The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1913-04-09

anu HI IHe rail- IN the direction
of Chattanooga. 1t was their inten-
ton to burn all bridges between Big
Shanty and Chattanooga, fifteen in all,
and by that means separate the Con-
federate army from it's base of sup
plies.
Capt. w. A. Fuller conductor of the
train, however, heard the noise of the
retreating engine and Immediately
ran out to see what the trouble was.
At glance he knew what he was I'D
against-that the engine had been
stolen by Federal soldiers in disguise
for the purpose of tearing up track or
burning bridges. Capt. Fuller and
and party started on foot to overtake
! the engine. Two miles up the road
they found a handcar, and appropriate
ed it to their own use. With this car
they made their way to Rome, Ga.
| where an engine was secured With
out loss of time they took possession
| of this engine and started after the
Andrews party. 1t was a race full
of the most exciting Incidents such
as jumping over crossties that had
been placed on the track by the Fed
erals, repairing broken rails and the
like
The fugitives were finally overhaul
led between Ringgold and Graysville,
after a chase covering a distance of
ninety miles. When Andrews and his
men saw they were beaten, they
abandoned the engine and took to
the woods. AS Capt Fuller passed
Ringgold he saw a company of Con
federates at muster. He sent word
back to the captain of this company
to get his whole command into the
woods at once on horseback to cap
ture the Federals under Andrews
All of them were quickly captured
They were taken back to Atlanta
and turned over to the Confederate
authorities there. Eight of them, in
GLIDING Andrews himself. were tried
by court martial and executed as
spies. Eight escaped from jail and
six We're exchanged for Confederate
prisoners.
At number of places on the trip
from Big Shanty to Ringgold, Capt. J
Fuller ran his engine at the rate of |
a mile minute. Fifty miles at one !
stretch, according to his report, was
covered in 50 minutes, faster time
than is now made on this road with |
modern engines, the best of roadbed !
and other facilities for fast travel |
1t makes the feat all the more remark
able when it is known that Capt.
Fuller's engine was "crawfishing," as
the railroad men say, all the way
from Rome to where the fugitives
were overhauled
In addition to this exciting expert
ence, The General" was almost under
the guns of the Federals at the battle
of Kennesaw mountain, having pulled
an ammunition train from Atlanta TO
Kennesaw for the Confederates and
hauled the wounded back to Atlanta.
At the fall of Atlanta, The General"
was the last locomotive to leave that
city. AS late as 1886, this engine was
doing regular duty on the Western 6
Atlantic railroad, pulling trains be-
tween Atlanta and Chattanooga. The
late Maj. John w, Thomas, for so
many years president of the Nash
vile, Chattanooga & st. Louis rail-
road, recognizing the historical i'm
portance of this engine, had it taken
out of the service and preserved in
the depot at Chattanooga. Thousands
of tourists view THE General" every
year, and it has been a difficult task
to preserve it against relic hunters,
many of whom would strip it of every
movable part and take them home as
souvenirs of travel.
THE General" was built in 1855 by
the Rogers Locomotive Works, is an
eight-wheel engine and wood burner
of course The machinery is yet
good.