Take an Early Train--Prospecting--Capture of the Train--Panic in
Confederate Camp--Away at Lightning Speed--Thrilling Experience--Cut
the Telegraph--Tear up the Track--Unexpected Obstacle--Running a
Powder Train to Beauregard--Red Flag--Dropping Cross-Ties--Battering
out Spikes--Immense Exertion of Strength--Pursuing Backward--Terrible
Chase--Attempt to Wreck the Enemy's Train--Fearful Speed--Bold Plan.
The waiter aroused us at four o'clock in the morning, as we told him
we wished to take the train at that hour back to Camp McDonald, which
is located at a place called Big Shanty, eight miles north of
Marietta, and is also a breakfast station. Andrews had gone to another
hotel, and warned the members of the party there to be in readiness to
take passage. Two of them, Hawkins and Porter, who had arrived
earlier, were not warned, and were, therefore, left behind. It was not
their fault, as they had no certain knowledge of the time we were to
start, but rather thought it would be the next day.
There were just twenty of us on the train, Andrews and nineteen
others, of whom several were engineers. We went along very quietly
and inoffensively, just as any other passengers would do, until we
reached Big Shanty. I knew that we were to take possession of the
train at this place, but did not just know how it was to be done. I
thought we would probably have to fight, and compel the conductor,
train-hands, and passengers to get off. We might have done this, but
it would have required very quick work, for there were then some ten
thousand troops, mostly conscripts, camped there, and a guard was
placed watching the train. But a far better plan was adopted.
As soon as we arrived, the engineer, conductor, and many of the
passengers went over to the eating-house. Now was our opportunity!
Andrews, and one or two others, went forward and examined the track,
to see if everything was in readiness for a rapid start.
Oh! what a thrilling moment was that! Our hearts throbbed thick and
fast with emotions we dared not manifest to those who were loafing
indifferently around. In a minute, which seemed an hour, Andrews came
back, opened the door, and said, very quietly and carelessly, "Let us
go, now, boys." Just as quietly and carelessly we arose and followed
him. The passengers who were lazily waiting for the train to move
on and carry them to their destination, saw nothing in the transaction
to excite their suspicions. Leisurely we moved forward--reached the
head of the train--then Andrews, Brown our engineer, and Knight, who
also could run an engine, leaped on the locomotive; Alfred Wilson took
the top of the cars as brakesman, and the remainder of us clambered
into the foremost baggage car, which, with two others, had been
previously uncoupled from the hinder part of the train. For one moment
of most intense suspense all was still--then a pull--a jar--a
clang--and we were flying away on our perilous journey.
[Illustration: "A pull--a jar--a clang--and we were flying away on our
perilous journey."--Page 59.]
There are times in the life of man when whole years of intensest
enjoyment seem condensed into a single moment. It was so with me then.
I could comprehend the emotion of Columbus, when he first beheld
through the dim dawn of morning, the new found, but long dreamed-of
shores of America, or the less innocent, but no less vivid joy of
Cortez, when he first planted the cross of Spain over the golden halls
of Montezuma. My breast throbbed full with emotions of delight and
gladness, that words labor in vain to express. A sense of ethereal
lightness ran through all my veins, and I seemed to be ascending
higher--higher--into realms of inexpressible bliss, with each
pulsation of the engine. It was a moment of triumphant joy that will
never return again. Not a dream of failure now shadowed my rapture.
All had told us that the greatest difficulty was to reach and take
possession of the engine, and after that, success was certain. _It
would have been_, but for unforeseen contingencies.
Away we scoured, passing field, and village, and woodland. At each
leap of the engine our hearts rose higher, and we talked merrily of
the welcome that would greet us when we dashed into Huntsville a few
hours later--our enterprise done, and the brightest laurels of the
guerilla Morgan far eclipsed!
But the telegraph ran by our side, and was able, by the flashing of a
single lightning message ahead, to arrest our progress and dissipate
all our fondest hopes. There was no telegraphic station where we took
the train, but we knew not how soon our enemies might reach one, or
whether they might not have a portable battery at command. To obviate
all danger on this point, we stopped, after running some four miles,
to cut the wire.
John Scott, an active young man, climbed the pole, and with his hand
knocked off the insulated box at the top, and swung down on the wire.
Fortunately, there was a small saw on the engine, with which the wire
was soon severed. While this was being done, another party took up a
rail, and put it into the car to carry off with us. This did not long
check our pursuers, but we had the satisfaction of learning that it
threw them down an embankment, as will be narrated more fully in a
Confederate account inserted hereafter.
When the engine first stopped, Andrews jumped off, clasped our hands
in ecstasy, congratulating us that our difficulties were now all over;
that we had the enemy at such a disadvantage that he could not harm
us, and exhibited every sign of joy. Said he, "Only one more train to
pass, and then we will put our engine to full speed, burn the bridges
after us, dash through Chattanooga, and on to Mitchel at Huntsville."
The programme would have been filled if we had met _only one_ train.
We were ahead of time, and in order to meet the down train just _on_
time, we were obliged to stop on the track awhile. These were tedious
moments while we waited, but soon we moved on very slowly again. At
the next station, Andrews borrowed a schedule from the tank-tender,
telling him that he was running an express powder-train through to
Beauregard. He gave the schedule, saying that he would send his shirt
to Beauregard if he wanted it. When asked afterwards if he did not
suspect anything, he said he would as soon have thought of suspecting
Jeff Davis, as one who talked with so much assurance as Andrews did!
