| From The Cecil Whig |
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| April 22, 1865 |
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| A Locomotive With A History |
| Among the locomotives secured
by General Terry in his overland movement from Wilmington to Goldsboro',
is one that possesses some historical interest, the engine "Job Terry."
The "Terry" first came into the possession of the United States military
authorities by the occupation of Alexandria, Virginia, in May, 1861; was
re-captured by Stonewall Jackson at Front Royal in the famous Banks
retreat down the Shenandoah, in the summer of '62; re-captured soon
after by the Union forces near Martinsburg and found slightly damaged;
was, however, soon put in running order; ran for us but a short time,
again falling into rebel hands at Warrington Junction, Virginia, at the
time of Pope's disastrous campaign, doing the rebels service till
repossessed for Uncle Sam, a short time since, by her namesake, General
Terry. It is fair to assume that the military vicissitudes of this
locomotive are at last over, and that while there is steam in her iron
lungs it will be respired for the exclusive benefit of the United States
Government. |
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| {The
above story is so full of problems that I need to address them: |
| 1. "The
"Terry" first came into the possession of the United States military
authorities by the occupation of Alexandria, Virginia, in May, 1861"
Job Terry was a Hinkley & Drury locomotive built
in 1846 for the Old Colony & Fall River RR. It was named for a local man
long before the war. The only locomotives known to have been captured in
Alexandria at its fall were the "Clarke" of the Alexandria, Loudon &
Hampshire RR and the "Rapidan" of the Orange & Alexandria RR. The Clarke
is only known from one brief mention in a newspaper and may be in error.
The Rapidan was repaired and used by the Union, but was not the Job
Terry. |
| 2.
"re-captured by Stonewall Jackson at Front Royal in the famous Banks
retreat down the Shenandoah, in the summer of '62"
This is the only place I have heard of a locomotive being captured by
Jackson, but such is possible. |
| 3.
"re-captured soon after by the Union forces near Martinsburg"
How would a Confederate locomotive get from Front Royal to Martinsburg?
The only route would be by way of the Manassas Gap RR, the Orange &
Alexandria RR and the Baltimore & Ohio RR -- right through the heart of
the Union Army and through Washington D. C. OR they were hauled down the
Valley Turnpike (like the Sharp haul UP the Turnpike) and put on the
Baltimore & Ohio RR, a Union RR! |
| 4. "ran for us
but a short time, again falling into rebel hands at Warrington Junction,
Virginia, at the time of Pope's disastrous campaign"
This section is correct. |
| 5. "doing the
rebels service till repossessed for Uncle Sam, a short time since, by
her namesake, General Terry" This section is
correct, except that the locomotive had held that name since 1846. |
|
Unfortunately, this story is too good to let the impossibilities get in
the way and it is repeated every few years, usually in magazines that
should know better.} |
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