stealthily uncoupled the baggage cars, upon which the rest had clambered from the remainder of the train, while the two engineers, who were at their post, pulled open the valve and put on all steam. In less time than we have taken to describe it the locomotive was rushing forward at its highest speed. There were four or five rebel regiments within forty rods of the spot from which the locomotive started. We may imagine the bewilderment with which they gazed upon the receding engine as it disappeared in the distance. Our brave adventurers were too much exhilarated by the excitement of the hour to observe the amazement with which the sudden flight of the engine was regarded by the thousands who were grouped around. Onward they rushed, with almost lightning speed, in silent sublimity of emotion too deep to find expression in smiles or words. Thus far every thing had succeeded according to their most sanguine expectations. With some anxiety, however, they looked upon the telegraph wires, running along by their side. Though they had taken the precaution to start from a dépôt where there was no telegraph station, still it was a matter of much moment that as speedily as possible they should cut the wires. Having run about four miles they stopped, and while one of their number, John Scott, of Ohio, climbed the pole and sawed off the wire, others tore up a rail to retard any pursuers. They were now all overjoyed with their success, and warmly they congratulated each other with the prospect of the triumphant termination of their chivalric enterprise. Andrews had taken the precaution to ascertain what down trains he had to pass, and where to pass them. There was, as they supposed, but one train for them to meet on that day. But in consequence of some military necessity the rebels had put on that day two special trains. When they had arrived at the point where the down train was to pass, quite to their consternation they found that it bore a red flag, thus announcing that another train was following behind. They had, however, still the track for a little time to themselves, and they moved along slowly, for they were ahead of time, to a side track where they were to wait for the special train to pass. Thus they lost twenty-five precious minutes. It was an awful loss. The pursuers were now upon their track. As soon as the waited-for train was in sight, and they were just ready to push on with renewed velocity, much to their dismay they saw that this train also bore a red flag, announcing still another train behind. They, however, pushed on to the next station, hoping there to pass the train. In the mean time they cut the wires between the two stations, and hurriedly threw such impediments as were at hand behind them upon the track. Just as they were trying with almost the energies of despair to wrench up one of the rails, they heard the whistle of an engine in pursuit. With frantic strength they broke the rail in two and threw the fragment upon their car as they sprang upon it. Encouraged by the hope that this would delay their pursuers for some time, they rushed onward and reached a spot where they passed the down-coming train in safety. They now goaded their engine to its utmost possible speed; at times attaining a velocity of sixty miles an hour. Still the foe crowded closely behind. No longer was there any thought of burning the bridges or tearing up the road. Indeed only a miracle could enable them to escape with their lives. Onward and still onward they dashed, passing stations and villages with meteoric speed and roar, exciting amazement in all beholders as they witnessed the apparently terrific flight of the locomotive, followed with equal velocity by an engine with three cars attached, loaded with excited soldiers. After running in this manner about one hundred miles their wood and water gave out, their oil was expended, and the foe was in sight. They were then within about fifteen miles of Chattanooga. Their pursuers were close upon them. Their situation was desperate, and there was no alternative before them but to leap from the train and take to the woods, each one to save himself as he might. They jumped from the car while still in motion, and running, some to the right and others to the left, were soon dispersed through the forest of pines. Escape, however, was, under the circumstances, almost hopeless. It was Saturday the 12th day of April. It so happened that there was a regimental muster near by, and many planters were present with their horses and blood-hounds. This whole force of soldiers, planters, and hounds was immediately put upon the pursuit of the fugitives. By means of these fierce dogs, who had been trained in the pursuit of the unhappy slaves, THE PRISON AT CHATTANOOGA. every one of these heroic adventurers was captured. There was one orphan boy, Jacob Parrott, only eighteen years of age. He belonged to the Thirty-third Regiment of Ohio Volunteers. When seized by the infuriated rebels, who manifested a degree of ferocity which would have disgraced savages, they took the poor boy, bent him down almost double over a large stone, and while four of the "chivalry” held him down in that stooping posture, by his hands and his feet, a rebel officer, in a lieutenant's uniform, with a raw hide laid upward of a hundred lashes upon his bare back. A riotous crowd were shouting around, all the time clamoring for his blood. A rope was brought with which they insisted that he should be hung. Three times during the progress of this merciless scourging it was suspended, when they demanded of the heroic young patriot that he should divulge the names of his comrades, the designs of the expedition, and especially the name of the engineer who ran the train. But all the torment which their savage ingenuity could devise could not extort any confession from him. They only ceased their brutal work when they found that the task of subduing their victim was