The National tribune., 1897-05-20
CHAPTER II.

We Pull Out Lively-A Bewildered Multi
tu6e of Rebels-Cutting Telegraph W res
The Powder-Train Story-A Jealous Sta
ton Agent Who was Willing to Send His
Last Shirt to Beauregard-Pursued by
Locomotive-Trying to Burn Bridge.
Throwing OFF Ties-Reckiess Race, the
Like of Which was Never Before Seen.
"HE REBEL GUARDS WHO WERE
EI on duty about the platform did not
c)Els at first seem to comprehend what
was up, and when it was, alas, too
late looked after us in blank amaze
kc) ment. We shot out lively for
short distance, perhaps nearly hall
a mile, as Knight had thrown the valve
wide open. when we discovered the engine
had been left with but little steam or fire
either. We were compelled to come to a
dead stop, and the way we put in wood and
poured on oil wasn't slow by any means.
We could see the surprised, dumfounded
crowd-citizens, soldiers, officers, and rail-
road men-gazing alter and running
hither and thither in helpless confusion.
Several squads of soldiers, with their guns,
started for us on the dead run, Yelling like
wild Comanches.
Our fire was burning briskly by this
waited, however, until they came within 80
or 30 rods and then pulled the lever and
rolled out slowly for some distance until we
could gain good head of steam. When
they saw we had steam up they came to
halt and opened lively musketryire on
us. They did us no harm, and every revolu-
tion of the big wheels carried us farther be-
yond their reach.
When we were safely out of their way
we halted again, and John Scott, with the
agility, intrepidity and daring for which he
was noted, climbed pole and cut the tele-
graph-wire, so that by no possibility would
they be able to send dispatch ahead of us.
We then pulled out at a rapid rate for a
time, until, coming TO q curve in the road,
We stopped again.
Every man fully realized the danger of
the terrible work of destruction that We
had undertaken, and was fully nerved for
the struggle. Here too, we tore up the
track behind Us, and Scott again cut down
the wires, as he continued to do throughout
that terrible race, and this time made them
fast to the rear car of the train. The way
we "yanked down telegraph-poles and tore
the wire loose when we started up was
frightful to behold.
MEETING A DOWN TRAIN.
At the next station we met and passed a
train. They evidently regarded us with
surprise or suspicion. The train men knew
the locomotive we were on, but the hands
Were all strangers to them. Besides we
were wild train ahead of the express, and
unannounced. But we did not parley or
answer questions nor stop until we reached
the tank, where we took on water and wood.
NJ lnG Qf q
while, when we again stopped and tore up
the track and cut the wires to cut off pur-
suit.
We continued in this manner, destroying
track and wire frequently, until We reached
Q little station called Marengo, where We
had to stop for a south-bornd train TO pass.
When we made the first stop, after capturing
the train and getting clear of Big Shanty,
Andrews was overjoyed at our success,
and when he jumped off the locomotive he
clasped each of us by the hand, congratu-
lating us that the worst part of the job WAS
over, as We had but one more train to pass,
when the coast would all be clear" This
probably would all have been true had we
been one day sooner.
While we were waiting at Marengo, An
drews went into the Office and procured the
switch keys and schedule, telling the
of1ce-man that he was running an extra
through with powder and ammunition TO
Beauregard, who was hard pressed by Grant
and was out Of ammunition, and the great
est possible haste was necessary. This story,
trumped up on the spur of the moment, had
much semblance of truth, although we did
not know it.
Not a week had elapsed since the battle
OF Shiloh, and Gems. Grant and Halleck
were at that very time pushing their col
umns on toward Beauregard at Corinth,