Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-10-10

to ride back and get three or four
men who knew how 10 take up the
rails. secured some expert track
destroyers. The track was double
one and Col Mosby ordered that
both tracks be torn up.
| only a short time before the rang
ers had destroyed only one track and
a train came laundering past on the
track that had not been touched. The
astonished rangers looked after ii as
if undetermined to mount their horses
and pursue the flying train or sit down
and say cuss' WORDS.
Under the direction of Col. Mosby
I the troopers pried up the rails of the
westbound track and pushed lot of
fence rails under it. with the heavy
unds resting on the eastbound track.
| We raised the track to an angle OF
about forty-five degrees. We then
raised the other side and placed a
big rock under it.
The work was soon accomplished
and the men were ordered TO leave
| their horses in the woods under a
guard and take position en- foot along
the railroad. While we were lying
around in groups trying 10 keep warm,
for it was cold, frosty. wet night,
! the guard who had been left with the
horses came gallopin toward us shout
ing
The Yankees are coming
Every trooper Of us made quickly
there expected to receive rain OF
bullets. We listened but could not
hear a sound. The guard had been
frightened by a SOW and her pigs run
ming through the dry autumn leaves.
| Thoroughly Disguised, we went back
| to the railroad. after Col Mosby
had used some language that cannot
be found in Sunday school books. AS
punishment the colonel threatened toI
send the fellow back TO the army,
which was dreaded by all the rang
ers.
Col Mosby, who was never known
to sit down or stand still when III
expectancy of a fight, being wiry.
nervous man, walked up and down
in trent of the men cracking jokes
with them Suddenly there came the
sound CT locomotice whistle and the
distant sound of an approaching train
The troopers sprang to their feet at
his command, and Lieut. Hatcher was
ordered 10 take one man and go
down the track hundred yards, with
instructions TO fire if there was a
guard on the train. If there were no
guard, he was not to fire
The Train Wrecked.
Lieut. GOrgan was directed TO -)rm
the rest Of the troopers on the bank
opposite the distractions on the track |
| went with Hatcher down the track.
We mad just taken our positions when
we saw the headlight of the locomo
tive. Then the train came thunder
ing past us. This was between . and
. o'clock in the morning October IA,
1864.
1T was fast westbound train going
at full speed We saw no guards on
the train and consequently did not
fire our carbines or pistols.
Some nervous ranger fired his re-
volver when the train reached his
post, and there was a return fire5
from the cars. but no one was killed.
When the engine struck the o5struc
ton it tumbled over onto the other
track. The train was not badly wreck
ed, and besides a general jolting the
/ passengers we're not seriously in
jured.
Hatcher and myself rushed Gown
the embankment and we're soon inI
the rear coach. There were ten coach
IS in the train. We rushed in. pis
tolls in hand. expecting to be confront
cd by some soldiers But to our sur
prise We found the train almost filed
with the gentler sex. there being but
few men on the cars. When the
ladies dicovered that we were MOsby
men they sprang up and gave vent
to screams the like Of which had
never heard before.
We begged them TO be seated. ex-
planning that we would no injure
them. but that only added fuel TO the
flames. They had no doubt read such
exaggerated stories about us in the
northern newspapers that they be
iieved Us to he horned desperadccs.
psymssters and Funds Captured.