The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-17
STEALING LOCOMOTIVES.
A FEAT OF coSFEDERATE ESGI-
NEERISG EARIY ~ VAR.
TRANSPORTING Bie Baltimore s.s Ohio Es-
at.es Over Thirty-eight Mites OF Terra
pike with T.. Four-horse Teams 60
the Esgiue- Thee Days for . Trio.

the Esgine-Three Days Tor . IT'D.
Among the earliest and most perplexins prob
lens that confronted the Confederate leaders
in the civil war was that OF railroad transpor'
tation. The TERRITORY controlled By them az
the beginning OF the struggle-roughly speak
ing, that lying south Of the Potomac-was
threaded BY numerous railroads. the equip
ment Of which was fully equal to the require
ments Of peace traffic: but when the war came
aud there were masses OF men. horses. food.
ordnance. and ammunition 20 be moved. the
lack OF Sufficient rolling stock became at once
apparent. The Southern railroads had n few
shops. Il 10 true. but their combined facilities
were not ecu Il TO the manufacture Of half the
rolling stock needed. Where w.re the much
needed locomotives. cars. and machinery TO
come from: European m"rkets we're out OF
the que ,tion. and Northern shops equally -.
for obvious reasons. even So opp-ine that the
requisite .ubds had been forthcoming. lEvcn.
ton. flashed by stern necessity 3. son founl d
way out Of the dilemma at once simple. old.
and effective. though not unattended with hit-
nculty and danger.
The plan. based on the axiom that ''all is fair
IN love and war" wa nothing more or les
than that OF selling the rolling stock Of 4 North
ern road and appropriating IL TO use on the
southern lines. which includ ed the RALEIGH
ard CASTOR. from Raleigh. ". G.. 10 near
PetershurR. Va. the North Carolina Central,
from Raleigh to Charlotte. y. G.. and the vir-
GiniA Central, from Gordonville.t to Richmond.
The successful execution oGthis s.heme form.
n unique and exciting chapter. which has been
but little touched upon BY war historians. IL
10 tie purpose Of the present arti lie TO describe
this remarkable movement or rather series Of
movements. fo- the Accom- plish men: OF the
plan covered nearly TWO yea7s. and II Is be
licved the recital will prove highly interest.
ing news to The readers OF this generation.
In June. 1881. the Confederate forces under
Gen. Joseph T.. Johnston occuoied Harper's
Ferry. eontrclllne the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road from Point OF Rocks. q few miles south OF
Harper's Ferry. to q considerable distance
west Of Martinsbuis Oh. The tnion forces, IN
der Gen. Patterson. were between the Potomac
and the Pennsylvania line. Smiling fortune
could hardly have fashioned a SITUATION more
favorable to the plans OF the Confederate..
,ovetou- OF Northern locomotives. for right 5e-
tween the hostile lines. and Jet generally
within thu grasp o. the Southern forces. ran
the baltimore aud Ohio Railroad. a prosperous
trunk line OF standard gauge. extending from
Baltimore 10 81. Louis and completely equip
led with hrrt-clsss rolling.stock. Nhile at Mar.
tinsburgh. only thIrtreight miles from tie
nearest Southern railroad. and but eighteen
miles from Winchester. which the Colfeier-
4 NfFe nel6 Al That time NtfInET d aFntG- EhA the
terminus OF one OF the divisions OF this trunk
line, with shous aud rolndhouse. a poin; Of A.
,embly and d,strhut.on for cars and e-r,res.
c.,,tr. o 49,. 1900 -.,L,
was hut a matter OF protecting skilled work
men while they van9u!shed mechanical din.
culties. That these difficulties were by no
means small will te seen from the statement
that the sole means OF .transpo-ting the prizes
from Martinsburgh. the point whence most 81
them were taken TO Strasburgh. Va. where
they could be pl,c.d on the tracks O., the
chester over q turn pike.
80. p.i,So- ~. o.. 49,"
@kihg 'he baitimo'e ana ONO ro!lihH stock
tim. ~ the occurrence n,rr.,.d c,n,sir sna
..,,,r o,,-rn.,., 4, -. con,us..-..
He Was a e,yr .nsipe.r And a:,Soporsh ran.
road man, self reliant and re.ourceful. Most
=, ~. ,.c,. 5v., o,,.trd -
u ~ ,'",n T.,
Duke. now residing In Cumberland. Nd. and
in 1851 Col. Sharp's tial clerk. Mr..
Duk.. rbo ,nl,.,.a in n. arm from Ier.,.o,
county. vs.. was detailed for duty in the
Qua, ternA,,.r.s a.par,n.n, wa. r-..,,
"hch eome o' n '"'onou'e, Ne,e takeh. ana
was more or les. iden t!hed with the entire
m aSn sn a., "e.io.' mas ota re'esaed
u ms t~ i'"m o'her sources
u HtNNtSsN9 - 'ONa4A4sAs Nst IdA-Eb4I lAA-
terra, In the manner de.c-ibed created a .p--
It,, or..,,a,ion .,,,.,r -. a.
et"' oFsa''u, e"''e.s sepN"Fc Anu us-
tnct from the military, though. OF course. Co
operating witE them. which. while working
under authority ~ the Quartermast@r-Gcn-
erals Office NJ Richmond. might hav- been
chfisiened the Railroad CORPS. Tie TART
taken by the military ~ the locomotive s-!Z-
ures was merely that OF furnishing protection.
HE armed forces pickc;ea the country and left
the railroad men free 10 oper-te.
In ,~peaking of the Baltimore and Obs as a
Northern road. the term Is used brOaGiy. as
Distinguishing the line from thuce lying eu-
tIrr!y within what was az that period OF the
war a Confederate territory. Gengr aphIca.D
sp-aS a good PORTION Of the road ira.
verse. ,"' .orde. between the military North
and South. IL Was frequently in the hams OF
both armies. though the Confederate inflicted
nearly. not all. the damage upon the road
during the struggle.
In Juns. 1861. S~toncwall Jackson. acting I IT,
der the orders u zen. Johnston. went TO Mar
tinsburc and burned a namler o: cars and en-
Eines belonging to the Baltimore ami Ohio
read. Inc loc' motives were but -ll.htly in
jured only the woodwork having been dam
aged anu were among those afterNard carried
or, by the Railroad Corps.
The first CAPTURE OF locomotives took place az