, the boys are getting over
the fence at the back of the Jail; hurry up, for
there's a company of guards coming doube-quick," !"
This was my old comrade, Mark Wood, and his
voice the first warning had of the danger that
threatened me, or Of the necessary change in our
progTam. re, gram , 49,. .,,1onoa wo bo.,
reached the top of the high fence at the same in
slant. and not second too soon; for, as glanced
over my shoulder from the fence-top, i saw the
guards with cleaning muskets pouring in at the
gate, and before / could throw my leg over and
spring off voIley fired. the balls rattling and
whizzing ali about One bullet struck the picket
under thigh and close that the splinters iacer
ated my flesh, and my feet struck the ground on
the outside, ! said 10 Mark, II am hit"
Get upand run like -" exclaimed Mark.
I my feet in an instant, not knowing
whether my thigh was shattered or not AS ran
clapped my hands there to if it bied freely.
pulled away n lot of splinters and had the salts
faction of finding tha: had received only slight
flesh wound made by the picket spnters. Never
did make better use of my legs; there was need
dirt uncomfortably near. They came so thick and
closely at one time that was almost certain that
one or both of Us would be hit; but we answered
their cries of - Haiti haiti" 10y sprnging forward
with all the speed we could command.
1t was about mile before we struck the cover of
woods and then the trees were so scattering that
they afforded only doubtful place for conceament
1t every man for himself, and, like the
Duke of Wellington al Waterloo. we longed for
darkness or some other friendly nterposltion IN our
behalf. Wood had come UP with me. and we
lodged s.ealthily from hicket to another until
it began to grow quite dark when easier
and acted more deliberately, although We well
knew were not out of danger yet.
About this time we became aware that we were
approaching public road. We soon had warning
that il much better TO halt and not attempt to
cross the road The sound of gaiiopng horsefnen
in great numbers and the clanking of sabers could
be heard near by We were so nearly out OF breath
that could run no farther for the present, and,
OH looking hastily about discovered low, scrubby
pine bush surrounded with shrubbery. We both
daried under its protecting shelter. and lay fiat on
the ground on our faces. neither having spoken
word to the other for some minutes on account Of
great exhaustion. We were near the road
that VIC could plainly see ali the movements of the
rebel cavalry, who were depoying their line somc-
thing ia the manner of skrmishcrs.
This presented unexpected difficulty In
way. If we had reached the road two minutes
sooner we might have crossed without being seen,
but could not have been there an instant sooner
than we were unless we had had wings. for we had
both until we ready to fall in tracks.
We had become separated from the rest of the
party but could stiIl hear the reports OF muskets.
and knew that the pursuit was still going on, but
how many OF the escaping party had been killed
beyond our knowledge, though / had seen
Capt. Fry reeing and stumbling in manner that
led me TO fear he was shot. We were thus COM
PEELED TO lie quietly for some time. While we were
waiting here the cavalry was relieved by infantry
and formed into squads to scour the woods.
The place where lay not over Is steps
from where the infantry sentinel was stationed.
We could hear every word he spoke to the man on
the next post. Their comments the affair al the
Jail would have been amusing TO us under less seri
circumstances, and-i wish could give their
words exactly now. for they wereiudicroqs enough.
Some time late in the evening, while we were
still lying under the brush, we became aware that
some one Was approaching US very quietly. In the
dark could recognize the dim outlines of two
men. and felt certain, they came
that could have almost touched them, that il
two of our comrades but dare not even
whisper to them, lest we should cause them to be-
tray themselves. and. perhaps us too They were
evidently from the cautious manner in which they
moved, aware that they were very close to the rebel
guards These men, i afterwards learned,
Porter and NoaIn.
After waiting Il short time to see if they were
discovered and hearing nothing of them, we be-
gan to crawl out, concluding that there was
probability OF the guards leaving that night.
should judge the sentries stationed 80 PAGES
apart, and 10 get out there WAS alternative but
to pass between them. L selected q place and
crawled 10 the other side of the road SAFELY and
then lay perfectly still. while Mark did the same.
My hair fairly stood on end he wrigf,ied along,
for it seemed to once or twice as If one of the
sentries would certainly discover him before he
would reach me. This was one of our most narrow
escapes.
We were no more than safely across the road
when q new and unseen obstacle, in the shape of
high fence, presented itself which must
ciimb before We could breathe free. We crawied
carefully to the fence, and by great patience and
much care, one nj time, managed 10 get over
without attracting the attention Of the guards.
We felt as if we had accomplished quite achieve
ment when at last we had escaped beyond the fence
few steps aud found ourselves III an open field,
where we could push ahead noiselessy Y, and when
at last, we got away entirely ont of hearing.
struck out a full run. At tie far side of the
neld we came 70 small stream. IN whch we
Travelled some distance in the water, to take pre-
caution against pursuit by dogs. Soon after,
struck thick piece of woods OH the slope of hill
side, which we continued TO ascend under the thick
foliage for some time. But, at last, exhausted ma
ture asserted her full sway, and compelled
TO lie down aud rest out OF sheer inability to go
farther.
Up 10 this time I think neither of us had spoken
any more than if we had been dumb As we threw
ourselves on the ground, without breath or
strength to go farther. we began 10 realize the
weak helpless condition we were in- Ii did not ap-
pear If our limbs were strong enough 10 carry
five miles a day. When we looked forward to the
long journey ahead of us. the hunger and fatigue,
IL looked little discouraging. | think however,
a portion OF this sense OF physical prostfation was
caused by the sudden relaxation from the great
mental strain and excitement which had been upon
from the time of the jsil-break and Immediately
preceding it. This, with the intense exertion in
running. in our eufeebed condition had well nigh
unnerved us. We were wild, too, almost. with JOY
at escape.
But had but little time 70 rest. rejoice, feel
thankful in. Many contingencies yet stood be-
enemies; many long. weary miles Of travel; many
rivers lay across oar path. and many days OF hun
ger and many siecpess nights. il we would sue
cced.
Before escaped from the prison studied over
the subject of routes very carefully. l had seen
enough Of night travel in the mountains about
Chattanooga and along the Tennessee River, and
well knew that the probabilities of our being picked
up should we go in that direction would be very
much greater. therefore decided in my own mind
reach some of The vessels of the Federal bockading
squadron. While this would be much the longest
route,-the distance As near rs 1 could calculate
being over 800 miics.-l thought there would be
less vigilance and liability of pursuit in that direc
ton In this conjecture it turned out that
correct. The country entirely unknown to me,
except slight general idea | had of il from the
school Biographies. only knew that the waters
OF the Chsttoioochee River. which flowed west Of
Atlanta. entered the Gulf
While we rested on the hillside communicated
In a whisper, to Mark my views and &c readily
agreed that he would 20 ia any direction thought
best. Accordingly, we rose Zip and walked TO an
open place where could see the stars, and
determined our course which was to be slightly
south of west. and at once set out az fast
could travel. We spoke no words as we walked
on. and went as nOiSelessy as possible for were
on the lookout Tor scouting parties Of cavarymen