The Great Locomotive Chase Page #3

They say the slaughter was so fierce

on both sides,

You could walk across the field

on dead bodies like stepping stones.

How would you like to put a stop

to that, Pittenger?

Could we, with what we're doing?

Maybe we can.

[Pittenger] We managed to be on the

Friday train, headed south.

So far, we were lucky.

So far, we were lucky.

[standing soldier] A rebel I will be

A rebel fill I die

I would not give a fig

To live under a Yankee sky I

We are sons of holy Dinah

And we go where we've a mind to I

And we stay where we're inclined to

As long as we have fun I

Oh, we licked the Yanks at Shiloh

Oh-my, oh-my, oh-my-oh I

Yes, we licked the Yanks at Shiloh

Just to see how they would run I

We are sons of holy Dinah

And we'll go where we've a mind to I

But right now we're inclined to

Go home and rest a spell I

But when we're tired of eatin'

We will give them Yanks a beatin' I

And they'll all be retreatln'

When we give the rebel yell I

[whoops]

How many Yankees

can one Southerner whup?

[all soldiers] Five!

- [standing soldier] How many?

- [all soldiers] Ten!

[standing soldier] That's more like it!

One company of Southerners

armed with popguns

Could run a whole regiment of Yankees

clean out of the country!

[standing soldier] - Am I right?

[all soldiers] - Right!

- Gettin' off?

- No.

- Thought maybe I'd get your seat.

- No, just stretching.

Look at that cannon!

Would you mind?

Don't be ornery, Bill.

Let him see it.

Yankee army issue!

Where'd you get it?

I say, where'd you get it?

Took it off a dead Yank.

Which battle?

Battle for our hen coop!

That's all any of them Yankees are,

chicken stealers.

You hear that?

Chicken stealers!

[conductor] Station-stop,

Kingston, Kingston.

What do you think you're doing?

He didn't mean any harm.

He just can't help playing jokes on people.

I wasn't speaking to you. Why'd you go

and play a cheap Yankee trick like that?

You're right welcome to the seat.

I was just havin' a little fun.

I'll be dogged if he can't

even talk like a Yankee.

Sit down here, pint-pot,

and see if you can teach me.

[Pittenger] In spite of Campbell and

Buff um, we all reached Marietta in safety

And spent a restless night

in the Railroad Hotel.

With the dawn, we were

ready for the big day.

Two fair days in a row.

You don't know what that sun means to us.

What are the fine clothes for, Mr. Andrews?

Today I'm an official

of the Western and Atlantic Railroad.

- A very high official, I hope.

- You are the president, at least!

It's 15 minutes till train time.

You know what you have to do.

Let's have a final check.

Which of you are buying tickets

to Allatoona?

Kingston? Calhoun?

Resaca?

And Chattanooga?

Good. That way it won't appear

we're traveling together.

Knight, Brown and Alf Wilson,

sit close to me.

One last thing:
When the train stops

at Big Shanty for breakfast,

Keep your seats till I give you the signal.

Good luck, gentlemen.

- Mr. Andrews?

- Mr. Ross?

After you outlined the plan last night,

Bill Campbell and I got to talking it over.

Tearing up the track behind us

and burning the bridges all makes sense,

But why steal the train at Big Shanty?

It's a breakfast stop for the crew

as well as the passengers.

There's no telegraph there, either.

There's a Confederate camp

with 4,000 men.

Must we steal an engine

in full view of the Southern army?

Know any place they won't suspect it?

Yes. Any deserted part of the track

north of this town.

- [Andrews] That'd mean a fight.

- What's the matter with a fight?

- You never know how it'll come out.

- I know how I'm coming out.

I've had a bellyful

of this bowin' and scrapin'

And sweet-talking every

loudmouth Sesech in the state of Georgia.

If you want to capture this train

in a fair fight, you can count on me.

If you don't, I ain't going.

Mr. Campbell, your company commander

said you'd be worth ten in a fight.

That's why I brought you along,

just in case.

But we didn't come to fight.

We came to burn rail road bridges.

If you don't like the plan,

you're free to drop out now.

If you come, you'll do it my way.

[train bell]

[train bell]

- Cloudin' over.

- Yeah. Is it gonna rain?

Might could. It rains one minute,

shines the next.

[conductor] All aboard!

[train whistle]

- Good morning, conductor.

- Morning.

Didn't you get on at Marietta?

Yes.

You mind if we have a word?

What do you know about those men?

Is there anything remarkable about them?

It's the first time that many passengers

ever got on at Marietta.

And all together, too. Now they're making

out like they don't even know each other.

If they're deserters, I've got orders to turn

them over to the authorities at Big Shanty.

Why are you telling me this?

Because you seem to be with 'em.

- You don't miss much, do you?

- Not much, Mr. Andrews.

- You know my name?

- You've ridden the train before.

All right. In a way you're an official,

so I can tell you this.

Those men are on government business,

bound for Yankee land, and so am I.

Blockade running?

Maybe that. Maybe something more.

You don't get a letter like that

from Brigadier General Beauregard

- Just for running quinine.

- No, I reckon you don't.

I'd give my right arm

to serve under that man.

You are.

This rail road is the artery

that pumps fresh blood

In the army of the Mississippi

on the left hand,

And the army of Northern Virginia

on the right.

Beauregard and Robert E. Lee

would perish without men like you.

Well, thank you.

[train whistle]

Station stop. Big Shanty.

Twenty minutes for breakfast.

Our inspector, Mr. Murphy,

is on board today.

He'd be mighty proud to have you

take breakfast with us.

Thank you, but I've already eaten.

My name's William Fuller.

Have a good meal, Mr. Fuller,

and don't worry about deserters.

I'll take care of your train.

[train bell]

- Work up an appetite?

- Mr. Murphy did. He brought her in.

Keeping your hand in?

Come on, boys.

It's time to go now.

Uncouple here.

Get in.

Come on, boys.

When it's orders from Beauregard,

we can't keep the General waiting.

Let her roll.

Thank you, Dixie.

What's been happening in Big Shanty?

Right smart nothing.

- Who did it? Did you see 'em?

- Deserters from the camp, most likely.

They won't go far.

We're through playing Rebs!

We're Yankees again!

I can talk! I can open my mouth!

Go ahead!

4

Repairmen. Andrews is talking to them.

He borrowed their tools.

I don't know why

we have to take the South.

If Andrews asked for it,

they'd give it to him.

If we'd taken all their tools

instead of asking "pretty please,"

We might've got a handspike

with a claw on it.

Let a real man handle it, Bill.

Put half of them in the car

nearest the tender.

- It's all we could find in the toolbox.

- We'll have to make 'em do.

Think we're being followed?

Can't be. There's no train

south of us short of Atlanta,

And they'll have to go to Marietta

before they can send out a telegram.

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