Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-25
The Argus Daily Story
A Night Run-By F. A Mitchell
Copyrighted. 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau

There is one feature Of the civil war
that has never been written up.
refer to the railroads. They were
the main instruments of transportation
and communication. Their possession
was therefore usually the most i'm
portaut element in a campaign. Ana
when taken the next problem that
arose was how TO hold them and the
next how to operate them to a pur-
pose. The people living in the south
through which they passed were
mostly sympathizers with the Conred-
eracy and did all they could or dare
do to wreck trains in Federal hands.
They would take up a rail, saw the
stringers OF a bridge. so that the
weight OF n train would break II: they
would interfere with switches. Indeed,
there was no element of danger they
could devise that they would not
throw in the way or the Union opera
ton of the road.
Before repeating a story that was
told me by an ex-FederaI railroad en-
10 which | was a party. L was with
Union general who was riding on
n locomotive through a hostile coun-
try. The engineer was young south
erner whom the general had impressed
for the service. forcing him TO run
the engine. We were speeding along
at night Suddenly l saw the engi-
neer reverse the wheels, then. pale as
a ghost, wait for something terrible
TO happen. 1 felt a jolt, and the en-
gineer at once recovered his courage.
He had seen a tie wedged in between
the rails with view to throwing our
locomotive off the tracks and down
an embankment The effort had fail
ed. In few minutes we thought no
more about It. The deaths we missed
and were constantly missing counted
for nothing. Now for the story.
zone morning at daybreak," said the
narrator. after n forced march we
struck one Of the main railroad ar
teries in the southwest and captured
lot of rolling stock. My captain told
me that the general had called for
those of the command who had been
railway engineers, conductors and
trainmen. and I, being an engineer.
was to report at once at headquarters.
did So The general asked me few
questions about my experience and told
me to report for duty to Captain Ben
ton, who had been appointed railway
superintendent. | was given an engine
and hauled troops to the eastern end
of the road. which they occupied
at was about two weeks after this
that the superintendent told me to re-
port in person to the general ] did so.
and ne said to me:
Sergeant. I have just received
telegram from l., at the other end of
the road. that the force there has been
attacked by superior force. The
colonel commanding has promised not
to surrender for at least two hours.
You must take 4 train through 70 him
loaded with troops and ammunition
within that period
But. general / expostulated, there
are three clements against me. must
90 In the night. the roadbed will not
admit Of a safe rate of over thirty
miles an hour. and the people along the
route viii do all they can to wreck the
train
"'You must go the whole ninety
miles in two hours. The possession or
L. is Of vital importance. If you reach
there before the surrender it viii be
saved Better that you should wreck
your train than be a minute late
That's what a mans life-not ono
mans life, but thousands-is worth
in war. 1 walked away from the gen
eraI feeling that ! had been ordered to
take nine chances in ten of killing and
800 men. including myself
But I'd been in 1t a year then and
knew how little our lives were worth
against the possibility Of achieving
success for the nation.
Il found that the superintendent had
been getting a train ready for me and
1t was loaded with the probable
victims. / sprang on to the cab and
with a couple of short toOts from tho
whistle started the machine. the one
in best repair in our possession. | had
been over the line nearly every day
for a fortnight and knew where | must
endeavor to make the best time.
hadn't had any time TO figure it out
automatically. I must take frlghtful
risks on the straightaway pnrts ana
let up on the curves. And even on the
curves 1 must drive far beyond a safe
rate
"Tf may be said 10 have got on well
% any part Of the journey 1t was the
first half. For that period my arm
was steady and my brain was cool
it was an hour calculated
10 break the stoutest nerve. Word
must have got 10 some Of the people
along the line, for I had scarcely got
over ten miles when | found an Of
'tructlon Coming TO a sharp curve
around the base ot Lili. said to my
self. IF they're going TO throw ME on
anywhere they'll do II right here' 50
cut my speed down to what would
.nable me 70 stop within less than .
rain S length 81 was well / did so
st the farther end OF the curve 1 D1u- |
"a up within ten feet OF tree felied |
across the track.
zen minutes was all the delay o. .