The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-10-29
Civil War Stories
Railroads in War Time

me nlOSt exciting period In my rail-
road career was during the late war,
and mishaps and thrilling experiences
crowded one another so closely at that
time that it is hard matter TO pick
4 good story from the bunch. The
transportation of troops is one Of the
most difficult things in the world when
the excitement is at fever heat and all
the employees have almost lost their
wits. When the Southern forces made
dash into Pennsylvania and march
ed as far north as the Susquehanna
River l was located on the north side of
that stream, and you can imagine the
trials | had to contend with. Raw
militia was being pushed out of Phil
adclphia at every possible moment, and
the speed made by several of the trains
as they came north was something 10
wonder at. But one engineer overdid
the speed business. He was given or
ders to make Columbia as quick as pos
sible, and he proceeded to do ii. All
went well until about twenty miles out
rocking of the cars alarmed the sold
iers, and they commenced to put oil the
brakes. When the train was stopped
they sent a committee to the engineer
and told him TO take it easy, and sta
toned two men in the locomotive to
see that this request was carried out.
They arrived at Columbus in plenty of
time to face the rebels, but the bridge
over the river had been burned, and the
Southern army went back to Gettys-
burg and to defeat.
I'm connection with the burning of
the bridge another exciting incident in
the railroad line occurred. Several cars
loaded with passengers stood on the
south side of the stream about 80 feet
from the bridge entrance. All was ex-
element, and the passengers were yell
ing at the engineer 10 pull out, but
cool conductor was In charge, and he
waited until all the women and chill
dren in sight had boarded the train.
When the signal was given the Confed
crates were rounding bend in the rail
road about quarter of a mile away.
and shots were being exchanged with n
group of militia clustered around the
bridge entrance.
Then came the Union army down the
pike road in full retreat. narrowly miss
ing the flank movement of the South
erners, and the train and this mass of
humanity entered the bridge together
Thirty seconds later and the structure
was fired, and when that train pulled
out of the north end Of the bridge and
the south end for 800 feet was a mass
Of flames. That locomotive and half a
dozen cars comprised the equipment of
that branch road, and had the invading
army captured it would have been Of
great advantage to them.
AS to the number of soldiers killed
on the railroad during the war, it must
have been an appalling list, but human
life was of small moment in those stir
ring times, and life lost here or there
didn't count. We generally carried
them in freight cars, and the instruc-
lions given by the employees looking to
their safety all went for naught. as
they did as they pleased. They would
climb on top of the cars, and in pleas
ant weather they considered this n
great lark. Several of the bridges
crossing the track were not high enough
TO admit of man standing up on the
car roofs or even in sitting position,
while the train was passing under them
Protests were to no avail, as they believ-
ed the employees were trying to brighten
them. Consequently it was not an un-
usual sight to see these brave but reclS-
lSs fellows swept from the cars and
killed. There is bridge directly south
Of the Lancaster (Pa.) depot spanning
a deep cut, and one morning, after a
hot, sultry night, eight dead soldiers
were found alongside the track | re-
member a Captain and men Of their
company said that while they were sor-
ry for the Lieutenant. they were glad of
the Captains fate, as they would have
killed him sooner or later, on account of
his cruelty to them. Washington Star