Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-03-14

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: 81 am
running this train through to Corinth, and
have no time to spare" and nodded to
| knight, who once moro 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 ter
rible fright The darting into the partial
darkness 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 a 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 peo-
ple at the station had been warned or
not! .-...
A mile above Dalton, which was about
as soon rs the headlong rush of the en-
gine could be checked, we stopped again,
Just opposite to where Col. Jesse Glenn's
regiment of conscripts were encamped in
field Their position, which was within
200 or 800 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 a second too
late, for message had been flashed
through, no doubt even as Scott was
bringing it down. The usual obstruc-
tions were here piled on the track, and
we again essayed to take up q rail, for
tho 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 purpose Of
getting his telegram ready, to allow us to
finish the track lifting. No men ever
worked with more desperate energy, but
all in vain. long before the rail was loose
the pursuers were again upon u.s.
The race recommended with all its
speed and fury The great tunnel was a
short distance ahead-a glorious place for
an ambush, where, in the darkness, the
guns of the enemy would be Of little value.
If Andrews was disposed to fight, there
would be the place Of all Others to do it.
With the smoke Of our train filling the
space, with our party in ambush along
the sides, success would be comparatively
sure, if they had twice our number, for
of course we could not tell how much of
a reinforcement they might pick up at
Dalton. But we kept right on through
the tunnel and the village of Tunnel Hill
beyond, where we carefully drew down to
conceal our number from the curious eyes
of any who might be about the station.
At Calhoun Fuller had received small
but very effective re-enforcement-only
boy u years old, but worth dozen ordi-
nary men-by means Of one of those ap-
parently small circumstances which often
influence the course of great events. At
Chattanooga the chief officers of the road
had become alarmed by receiving no dis
patches from Atlanta, or the stations be-
low Kingston. They therefore directed
the young assistant operator at Dalton to
jump on the passenger train just then
leaving that station and 60 south, sending
them back word at each station passed
till the cause of the trouble was found.
He had only got as far as Calhoun when
Andrews passed, and Fuller in q moment
after. The latter hardly came to stop
before he saw the operator, and called
him, and without word of explanation
seized his hand and dragged him on the
train. In the run up, however, he made
all the necessary explanations, and wrote
out the following dispatch:
FULLER's TELEGRAM.
"To Gen. Leadbetter, commander at
Chattanooga:
''AIy train was captured this a. m. ut
Big Shanty, evidently by Federal soldiers
in disguise. They are making rapidly for
Chattanooga. possibly with the idea of
burning the.railroad bridges in their rear.
If do not capture them in the meantime,
see that they do not pass Chattanooga.
CIVILIAN A. FULLER"
This he gave to tho operator, saying,
'Don't speak to anybody or lose second
till you put that through to Chattanooga.
Jump for the platform when l slow up,
for l must push on and keep those
Yankees from getting up u rail or burn
ing the bridges"
1t was terribly quick work. The opera
COr WtlS dU lllc VlllSSs tlllNt
before Fuller had cleared the shed he was
ut the desk and the first words were over
the wires. Whether they had time to get
the whole message over before the cut IS
yery doubtful, and not material, for the
first two lines would answer every pur-
pose. Had Fuller stopped at this point,
and himself went into the office long
enough to set the operator at work, 1t IS
almost certain we would have had the rail-
up. and then all the bridges above that
point would have been burned; though IL
is still possible that enough of the mes
sage might have been pushed through to
secure our arrest in Chattanooga. This
was another striking instance of the
many narrow margins on which this day
hinged.
AS Fuller pressed on toward the great
tunnel, even his rcsolutc heart almost
died within him, while all his party began
to blame him for foolhardiness. He feared
to plunge into its dark depths. 1t was
still filled with smoke from our engine;
and he we'll knew that if we jumped OFT at
the far end and hurled back our locomo-
tive at him, it meant u horrible death to
every one on his train; and he was by no
means sure that we would not do it. MI.
Murphy, who had so ably stood by him
all the while, here counseled prudence,
pointing out all the perils of an ambush.
But Fuller realized as apparently no one
else did the desperate need of pressing on
to save the road; and he had made SO
many escapes and been so marvcously
favored that Il kind of fatalism took hold
Of him. He determined not to lose
minute, no matter what the danger might
be. 1t may as well be said here that no
prudent and common sense kind OF pur-
suit, such as possibly any other man
would have employed, could have had the
slightest chance of success. But even
Fuller uuailed as they dived into the cloud
of smoke that hung around the entrance
OF the tunnel. and held his breath for a
few seconds (they were still at full speed
till lie saw with u sigh of relief Il gleam
of light ahead and knew that there was
no other engine now in the tunnel! On
he pressed, for he knew the value of the
Chickamauga bridges ahead rs we'll as
we did.
CHAPTER MI.
\ BURNING CAR.
But for the wetncss of the day ali his
efforts even yet would have been foilcd.
We HOW did what had been in the mind