The New York herald., 1921-09-04


met, 4 station on the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railroads main line. about twelve
miles east OF Charleston.
IT was here the miners congregated
and commenced on August is their
memorable march TO the southwest to
unionize forcibly the mines OF Logan
ana Mingo counties and make a public
demonstration" against the martial law
in Mingo county recently proclaimed by
Gov. Morgan
Movement OF Capt. John J. Wilson's
advance detachment of two provisional
companies of picked Regulars down the
Coal River Valley for eixty miles 10
Sharples just behind the miners firing
line. was dramatic i'm the extreme. II
was not so much the outward appear
ance of the thing, although that was
sufficiently impressive and even awe
inspiring, as was the meaning. Not an
officer failed to appreciate the grav-
ity and significant import OF the af-
fair as the train Of three passenger cars,
four flat cars aud box car carrying
200 men. fully equipped for servics in
the field, moved slowly but surely 10 the
southwest. through the narrow, tortlous
mountain gorge, frowned on by an over
hanging mountain wilderness. with here
and there the entrance to a coal mine
protruding in an ugly fashion from the
steep declivities.
Captain Wilson brought his advance
guard alone last night from st. Albans on
the main railroad line west OF Charles
ton to Madison. The train was in COM
plete darkness except for the powerful
engine searchlight. which shone on three
empty pilot fiat cars. manned by sim
gle sentinel
So close are the mountain slopes to
the railroad track at many points that
stone could easily have been thrown
iato the train from one OF the many
cabins at the side. Once or twice faint
cheers arose from groups of natives at
little stations Occasionally a coal dig
gers mine light fastened on his black
ened cap showed out in the crowd.
Leaving at 5 p. M Friday night,
Capt Wilson brought his little detach-
nent armed to the teeth into Madison.
seat of Boone county, about 10 80 p.
NJ Before daylight Col. @. A. Marten
and Major Charles t. Smart arrived on
u second train with 200 more troops.
and Col. Martin esta olished his head.
quarters at Madison.
Major Smart was placed in command
OF the advance guard which began it's
Journey at scarcely fifteen miles an hour
to Sharples. preceded as far as Jeffery
py another troop train carrying gar
rison for that town.
The enlisted men on Major Smarts
train were In jovial mood like school,
poys on a lark, but little curious to
know what 1t was all about One pri-
vate. leaning far out of a car window.
yelled at native who stood gaping at
the passing train: Il wonder if real
war is going on anywhere around here"
At Jeffery, where the train stopped
long enough to push the train in front
OF 1t on a siding. the first real view of
the rebe.lious miners was obtained.
They lined the cinder paths on both
sides of the train looking on curiously
and occas asionally acknowledging by the
wave Of hand the friendly greeting of
a doughboy from the train.
They were dirty, tired hungry looking
men, dressed mostly in bluejean over
alls, but some wore army khaki and
others half and half.
In their number were many negroes
and bohunks and many bearing the un-
mistakable stamp of the native born
American nfountaineer who could trace
his ancestry back to the days before
the Revolutionary War.
AT other stations more and more of
these miners appeared. In no instance
did any carry arms. They had put
them in safe places in the hills. Shar-
pies, directly behind the firing line. was
reached at s O'Clock this morning. as
the troops were detraining. Major
Sharp was met by President Buzzard of
the miners local union, in control of
the whole fighting area. Buzzard de-
clared that the miners welcomed the
advent of the regulars. that they were
disarming and were fast coming out of
the hills in the belief that the troops
would now protect them from the Logan
county defenders. That the Logan
county men were merely shooting to
prevent the advance OF the fighting
miners into their territory did not seem
TO have any effect on the attitude OF
Buzzard