hopeless. of twenty miles an hour. This at first excited the most boisterous shouts of laughter from the thousands of soldiers who were standing around. But the pursuers knew well what they were about. Having run about three miles they came to a hand-car. This they seized and pushed forward with new speed. When they came to an up grade they pushed it before them. On the down grades they could advance with great velocity. At length they came to a place where the patriots had torn up a rail. In their eagerness, not noticing this, they were all thrown, car and men, pell-mell on one side of the road. The car, however, was uninjured, and no bones were broken. The car was replaced on the track, and the rebels were again in full pursuit. Thus they pushed on for twenty miles, till they came to Etowah Station, where there chanced to be a locomotive fired up and all ready for a start. This they seized. Putting on a full head of steam they soon reached Kingston, where they learned that the adventurers were but twenty minutes ahead of them. Here they found a locomotive capable of much higher speed, which was fired up, waiting for the arrival of a passenger train, when it was to proceed by a branch road to Rome. A large number of soldiers and planters had now joined them with swords, revolvers, and Aided by their fresh engine, and drive their locomotive no farther. With great promptness and energy they abandoned the engine; ran along the track two miles; met the down freight train near Adairsville; reversed the train; ran back to the station; switched the train off upon the side-track; turned the engine, and rushed on to Calhoun. The twenty captives, when taken, were all thrust into the negro jail at Chattanooga. They were thrown into a damp, dirty, miserable cell half underground, as gloomy as the world-re-muskets. nowned oubliettes of the Bastile. This dungeon with their little army, onward they now flew was thirteen feet square. In this room over with almost the speed of the wind. The obthirty victims of Southern barbarism were crowd-structions which the fugitives threw behind them ed together. Many of them were Southern men, upon the track were speedily removed. At who, for the "crime" of refusing to join in re-length they came to a place where three rails bellion and treason, had been subjected to al-had been torn up and carried away. They could most every conceivable outrage. The only entrance was by a trap-door opening from the floor above. Two small windows thickly barred with iron let in a few rays of light and scarcely air enough to support life. The horrors of the "black hole" in Calcutta were unsurpassed by those endured in this miserable dungeon. There was not space enough for all to lie down together, and these heroic men, whose sublime daring should at least have won respect, were exposed to barbarities which were a disgrace to the nineteenth century. There is not a civilized nation on the globe which would have treated prisoners of war, or even the most loathsome criminals, with cruelty so revolting. But slavery had converted the South into a state of semi-barbarism. The pursuit, as described by the rebels, must have been nearly as exciting as the flight. The conductor and engineer of the train were quietly breakfasting in the Big Shanty Hotel, at Camp M'Donald, when to their indescribable amazement the locomotive with the baggage car took its flight. The rebels seem ever to have been inspired with an instinctive consciousness of the audacity of the Yankees. It was at once surmised that this was a chivalric adventure of their terrible foes. The engineer, conductor, and foreman of the wood department, immediately started upon the run, apparently chasing the engine, which was whirling away at the rate VOL. XXXI.-No. 182.-M Here they gathered a new force of armed men to pursue the fugitives, a telegraph operator, and workmen to repair the road. Again they were rushing forward with almost frenzied speed. As they were turning a curve they caught a glimpse of the now crippled engine they were pursuing scarcely a mile ahead of them. The adventurers had stopped a moment to tear up the track. Hearing the approach of the foe they sprang upon their car, and again sped away. The pursuers pressing on in hot haste came to the spot were the rails were torn up. Their workmen, with the necessary tools, instantly tore up the rails behind them, and replaced those which were taken away. The flight and the chase were now exciting beyond all power of words to describe. The locomotives were frequently in sight of each other. The engine of the patriots was rapidly failing. Wood and water were nearly gone, and the unoiled boxes were almost melting with heat. In this their extremity they uncoupled two of the box cars, and left them to retard the pursuers. But the energetic pursuers pushed | covered with vermin. The heat in that almost the cars before them to the first turn out, and were soon within four hundred yards of their victims. Only then our adventurers leaped from their car and took to the woods. We now return to the prisoners in their dismal dungeon. Their trap-door was opened twice a day, when their food was let down to them in a bucket. There were no opportunities for washing clothes or person. There was no permission to leave the dungeon for any of the wants which these frail bodies require. They were, of course, soon tropical region, where so many were huddled together, was so insupportable that they were often obliged to strip themselves entirely naked to be able to bear it. In addition to all this they were cruelly handcuffed, and with trace-chains, secured by padlocks around their necks, were fastened to each other in companies of twos and threes. Such was the treatment, in the American village of Chattanooga, on the beautiful banks of the Tennessee, of the noblest of American citizens, for the crime of loyalty to the Stars and the Stripes. THE PURSUIT. |