L. P. Brockett, The camp, the battlefield, and the hospital: or, lights and shadows of the great rebellion

---

[196] miles above Big Shanty; and that, by cutting the telegraph wires as they proceeded, they should gain at least three or four hours start of any pursuit which could be made. This was a legitimate and reasonable conclusion, and but for the energy and quick judgment of Mr. Fuller, the conductor, and Mr. Cain, the engineer of the stolen train, and of Mr. Anthony Murphy, foreman of the Wood Department of the State road, who accidentally happened on the train that morning, the plans of Mr. Andrews and his party would have resulted as originally contemplated, and with crushing disaster to the rebel cause.

But these three determined men, without a moment's delay, put out after the flying train on foot, amidst shouts of laughter from the crowd, who, though lost in amazement at the unexpected and daring act, could not repress their merriment at seeing three men starting on foot after a train which had just whirled away from before their eyes, under the highest power of steam. But Messrs. Fuller, Cain, and Murphy, nowise daunted by the disparity of motive power, put on all their speed and ran along the track for three miles, until they came up with some track raisers who had a small truck car, which is shoved along by men so employed on railroads, on which to carry their tools. Truck and men were at once “impressed,” and they took it by turns of two at a time to run behind the truck and push it along all up-grades and level portions of the road, and let it drive at will on all the downgrades. Reaching the spot where the runaways had cut the telegraph wires and torn up the track, they found themselves suddenly tumbled out, pell-mell, truck and men, upon the side of the road. Finding, however, that