The National tribune., 1885-01-08

the call! Rocking, whirling. bounding,-it
seemed 4 marvel that some of the box-car5
Were not hurled from the track. Inside these
cars all was action Though we could scarcely
keep one position moment. ideness could not
now be indulged We knew that the time for
concealment had passed, and we wrought with
flying fingers in preparation for our incendiary
work The forward end of our box-ear aud
both ends of the others, were knocked out by
employing one of the heavy cross-tes as bat
tering ram, and the greater part of the sides
were loosened in the same manner. and torn
into fragments for kindling. This destruction
of barriers also opened Il way of communica-
tion with the engine. Andrews approved what
we had done, and told US frankly that our lives
probably depended on the number of seconds
we consumed in getting the bridge on fire.
Just then an exclamation of wonder and dis
may from cur keen-sighted fireman, Alfred
Wilson, drew attention. He declared positively
that he saw the smoke of the pursuing engine
still following us. 1t was scarcely credible,
but he was SO positive, and it was so impor-
tant to know the truth, that our speed was
slaciSened to ascertain. In moment
a whistle, clear and unmistakable, rang out
from beyond a curve we had just passed. All
doubt was at an end; but our surprise and con-
sternation were great as when the train was
first discovered in pursuit. There had been
no time to.lay again the rail we had taken up
and the broken half of which we still had with
Il
But AndrewSs resources were not yet exhaust
ed. He ordered another effort, which might
yet give US time to fire the bridge ahead, that
he was most unwilling to pass without destroy
ing The locomotive was reversed, and our
kindling- wood, with most of the ties, carried
forward, and the moment we began to move
backward the hindmost car was uncoupled.
The pursuing locomotive was then in fearful
proximity. We could see that it was running
backward, and that number of men were
crowded on it. Almost at the same moment its
machinery was reversed and ours turned for
ward. AS we left them at lightning speed we
could just see that their velocity was well
checked before they touched our abandoned
car.
But this was not yet sufficient. As we came
to heSnext slight upgrade the same manuver
was repeated, and our second car flung back at
the enemy in like manner. The time lost in
doing this brought them again near Us, and we
saw that they were pushing our first car before
them.
But how had they passed the broken rail?
For years I could get no satisfactory informa-
tion on this subject. Some Confederate ac-
counts spoke of rail being taken up behind
and laid down before the engine But the
time was too short to permit such an action.
That stop could be made, rail taken up,
spiked down again, and our engine, running
faster than the wind, overtaken,-al of this
we'll inside of five minutes-was Incredible
Very probably this course was adopted in the
case of the next train which was pursuing not
far behind. Other Confederate accounts say
nothing about this rail, while few assert that
it was not broken at ALL but only loosened and
left in its place. But having personally helped
in the desperate pull, having fallen down the
bank with the party, and carried one end of
the rail to put on our car, besides having my
left hand long suffer from being clasped under
the hand of William Campbell, the strongest
man of our party, naturally cannot accept
this explanation. Conductor Fuller gave an
other solution of the mystery scarcely less
strange, which I repeat as he gave it to me-
He said that when he saw our engine start on
from this point he could see no obstruction,
and allowed the train to continue at high
speed. 4 moment after he noticed short
blank in one of the rails. A terrible fear swept
over him. for now it was too late to stop. But
quick as lightning fash he noticed another
fact,-that the place of the missing rail was on
the inside of a sharp curve. He explained to
me that a train at very high rate of speed
throws the most Of its weight on the outside
rail of a curve, which is always made little
higher than the other. Had an outside rail
been broken the destruction of their train
would have been inevitable; but the break was
On the inside. With that rapid decision which
the better class of railroad men learn to exer-
else, he signalled to the engineer, "Faster;
faster yeti" There was sharp jolt, and the
locomotive and the cars attached were on the
other side of the obstruction with their speed
not even abated. The next train which fol-
lowed was the passenger train that we had met
at Calhoun, which had also been turned back
after us. This train had track-layerS and in.
struments on board, and did very quickly re-
pair the damage; but if Fuller had waited
even that long the bridge over the Oostenaula
would have been wrapped in flames before his
arrival.
Fuller saw the car we dropped and by
promptly having his engine reversed, reduced
the collision to merely a smart shock. 1t was
dexterously coupled fast and driven forward at
full speed. The second car we dropped was
treated in the same manner and the enemy's
speed was scarcely diminished. The time lost
in dropping the cars was about as long as that
lost in the coupling to them.
Thus in the short space between Calhoun and
the Oostenaula River three hindrances or perils,
the greatness of which will be best appreciated
by railroad men, were overcome by the skill
and daring of Fuller's band, and in spite of
them they attained rate of running on this
crooked and irregular road which would have
been most remarkable or perfectly smooth
and unobstIucted track.
Now the Oostenaula bridge was in sight, and
we sackened speed for a desperate attempt to
burn it. But before we could come to full
stop the purSuer was close upon u.s. and very
reluctantly we steamed over the bridge and
continued our flight. The prospect was rapidly
darkening before us. 1t was certain that one
of the trains we had met at Adairsville or CAL |
houn was turned back after US and driven with
the utmost determination. Of all conjectures
to account for this pursuit. that of a telegram
by the way of Richmond was most probable and
most portentous. If this was really the case,
our fate was sealed. With a relentless pursuer
hanging upon our heels, and the towns ahead
warned and ready to dispute our passage, human
bravery and foresight would avail nothing /
have no doubt the mind of Andrews was
weighed down and perplexed by the uncer-
tainty of our situation. Could we have known
even as much of the number and plans of our foes
as they knew of ours-above all, could we have
known whether the road was open before us
the problem would have been simpler. Yet we
had but two hopes to wreck the train behind
US, a task of no small difficulty now they were
on their guard; or, failing in this to distance
them in running far enough to lift some rails
or burn one of the bridges still ahead. II only |
one bridge could be burned, it would stop the
pursuit for the time and leave US free to en-
counter the opposition before us.
Accordingly the jaded General" was spur
red to full speed. The load was now lighter, |
and as much of thu kindling as we thought it
prudent to spare was used in putting the fur
mace into iiercer blaze. We also resumed the |
practice of dropping cr0ss-ties from the rear Of
the car These efforts had marked effect in |
delaying the pursuers, for their smoke and |
whistle soon ceased to disturb us. But while |
4 ,n1a Id