The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-01-12

greater force than our own. Now while
as many were at the rail as could find
places to work-the process of lifting it
with our imperfect tools was very glow,
requiring more than five minutes-I said
to Andrews: I'VE can capture that train,
if you are willing"
''Howy' he asked. I answered:
Find good place on a curve where
there are plenty Of bushes" las the road
had numberless curves, and ran mostly
through woods, this was easy1; then let
Us put on some distractions and hide; one
of our engineers can run ahead mile or
two and come back after US; when the
enemy stop to clear the track we viii rush
on them, and when we have captured
them our other engineer can reverse their
engine and send it In a hurry down the
track to clear the road of any more trains
that may be following"
Andrews said, in his quiet way, SIT is a
good plan. 1t is worth trying" and
looked around in a meditative manner as
If weighing the chances. Then the
enemy's whistle sounded, we saw them
rush up to the distractions we had placed
on the track, stop by reversing, and labor
as frantically to clear the road as we were
doing in trying to raise the rail-
But our efforts were in vain The
stubborn spikes still held, and as they
were ready to move on again, Andrews
called out, 'tAu aboard" and we dashed
away. That was not the place to make q
fight, as we all knew, for reYolvers against
shotguns and rifles would have had no
chance at long range; but from an am
bush we could have been climbing into
their engine and cars before they could
pick up their guns, and the conflict would
not have been many minutes doubtful
This was the nearest we came to what 6
southern account called "open mutiny''-
q mere respectful suggestion in the line Of
our work. No officer was ever more
heartily obeyed than was Andrews during
the whole of this day, and none of US said
anything more about this plan for the
time, partly because we felt that our
leader was better able to judge what was
to be done than we, and partly also,
must confess, because we thought he was
only waiting for the best place to turn on
our foes, and that we would soon have
all the fighting we wanted.
The full speed of our engine was again
called into requisttion as we neared Dali
ton, and by the aid of few ties dropped
on the track we were once more respect
able distance ahead. We needed this
interval badly, for it was by no means
certain that the switches at this point
would be properly adjusted for our i'm
mediate passage through; and If not, Sc
rious difficulty might arise. We might
have battle with forces in front as well
as in the rear, for Dalton was the largest
town we had reached since leaving
Marietta Here road diverged to Cleve-
land in Tennessee, where it connects with
the main line from Richmond to Chatta-
nooga, thus making a large triangle, or, as
a railroad man would say, great Y. At
that time no telegraph wires were on this
cross road; they were not put up till 1877.
There Were also numerous side tracks
nd baI hot fryh% h. Lex
standing ON some Of them; and as we had
more than made up our hours delay at
Kingston and were now much ahead Of
time, there was no certainty Of the road
being rightly adjusted for us. It was
therefore necessary to stop at the OPEN
ing of the switch, which was fortunately
a little way down from the large passen-
ger depot, which had shed over all the
tracks, and through which we had to
pass.
Here the GOODNESS and adroitness of An
drews shone out with e-eminent luster.
1t is likely that when we had spoken of
fighting little way back, his mind was
occupied rather with the problem Of pass
ing Dalton, and of judging by what took
place there whether the enemy was warned.
The train was stopped, he ran forward.
observed that the track was clear, spoke
to one or two bystanders, and was back
to his post in an exceedingly short time.
To one or two who had come up even In
these few seconds, he said: ST am running
this train through to Corinth, and have
no time to spare;" and nodded to Knight,
who once more put on the full force Of
the engine-there was nothing to be gained
by care in avoiding alarm any longer, for
the distant whistle of the pursuer was
heard-and we rushed at the depot, which
then stood right across the double track,
and passed with fearful speed under its
roof. Here Knight got his most terrible
fright. The darting into the partial dark
ness of the shed was bad enough, but just
at the far end the main track bends sharply
to the left, and the swerve was so sudden,
and the speed already so high, that Knight
believed he was rushing on another side
track, and that in moment would come
the awful crash. But instead the engine
instantly righted, and he again saw the
track straight before him. But SO quickly
had we passed that we could not certainly
determine whether the people at the sta
ton had been warned or noti
A mile above Dalton, which was abou6
as soon as the headlong rush of the engine
could be checked, we stopped again, just
opposite to where Col. Jesse Glenn's regi-
ment of conscripts were encamped in a
field. Their position, which was within
200 or 300 yards Of US, was probably not
seen until we Were close to them, and it
was better to take the risk of their inter
ference than to lose time by seeking an
other place for more pressing work.
Again the wire was cut; but it was q
second too late, for a message had just
been flashed through, no doubt even as
Scott was bringing it down. The usual
Instructions were here piled on the track,
and we again essayed to take up a rail,
for the Chickamauga bridges were just
above, and we wanted time enough to get
them on fire, hoping that Fuller would
stop long enough at Dalton for the puf-
pose of getting his telegram ready, to
allow us to finish the track lifting. No
men ever worked with more desperate en-
ergy, but all in vain; long before the rail
was loose the pursuers were again upon
US.
The race recommended with all its speed
and fury. The great tunnel was short
distance ahead-a glorious place for an
ambush, where, in the darkness, the guns
of the enemy would be Of little value. Il
Andrews was disposed to fight, there
| would be the place Of all others to do it
With the smoke of our train filing the
| space, with our party in ambush along
| the sides, success would be comparatively
sure, If they had twice our number, fol
| of course we could not tell how much o.
a reinforcement they might pick up a
| Dalton. But we kept right on through
| the tunnel and the village of Tunnel Hill
beyond, where we carefully drew down Il
| conceal our number from the curious eye
| of any who might be about the station.
At Calhoun Fuller had received small
but very effective re-enforcement-Only
boy thirteen years old, but worth dozel
of ordinary men-by means OF one o
| those apparently small circumstance
| which often influence the course OF grea
| events At Chattanooga the chief officer
| Of the road had become alarmed by re
ceiving no dispatches from Atlanta, o
the stations below Kingston. They there
fore directed the young assistant operate
at Dalton to jump on the passenger trail
Just then leaving that station and g
south, sending them back word at eac
station passed till the cause Of the troubl
was found. He had only got as far a
Calhoun when Andrews passed, and Fulle
in a moment after. The latter hardl
came to q stop before he saw the operator
and called him, and without q word c
explanation seized his hand and dragge
him on the train In the run up, how
ever, he made ali the necessary explains