The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-02-04
CAPTURE ENGINES.
How the Johnny Rebs" Got Away With
b. g. o. Locomotives,


picking problems that confronted the
Confederate leaders in the civil war
} was that of railroad transportation.
The southern railroads had a few
shops, it is true, but their combined
facilities were not equal to the manu-
facture of half the rolling stock
needed.
The plan, based on the axiom that
''all is fair in love and war;" was
nothing more or less than that of
Selling the rolling stock of northern
road and appropriating it to use on
the southern lines.
1t is generally conceded that the
idea of taking the Baltimore and
Ohio rolling stock originated with
Col. Thomas r. Sharp, at the time of
the occurrences narrated captain and
acting quartermaster in the Confed-
crate army. Most of the facts given
are obtained from j. E. Duke, now
residing in Cumberland, and in 1861
Col. Sharp's confidential clerk.
In June, 1861, Stonewall Jackson,
acting under the orders of Gen. John
son, went to Martinsburg and burned
a number Of cars and engines belong
ing to the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road.
The first capture OF locomotives
took place at Martinsburg on a bright
morning in 1861. Everything hay
ing been previously arranged, the
forces selected to do this work, con-
sisting OF about thirty-fve men,
including mechanics detailed from
the ranks, ten teamsters, and about a
dozen laborers, left Winchester before
daybreak and proceeded by the pike
to Martinsburg. They were under
the immediate charge of Hugh Lon
gust, an experienced railroad man
from Richmond. Forty horses form
ed highly picturesque feature of
the expedition. They were to furnish
the motive power.
Upon arrival at Martinsburg, Mr..
Longust, swarthy, wiry little man,
looked about until his eyes fell upon
a big locomotive standing on side
track near the roundhouse.
That's the fellow we've got to
begin on, boys. Go in, boys" he
shouted.
| First, the tender was uncoupled,
then the engine was raised by means
of jackscrews and stripped of all the
parts that could be removed, such as
side and piston rods, valves, levers,
lamps, bell, whistle and sandbox. All
the wheels were taken off except the
f1ange drivers at the rear. The
stripping was done to tighten weight,
secure greater ease in hauling, and
for the better preservation of the
running gear.
The next step was to swing the
prize round until it hung poised in
the air and to replace the missing
forward wheels with a heavy truck.
A powerful chain formed the connect
ing link between the locomotive and
the team of horses.
When all was in readiness team
ster mounted the end of each four,
Longust gave the signal, the crack of
ten whips rang out, and the locomo-
tive's novel trip was begun.
The average time of the entire trip
was three days to Strasburg, thirty
eight miles south Of Martinsburg.
Often the macadam covering of the
road would break through under the
unwonted weight and let the iron
monster down into the soft earth.
Before the first trip was made a
prospecting party went over the route
and examined the bridges on the line
Of the pike. In most instances these
were not equal to supporting heavy
locomotive, and it was necessary to
strengthen them for the unusual bur
den.
One of the hardest problems to
solve was that of regulating the speed
in descending hills. Just what the
cyclist does with his little spoon
shaped brake, the men in charge of
the locomotive did for that unwieldy
mass of iron. After considerable ex-
pertinent and thought the all useful
jackscrew was again called into req
uisition and used as brake, being
fastened to the engine frame and
placed sidewise against the driving
wheel and frightened or loosened, as
the necessity arose, by man who
rode on the engine.
When the engines reached Stras-
burg they were placed upon the tracks
of the Manassas Gap railroad, which
had the same gauge of the Baltimore
and Ohio-five feet eight and a half
inches-by the process employed in
taking them from the rails at Mar
tinsburg, and the tenders having
been attached, they were hauled by