On we went till we reached the station where we were to pass what we
believed to be the last train. Here the switch was not properly
adjusted, and Andrews entered the station-house, without asking leave
of anybody, took down the keys, and adjusted the switch. This raised
some disturbance on the part of those around the station, but it was
quieted by telling them the same powder story. After waiting a short
time, the down train arrived, and we passed it without difficulty. But
we observed on it what we did not like--a _red flag_, indicating that
another train was behind.
This was most discouraging, for we had now hoped to have the road
exclusively to ourselves; but still we did not despair. However, we
had yet to run on regular time, which was, unfortunately, very _slow_
time--not more than twelve or fifteen miles an hour. Thus unavoidably
consuming our precious moments, we glided on till we reached the
station where we expected to meet what we were now sure would be our
last hindrance. We stopped on a side-track to wait for it, and there
had to remain _twenty-five_ minutes. Just as we had concluded to go
on, and risk the chances of a collision, the expected train hove in
sight.
It was safely passed, as the other had been before; but judge of our
dismay when we beheld a _red flag_ on this train also! Matters now
began to look dark. Much of our precious time, which we had reserved
as a margin for burning bridges, was now gone, and we were still tied
down to the slow regular rate of running. Yet we could not retreat,
and had no resource but to press firmly on. This we did, and
obstructed the track as well as we could, by laying on cross-ties at
different places. We also cut the telegraph wire between every
station.
Finally, when we were nearly to the station where we expected to meet
the last train, we stopped to take up a rail. We had no instruments
for doing this, except a crowbar, and, instead of pulling out the
spikes, as we could have done with the pinch burrs used for that
purpose by railroad men, we had to _batter_ them out. This was slow
work. We had loosened this rail at one end, and eight of us took hold
of it to try to pull the other end loose. Just as we were going to
relinquish the effort in despair, the _whistle of an engine in pursuit
sounded in our ears_! The effect was magical. With one convulsive
effort we broke the rail in two, and tumbled pell-mell over the
embankment. No one was hurt, and we took up our precious half rail,
which insured us time to pass the train ahead, before our pursuers
could be upon us.
We were not a moment too soon, for we were scarcely out of sight of
where we had taken up the last rail, before the other train met us.
This was safely passed, and when our pursuers came to the place where
we had broken the rail, they abandoned their own train, and ran on
foot till they met the one we had just passed, and turned it back
after us, running with great speed.
We were now aware of our danger, and adopted every expedient we could
think of to delay pursuit; but, as we were cutting the wire near
Calhoun, they came in sight of us. Then ensued the most terrible and
thrilling chase ever known on the American continent.
We instantly put our engine to full speed, and in a moment its wheels
were striking fire from the rails in their rapid revolutions. The car
in which we were, rocked furiously, and threw us from one side to the
other like peas rattled in a gourd. Still on after us relentlessly
came the pursuers. The smoke of their engine could be distinguished in
every long reach, and the scream of their whistle sounded in our ears
around every curve. It was still necessary for us to cut the wire,
and, in order to gain time for that, we dropped a car on the track,
and, soon after, another. This left us with only the locomotive,
tender, and one baggage-car. Each time, when we stopped to cut the
wire, we would try to take up another rail; but before we could loosen
its fastenings with our imperfect tools, the approach of our enemies
would compel us to hasten on.
The thought of a new expedient crossed my mind, which saved us for
some time longer. It was to knock out the end of our car, and drop the
rails on the track as we ran. Soon after, in one of our necessary
stoppages to take care of the telegraph, we loaded on some cross ties,
which we threw out in the same manner. One rail I reserved for a
particular purpose. When we stopped again, I took it, placed one end
under the track, and let the other project upward, jointing toward the
advancing train. It was very nearly effectual. The engineer of the
train in pursuit, who afterward visited us in prison, said that if it
had been only one inch higher, nothing could have saved their train
from wreck, because, being so dark and small, it was not noticed till
too late to stop. However, it was a little too low to hook in the bars
of the cow-catcher, as I intended.
Our enemies pursued us with great determination. One man rode on the
cow-catcher, and, springing off, would throw the obstructions from the
track, and jump on again while they had merely checked the engine. So
great was our velocity, that most of the ties we threw out bounced off
the track; but the few that remained enabled us several times to get
out of sight of them. When this was the case, we would stop, and again
try to take up a rail, which would have given us leisure for the
greater operation of burning a bridge.
By this time we had a few more instruments, which Andrews and Wilson
had simultaneously procured from a switch tender. We worked
faithfully, but each time, before we had loosened a rail, the
inexorable pursuers were again visible.
I then proposed to Andrews a plan that afforded a hope of final
escape. It was to let our engineer take our engine on out of sight,
while we hid on a curve after putting a tie on the track, and waited
for the pursuing train to come up; then, when they checked to remove
the obstruction, we could rush on them, shoot every person on the
engine, reverse it, and let it drive at will back as it came. It would
have chased all the trains following, of which there were now two or
three, back before it, and thus have stopped the whole pursuit for a
time. This would have required quick work, and have been somewhat
dangerous, as the trains were now loaded with soldiers; but it
afforded a _chance_ of success. Andrews said it was a good
plan--looked all around, and then hurried to the engine, and I had no
further opportunity of discussing the subject. After we were in
prison, he said he was very sorry that we had not made the effort.