| From the Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N. C.) |
| |
| September 9, 1861 |
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| Lincoln Men Tear Up a Railroad Track and Are Compelled
to Relay it |
| On Saturday last, a train came out from
Louisville, on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, containing
forty laborers, with instructions to tear up a portion of the railroad
track a short distance this side of Franklin, Kentucky. They began the
performance of their mean mission near Sharp' Branch, three miles this
side of Franklin. They destroyed about sixty yards of the track, and
loaded the train with the crossties and rails. Having accomplished
this object, they started on their return to their masters. But they
were destined to a sore disappointment. A large crowd of infuriated
Kentuckians had assembled at Franklin, properly prepared to arrest the
return trip of the destruction train. They did arrest it, and at the
peril of the life of each man on it, compelled them to return to the
scene of their violence, where, under a sufficient guard, the poor
scoundrels were forced to relay every cross-tie and rail they had torn
up. |
| They found the work of relaying much more
tedious and difficult than was the labor of tearing up, but the
determined, earnest faces of their attendants, and rifles, muskets and
pistols, in the hands of these justly incensed attendants, said the
track must be reconstructed by the destroyers, or forty graves dug
right there for immediate use. The track was rapidly
reconstructed, and is now in better condition than it was before
being molested. This work being finished, the guard took the laborers
and the train to the Warren county (Ky.) line, where they put the
miserable tools off, and told them to take the Walker line for
home. The train was brought back to Franklin. |
| Gentlemen who were present and witnessed
these deeply interesting scenes informs us that the people of Franklin
and the country surrounding secessionists and Union men alike, are
greatly exasperated by this and other high-handed outrages of the
Lincoln authorities at Louisville. They earnestly and boldly protest
against the attempt to shut off the trade with Tennessee, and declare
their determination to right the wrong, even if they have to resort to
force of arms. |
| Nashville Gazette, 26th |
|