The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-07-02
The return Grip was safely made,

The return trip was safely made,
though the party, whose prisoners were
stronger in number than their captors,
were fearful that some outcry might
be made that would awake those of the
foe who were slumbering As soon as
they were out of earshot of the town
they set out at brisk pace and about
dawn passed within 200 yards OF the
Federal fort at Centerville- The grim
mouths Of the cannon could be seen
looming up in the dim light. and one
prisoner, a Captain Barker, OF New
York, here made a break for liberty,
but was brought back by timely shot
Passing beyond the reach of the forti-
fications, Mosby's men struck out at a
rapid pace for their own lines, and
were soon safe from any interference.
delivering up their prisoners to the
Confederate authorities.
Another exciting and very remunera-
tive adventure of the rangers was when
they captured Federal pay train,
from which they secured a large
amount OF greeabacks. 1t was in DC
tober, 1864. that Harry Heaton. one of
the scouts, came and informed Mosby
that there was a fine opening in the
valley ON the line of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, so a party was secured
and they set out across the mountains
for Duffield station, at which place the
pay train was 10 pass, reaching the
spot just before it was due Obstruc-
lions were placed upon the track. so
that when the express came dashing
down ID came to an abrupt stop
A guard was placed over the engine
and the rangers entered the cars On
board were two Union paymasters. hav-
ing in charge the money for the troops
the amount reaching $4,000. which
was secured by West Aldridge,
one of Mosby's men. Aldridge promptly
reported his luck to Mosby, and when
the full sum was collected it was equal
ly divided out among the men. Mosby
refusing to accept any share. The pas
sengers were relieved Of their funds.
which went as individual spoils. Then
the cars were set on fire, aid the band
went back with twenty prisoners and
fifteen horses, besides the money and
the two paymasters, the latter being
sent on to prison. One of the paymas-
| tiers was a brother to General Ruggles.
| Another time a train was captured
near Catlett's station, On what is now
the Southern Railroad. Lee was max
ing his preliminary preparations for his
Gettysburg campaign, Hooker was COW
ering Washington, while Pleasanton's
Cavalry Corps was stationed on the
river about fifty miles from the CAPT
tai. General Stuart had sent to Mostly
by Captain Fountain Beattie a small
mined to use 1t in an attack on the
railroad. which vas employed by the
Union army for tie conveying of troops.
To cripple this service would be a great
aid to the Confederacy. SO the tele-
graph lines were cut, a rail removed.
men waited for the train. In few
minutes it came booming along. then
glided from the track, while the infan-
try guard fired volley. In a moment
a shell from the gun went crashing into
the boiler, at which the troops desert
ed. The hay on board fired up and
burned brightly, while the escaping
steam made a noise like that of In
ferno's caldrons- The cars were loaded
with fine suffers stores. and all of this
was secured by the hungry rangers
Philadelphia Times