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

But we now had good head Of steam,
and with joyful bound our engine, as if
refreshed from its rest, sped on again.
We had been careful to so obstruct the
track that the enemy was obliged to come
to full halt, and thus give us time to
once more get out Of sight.
We passed Tilton in safety, and the
water station, which at that time was at
a different place from the wood yard, was
soon reached. Our supply of this neces-
sity was low, and without it our progress
would be at once arrested. We stopped,
adjusted the pipes, told the powder story
although from the battered appearance
Of our only car, with a hole knocked in
each end, that story was no longer plaus-
ible, but it answered for the moment and
we succeeded in getting all the water we
needed. Had any objection been made
we would have taken it by force, and the
assurance with which we went to work
aided in securing confidence. Before the
tank was full the pursuers came in sight,
but seeing us they ran slowly, and as
party of our men had run back and put
some distractions on the track, out of gun
shot, they were obliged to come to full
stop there, thus giving us the time needed.
IQen We Houuleu duu speo ou to"dAu
Dalton.
1t was advisable at once to get deci-
sively ahead of the pursuers before reach
ing this town, which might present seri-
Gus difficulties. AS there were no bridges
to burn now for considerable distance,
the only other thing was to try once more
to tear up the track. The engine was
again in good running condition, and we
rushed rapidly forward, putting frequent
distractions on the track-mostly by drop
ping ties or sticks Of firewood, but in one
or two instances by reversing the engine,
jumping out and piling up distractions.
At favorable place we stopped again for
more permanent break.
Long practice had made us skillful in
this matter, and the last two stops had
shown us that the enemy could not run
upon US without great care. So we
divided at once into four parties. Scott
and a companion cut the telegraph;
Knight carefully inspected the engine;
two or three ran back just out of gun
shot, and heaped distractions on the
track, while the remainder worked with
might and main in taking up rail. 1t
was here that a little occurrence took
place that has been much misrepresented.
A southern account, widely copied,
says that Andrews men almost mutinied
against him at this place. The facts
are these: The writer and the men in the
box car had come to feel that there was
no need of running so long before the pur-
suing train, which we could see to be
short one, with probably not much if any
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 slow,
requiring more than five minutes-I said
to Andrews: "We can capture that train,
if you are willing"
''How!' he asked. I answered:
"Find a good place on q curve where
there are plenty of bushes" las the road
had numberless curves, and ran mostly
through woods, this was easy) "then let
Us put on some distractions and hide; one
OF our engineers can run ahead q mile or
two and come back after us; when the
enemy stop to clear the track wewill rush
on them, and when we have captured
them our other engineer can reverse their
engine and send it in hurry down the
track to clear the road Of any more trains
that may be following"
Andrews said, in his quiet way: sit is
good plan. 1t is worth trying" and
looked around in meditative manner rs
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 stub
born spikes still held, and as they were
ready to move on again, Andrews called
out ''All aboard" and we dashed away.
That was not the place to make a fight,
as we all knew, for revolvers against
shotguns and rifles would have had no
chance ut 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 nearest we came to what
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
Dur foes, and that we would soon have all
the fighting we wanted.
The full speed of our engine was again
called into requistion as we neared Dal-
ton, and by the aid of g few ties dropped
on the track we were once more q respect
able distance ahead. We needed this III
terval badly, for it was by no means Ger
tain that the switches at this point would
be properly adjusted for our immediate
passage through; and if not, serious diff
Guilty might arise. We might have a
battle with forces in front as well as iE
the rear, for Dalton was the largest town
we had reached since leaving Marietta
Here road diverged to Cleveland i'll
Tennessee, where it connects with the
main line from Richmond to Chattanooga,
thus making large triangle, or, as u
railroad man would say, great Y: At
that time no telegraph wires were on this
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