The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-05-30
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the Whole
Line
That Railroad Affair.

That Railroad Affair.
B. F. Sweitzer. Co. F, roth ILL.,,
Greenville. H.. thinks Comrade j. Hill
Co. X, I'D Ill. Quincy, ILL.,. made few
mistakes in his article. 'Railroading
Under Difficulties" Comrade Sweitzcr
was in that squad and, as he remem-
bers. they were detailed from the con-
valescent OF exchange camp at Chat
tanooga to guard two trains to Big
Shanty, Ga. AS he wanted to go to his
regiment, he volunteered for this cx-
petition, and got on the front train.
AS they were going thru the mountains.
the train going very slowly on account
of the road being crooked, the engineer
put one man out to trot in front of the
train to see IL the road ahead was all
right, and when this man got tired the
engineer would stop the train, take
him on, and start out another one.
When they got the other side of Dali
ton there was straight piece of ROAD
for several miles, making it unneces-
sary for anyone to inspect the roa1.
The engineer increased the speed at
this point, but the rebels had pulled
up the spikes, and so before the engi-
| neer could stop the train the engine Of
the front train ran off. and then, as
Comrade Hill says, the rear engine
coupled on the front train to pull it
back to Dalton, but did not get more
than about a half mile when the engi-
neer was obliged to leave one train,
with two or three men to guard it, and
about Is men, of whom he was one, to
guard the engine. which was some dis
lance away. Just about dark they
heard firing up where the train lay, so
ran up and drove the Johnnies away,
after which they went back to the en-
CINE and stayed the rest of that night.
The next morning another engine and
two or three cars with some soldiers
was sent down to them from Dalton to
get their train and the engine and run
it to the front, but when they got with
in half mile of the train they came
to a place where the rebels had pulled
up some more spikes. which the engi-
neer did not see in time, so he threw
the throttle wide open and the engine
got over all right but the cars broke
loose and rolled down an embankment.
The rebels fired into them, killing one
or two of the guards, and then the
Johnnies skipt. The engine was got
on the track again and ran to Big
Shanty, and from there COmrade
SweitZer went to his regiment. Now, if
any of the boys who were in that fra
cas- are living he would like to hear
from them and their version of the
affair.
a NuTrO" Escape.
S. +. Harris, Co. Z. 1st d. C. Cav,
Medford, Wis, would like to hear from
the 1st d. c. Cav, especially Co. E,
of which he was member. Would
like to know where Serg't HuzZy and
the balance of his guard who were on
duty at Sycamore Church, Va, on Sept.
10, 1864, are. Wade Hampton made
them a call at that time with half Of
his troops dressed in blue uniforms,
asking for $500 head of fat cattle for q
breakfast, and was lmpolite enough to
help himself before they had time to
inquire who he was. Does Serg't KEEL
ley. of Co. d, remember the man who
halted him and his relief IN time to
save them from meeting unpleasant
company? Comrade Harris had just
recaptured John Watson and driven
his guard back, and while he was talk
ing about it Serg't Kelley heard the
tramp of horses and ordered his men
to dismount, take their firearms, and
turn the horses back towards camp,
after which they fell in behind trees
and old logs in line on one side of the
road. They had Spencer repeating ri
fles, 16 shots apiece without loading,
and when the rebel troops, which were
a reduced regiment of rebel cavalry,
came along, they gave them little
lead to go with their beefsteak. and
then took to the woods just in time 20
clear their skirmish line, which extend
| ed nearly around them. The woods
were guarded by the enemy on every
side, and the comrades came to a halt
near the guard and divided their car
| triges, and each one made solemn.
promise never to surrender alive. AT
last they decided to try and pass the
guard under cover of the shadow OF
the woods on their hands and knees,
and to shoot If halted. They were not
discovered until they got to a farm
house, where the landlady dressed a
wound for one of the boys and gave
them about eight hardtacks apiece. II
was she who first called their atten-
ton to the fact that the Johnnies had
seen them and had sent a squad after
them She directed them the way t.
their camp, which they reached about
o'clock in the afternoon.
| Albert Sieber.
| Comrade James Wiley, Commander
of ]. W. S. Alexander Post. Globe, Ariz.
writes to us in regard to the death oil
one of the members of his Post:
ALBERT Sieber served his country
faithfully and gallantly. In fact, the
early settlers of Arizona and New Mex
leo know had it not been for such loyal
sranch men as he this part of the Unit
day. They opened up and paved the
way for civilization. Comrade Siebei
served during the war of the rebellion
three years and four months in Co. X
LIST MINI. After the war he served as
a scout under Gen. Crook. After the
Indians were partly subdued he served
as Chief of Scouts at the San Carlos
Agency At that time there were ire
mendous responsibilities resting with
the Chief of Scouts. He had severa
. encounters with the notorious Apache
I Indian kid" in one of which he wa:
shot in the leg by the Kid The woun:
never healed. Indeed, this very WOUND
was the cause of his death. When the
explosion occurred the others escaped
but owing to lameness he could not ge
out of the way. Comrade Sieber wa!
killed at the Roosevelt Dam in Gils
County, Ariz., by premature explo
sion, Feb. 10, 1907. BraveI All. yes
he was as brave man as ever tough
for country and flag
i Name of the officer.
/ D. w. Knappen, Co. H, ed Wis.
Burkett, Neb., informs Comradt
Breese. Duenquat, o., that the name o
the officer who met the flag of truce ..
", JnlU 1894 was Mai