| From the Richmond Dispatch |
| |
| April 18, 1862 |
| |
| Startling intelligence |
| On yesterday morning, while the regular
mail and passenger train on the State Road {Western
& Atlantic RR} was stopped at Camp
McDonald, or Big Shanty, and the engineer, conductor, and passengers
at breakfast, some four men as yet unknown, after having cut loose all
but the foremost three cars, got upon the engine, put on steam and
shot away like an arrow, leaving the baggage and passenger cars,
passengers, conductor, engineer, and train hands, lost in amazement at
this unparalleled and daring outrage. |
| Some distance above they tore up the track
and cut down the telegraph wires and went on, stating to those who
inquired who they ware, or what such an unusual train meant, that they
had some car loads of powder, and that the engine and train had been
pressed that morning by the Government in great haste to carry the
powder to our forces near Huntsville. |
| They arrived at Kingston, where they met the down freight train and want upon the turn-out
— showing that they understood the schedule and minutest workings of
the road. As the train passed them, the conductor thereon made the
same inquiry of them concerning the unusual train, and received the
same answer — taking powder to Gen. Beauregard's army. As soon as
the down train passed, and the switch could be changed, they shot away
with all their speed and mystery. |
| We learn that a train had been put in
pursuit of them — having repaired the track — and hopes to
overtake them before they reach any of the many bridges across the
Chickamauga and other streams. No doubt they are Lincoln
schemes, sent down among us to destroy those bridges to retard our
movements of troops, and the thought is a very serious one to us. |
| For cool impudence and reckless daring,
this beats anything we ever heard or read of. We are in an agony of
suspense to hear the of this strange and daring achievement. |
| |
| P. S.--Since the foregoing was in type, we have
received additional particulars, though nothing later. |
| The conductor at Big Shanty, Mr. Fuller,
as soon as he found his engine gone in so mysterious and startling a
manner, brought into requisition a hand car, which, luckily, was at
that place, and followed on with all speed. He soon came to where a rail
had been torn up and was carried off; but the hand car was soon lifted
over and again in hot pursuit.--On the way he learned that the engine
had stopped to take in wood and water, representing that they had
powder in the cars for our army. |
| At Etowah Mr. Fuller obtained an engine
from Major Cooper {President, Etowah RR and Iron
Works}, and pressed on with it. |
| Arriving at
Kinston
he got the
Rome
road engine, with its engineer, all in fine condition, with perhaps 40
men, and pressed on. He was just 25 minutes behind the fugitive train
when he left
Kinston. |
| At Adairsville the regular passenger trains (up and
down) meet, and the thieves would have to pass them there. The down
train, due here at 4 P. M., has not yet (9 P. M.) arrived, and it is
feared there has been a collision with the engine, though the torn-up
track may be the cause of the delay. |
| Various surmises looking to a solution of
the mystery, are indulged here. Everybody at first concluded that it
was a most daring effort of some Lincolnites to burn the bridges to
stop the transportation of troops over the State Road. It is reported that the whole of the troops at Camp
McDonald
were going off yesterday morning; and a large number of soldiers troop
— came through here last night on their way to the scene of action. |
| Some said there really was ammunition in
the three box cars-which they carried off, and that the object was to
take it to the enemy at Huntsville. We, however, learn officially that the cars attached to the engine
were empty. |
| Another solution, which has gained
credence, and is not at all improbable, is, that they were simply
thieves on a large scale, had took this method to escape. We learn
that a very large amount of money was stolen in this night before
last, and it is not improbable that these men were the thieves, and
took this method to escape-- Atlanta Confederacy, April 13 |
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