tendent of the Harrisburg division whether the troop could get to that city, and the reply came that transportation could not be furnished to that point on account of the condition of the mob assembled in the depot, and determined not to allow the troop to return. This mob, he was assured, was fully 3,000 strong, and was vowing revenge against the troops, because, as was reported, they believed them all pecuniarily interested in the Pennsylvania Railroad. In order to avoid any destruction to railroad property, which the superintendent thought would surely ensue if the troops came to the city, he refused to give them transportation. The command then travelled east, and dropped off at Bailey's Station, about twenty-three miles west of the State capital, and waited there for the 7.30 accommodation train (Monday morning) to proceed to Rockville. On the train they were joined by a number of General Lyle's men, who had returned from Altoona, the general remaining at that place, where he was ordered to await further orders. It would have been perfect folly for the troops to remain at that place a moment later than they did, owing to the inflamed condition of the strikers. It was upon a calm review of the situation. that Colonel Snowden took the responsibility of coming eastward, after all his efforts to get to Pittsburgh had failed.

At Bailey's Station the men had no breakfast, and were in poor condition when they got to Rockville. Here the Philadelphia troops separated from the other soldiers on the train, and marched down the track, apparently making direct for the Harrisburg depot, but after tramping for a mile or so, they took the road to Englestown. It was necessary to keep the purpose of

HARRISBURG, PA., SHOWING THE RAILROAD BRIDGE THREATENED BY THE RIOTERS.

this movement a secret, even from the other soldiers who had determined to go direct to town. Some of the rioters soon learned that these troops had left the track, and it was surmised they had taken the Northern Central road, and were going by the city in that direction, and endeavored to intercept them; others, hearing that they were coming down the track, marched out to meet them.

The other troops took the track, and were captured, as we shall see farther on. In the meantime, however, Colonel Snowden, with all his men, and all their accoutrements and clothing, even to their heavy overcoats, took the Englestown road, and made a long circuit of about twelve miles to Progress, a village about two miles northeast of Harrisburg, and thence in a direct line marched to the State arsenal, thus completely deceiving the rioters, who had formed their plans with great care to capture the troops, who executed their movement without the loss of a single article belonging to the command, and reached the arsenal about five o'clock on Monday afternoon.

From this time until the arrival of Governor Hartranft and the State forces, on their way to Pittsburgh, the situation at Altoona remained unchanged. The rioters held possession of the road, allowing no freight trains to pass, but making no effort to interfere with the passenger trains.

The strikers at Harrisburg began operations on the morning of Sunday, July 23d. About ten o'clock several railroaders, encouraged by a large number of persons, went to the locomotives of several freight trains, and demanded that the engineers and firemen should leave their engines. The demand was readily

complied with, and as the railroad men descended from their engines they were greeted with loud cheers from their friends.

There had been indications on Saturday night of a strike along the middle division, but the railroad authorities were unwilling to believe that trouble would take place. The interference with a freight train and the hooting and stoning out of soldiers who passed through for Pittsburgh from Philadelphia were attributed to irresponsible outsiders by them, but all their hopes were dispelled on Sunday morning at ten o'clock, when, at the command of several apparent strangers, the engineers and firemen of several freight trains descended from their locomotives after having housed them. All the freight trains were deserted. The round houses in the upper portion of the city contained about forty locomotives, while over twelve hundred cars were standing on the sidings in the same vicinity. The strike was general on the middle division, between twelve and fifteen hundred being affected by it. Of these four or five hundred were employed in Harrisburg, most of them in the Pennsylvania round houses. A crowd collected at the Pennsylvania depot early on Sunday morning, and by two o'clock in the afternoon it had swollen to several thousands. Many of them congregated out of idle curiosity, but a considerable number were attracted by a determination to interfere with the passage through the city of several hundred Philadelphia soldiers destined for Pittsburgh. It was also believed that among the military would be several companies of negroes, and against them numerous dire threats were made. The ammunition for the expected white troops had been got in readiness at the