. Popular history of the civil war . n thesummer of 1861. As will be seen by a glance at the map, it became necessaryto cut the railway between Chattanooga and Atlanta, Georgia,to prevent re-enforcements and supplies from being sent toChattanooga. To accomplish this difficult task, a secretexpedition was sent out. Disguised as Confederates, twenty-two picked men, led by J. J. Andrews, started on foot forGeorgia. Of course they had to go through the Confederatelines, and over very rough mountain roads, braving dangersseen and unseen. Nor did they go in company, which wouldhave excited curiosity
. Popular history of the civil war . n thesummer of 1861. As will be seen by a glance at the map, it became necessaryto cut the railway between Chattanooga and Atlanta, Georgia,to prevent re-enforcements and supplies from being sent toChattanooga. To accomplish this difficult task, a secretexpedition was sent out. Disguised as Confederates, twenty-two picked men, led by J. J. Andrews, started on foot forGeorgia. Of course they had to go through the Confederatelines, and over very rough mountain roads, braving dangersseen and unseen. Nor did they go in company, which wouldhave excited curiosity, and led to detection, but in squadsof three or four. On the 7 th of April they were all togetherat Chattanooga, and the same night they slept at Marietta. On that day Mitchel had captured Huntsville. The nextday, while the engineer and conductor of the northward-bound train were breakfasting at Big Shanty, eight milesnorth of Marietta, the band of raiders quietly uncoupled theengine and three baggage-cars; and away they went, over. i862.] The Stuff that Heroes are made of. 313 hill and down dale, toward Chattanooga. Nobody tried tostop them. They gave station-keepers to understand thatit was a powder-train. As often as they dared to stop long enough, they cut thetelegraph, and tore up the track behind them. They hadalready passed several trains ; and at last Andrews said, Onlyone more train to pass, boys, and then we will put our engineto full speed, burn the bridges after us, and dash throughChattanooga, and on to Mitchel in Huntsville. They werejust about to take up a rail when they were startled by awhistle behind them. They had passed the dreaded lasttrain, which had gone as far as the last break in the roadbehind them, when its engineer was told what had hap-pened. He instantly reversed his engine, and started backto catch the runaway train. Then occurred one of themost thrilling races on record. Both engines were put tofull speed. Away they went, to the amazement of the
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