The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-18
Fl PART IT.. The Start.

The Start.
 On Saturday morning. April 12 1s62 tht regular mailing and passenger train fol Chattanooga left Atlanta at 1 o'clock I consisted of usual mail and express ant baggage cars, first and second clas' coaches and several empty freight car, in front next to the engine General which was afterward to become famous
 The train was in charge of Capt. ". A Fuller, conductor. with Engineer Jen Cain at the throttle. Purely by accident there was also on board MT. Anthony Murphy. who owas on his way to look aftel a pumping engine at Allatoona,
 Arrived at Marietta, twenty miles from Atlanta, twenty men in citizens gaft boarded the train. This seems to have attracted some notice, but excited nc suspicion-the supposition being that they were volunteers for the army going to Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) eight miles distant where there was a recruiting station.
 At Big Shanty a stop was made for breakfast, and many of the passengers and all of the train crew hurried to the eating house, leaving no one in charge of the engine or train. The explanation of this apparent carelessness is found in the fact that sentinel was on duty near the railroad track, hence no danger was apprehended.
 While at breakfast the noise of escap- ing steam was suddenly heard, and the railroad men rushed to the door, fol- lowed by most of the passengers, only to see the locomotive and three freight cars passing out of sight Consternation
 tow. who moved the engine and why, were exoitedly asked on all sides.
 Fuller and Murphy consulted for a mo- ment and concluded that it was the mon who took passage at Marietta who had stolen the engine. Still, no suspicion of their true character obtained, the sup position being that they were deserters from our army who would run the en- zine as far as the steam would hold il being down grade for many miles, and then abandon It.
 Fuller and his companions speedily recognized that nothing could be done where they were, 1t was not a tele- graph station and that their duty lay in following after their lost property. This they did. first having requested a MT. Kendrick, who was connected with the road, to procure a fast horse and ride to Marietta, the nearest telegraph station tIlQ wire lHG WHdl Ildu Hdp- pened. Then Fuller, Murphy and Cain commenced the foot race" which was to become historical. but which, on ac- count of It's apparent futility, excited considerable merriment among the spec tators.
 As they logged along various opinions were expressed, and several plans sug- gested, but their main hope lay in reach ing squad of track hands somewhere tho limo md rropi1rtnp a hand pole car. This they were fortunate enough to do near Moons station. about two miles from their starting point. The re- lief came just in time, for they were out of breath and well-nigh exhausted. - They pressed the car into service aud two hands to pole 1t, there being no crank cars on the line at that time. They had proceeded but a short distance be- fore they found a pile of cross-t ties on the track. and the telegraph wires cut. This changed their opinion about 1t be- ing deserters they were following and convinced them that the afrair was much more serious than at first supposed. Pe- moving the ooStructions, they pressed on until they reached Acworth Station, six miles from Big Shanty. Here they learn ed that the train stopped some distance from the depot. and that the engineer got down, examined his journals, carefully oiled all parts and then moved off rapid ly. This satisfied Fuller and his party thst whoever it was they were pursuing, they understood their business, and proh- ably for the first time the thought of enemies from the federal army occur red to them.
 They "poled' on to Allatoona, and at this place received two old shot guns Murphy says he does not know how long his had been loaded, or what it was load ed with, and Fuller Is not aware to this day whether or not his was loaded at all These were the only arms carried by them, or on any engine which they used during the entire chase. Two cti- zens went along from this point, mak- ing seven men, which pretty well crowd- ed their little car.
 As they proceeded toward Etowah, they moved rapidly, it being down grade, al d had high hopes of soon being able to bud farewell to their friend, the pole; for if they could reach there in time they could procure the engine ''Yonah," In the service of the Cooper Iron company and used on branch line. All would depend upon whether they could reach the station before the Yonah had left on it's return trip. They were making fast time, when suddenly a gap in the track ahead was observed. The raiders had re- moved a rail Having no brake, there wa no way to check their speed Fuller and Murphy jumped, but the rest were less fortunate and into the gap they went, and
 The Car Turned Over.
 Fortunately no one was hurt, and they soon had the car on the track again and going at full speed having taken the precauton to drop one of their pole hands" with instructions to go back and notify the track gang to repair the break before any other trains followed. As they came in sight of Etowah they could scarcely repress shout of joy, for there stood the iron works engine. fired up and ready for service.
 l have already stated that Murphy's 8 presence was accidental. It was a most fortunate accident, for 1t made the euuip- ment for pursuit complete. Really, fate seemed to be against the raiders and in favor of the confederates. for An