The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-02-12

the raiders, in the narrative, "Daring
and Suffering"
Andrews and his engineer, Knight,
left the car together, walked to the en-
CINE and saw that the cab was va
cant and the track clear just ahead.
" Them" says Pittenger, they turned
and walked back until just in advance
OF the first baggage car and behind
three empty freight cars (next to the
engine), when Andrews said, with a
nod, Uncouple here and wait for me-.
Knight drew the pin and laid it on the
drawbar. Andrews came back to the
door of our car and said in an ordinary
tone: 'Come on, boys. 1t is time to
go now Andrews glided forward
very swiftly, and Knight, seeing him
coming, hurried Oh before and jumped
on the engine, where he at once cut
the bell rope, and selling the throttle
bar, stood leaning forward, with tense
muscles and eyes fixed on the face of
the leader.
Andrews did not follow, but stood
a step back from the engine with one
hand on the rail, looking at his men as
they ran forward. Brown and Wilson,
the other engineer and fireman, darted
forward and took post beside Knight.
AS soon as the rest of us reached the
last box car we saw that its door was
wide open. Andrews motioned with
his hand to us saying: Get iol Get
inf All This time sentry was stand
ing not dozen feet from the engine,
quietly watching, as if this was the
most ordinary proceeding, and a num-
ter OF other soldiers were idling but
short distance away. Andrews stepped
on board and nodded TO Knight.
"Quick as flash the valve was
thrown open and the steam giant un-
chained, but for an instant, which
seemed terribly long, the locomotive
appeared to stand still. knight had
thrown the full power on too suddenly,
and the wheels slipped on the track,
whiring with swift revolutions and the
hiss of escaping steam before the in
erlia of the ponderous machine could
be overcome. But it was an instant
only. None of the soldiers had time to
ra.se his musket, give alarm or indeed
recover from his stupor before the
wheels Bit and the train shot away
ss if fred from cannon"
Thus far all had turned out abou. as
planned. rhe details had remained in
the hands of Andrews, and his marvel
Gus assurance had carried him through.
! But trouble lay ahead. He would OF
course run the train on the regular
schedule, although ahead Of time. A
schedule, of which he had copy,
showed TWO trains to be met, and he had
learned of an extra freight on the
road. The flying engine, with its alb
brevated train, sped OF past stations
where passengers awaited the regular
mail Between stations the raiders
cut the wires and destroyed tracks to
stop off pursuit. At Cass, the regular
place for taking on wood and water,
toe raiders halted for needed supplies,
Andrews coolly telling the tender that
his train was special carrying powder
to B9auregard's army at Corinth. The
enthusiastic tender offered his services
fully, saying he would send his " last
shirt to Beauregard."
Seven miles from Cass lay Kingston,
where connections were made with u
road to Rome. 1t was a waiting place
for trains to pass on the single track
the raiders were on. A glance showed
that the local freight had not reached
there, and Andrews ran few hundred
yards past the station. Then he ordered
the swltchman to open the side track.
That being done, the runaway was
backed down alongside the Rome pas
senger train. The engineer of the lat
ter quickly saw that something was
amiss and called out: "How is this?
Here's their engine with none of their
men on board" Andrews promptly
said, Il have taken this train on gov.
ernment authority to run ammunition
through to Beauregard, who must have
it at once" That was enough. Stel
ping TO The telegraph office, he asked
after the local freight and was shown a
telegram to the conductor of the stolen
train asking him to wait at Kingston for
the freight to pass.
Finally the long freight dragged up
TO the station, blocking the outlet To
the switch. Andrews promptly asked
The conductor to pull up and let
the powder train " out. Suddenly he
noticed that the freight carried red
flag, a signal that another train followed,
and asked for an explanation. The
answer was a startling one, but Andre s
did not betray himself. The conductor
said that General Mitchell was march
Ing on Chattanooga, and the Confeder-
ates were moving all the rolling stock
out of bis reach. He was sorry, he
said, for the delay to the "powder
train" but helped matters for the raid.
ers all he could by moving his train
down the main track so that the section
following would clear the head of the
switch. Andrews derided the Mitchell
scare, saying that Beauregard would
sweep the Yankees out of the road and
ended with the convincing statement,
AT any rate, l have my orders"
The wait at Kingston was over al
hour, and Andrews was recognized by
at least one person, who knew him il
his old character. A bystander watched
him closely for time, then, when
there was no one else near, stepped up
and handed him bulky envelope. An
drews smiled and placed the package il
his breast pocket.
The second freight at last arrival anf