The Great Locomotive Chase Page #6

we may as well go a'kiting.

It's time the army showed

the Secret Service how to fight.

I'm gonna stop this train.

Campbell...

Nobody stops this train until we reach

the first Chicamagua bridge.

I know it's hard on you men.

I've been tempted to stop, too.

But we can't risk any encounter

that might lose us our engine.

Even after we burn the bridges, we've got to

get through to Mitchell and let him know.

You needn't worry about us, Mr. Andrews.

Any of us.

If we don't wood up soon,

we won't go much farther.

Once we set the first bridge afire,

we'll have plenty of time to hunt for wood.

Any of that coal-oil left?

Just a slosh.

Take it back to the boxcar.

Back in the tender, men.

Go ahead!

[train whistle]

Back up! Try her again!

They set the brake!

Push her out!

There's gotta be wood somewhere.

There's a wood station just

this side of Ringgold.

Knight!

- Can you get another mile out of her?

- I don't know.

She's all right.

Hey, Bracken!

Come on, Pete!

Let's go!

There's only one thing for it.

We'll have to get out and push.

I'm so used to seeing train smoke behind,

I thought she was chasing us again!

That's just the smoke from the bridge.

I know, but I thought I saw it move.

It is moving! Pittenger, look!

It is moving!

Yeah, you're very funny, you two.

It's no joke.

All right, you've been spoiling

for a fight.

You might as well have it now.

Jump down and get a barricade

across the track.

Try to coax her around the bend.

It'll look better if they don't see her.

[train whistle]

[whoops and hoof beats]

Cavalry!

That settles it.

Scatter and make for the woods, boys.

Get home the best way you can.

[Pittenger] So, we left the field to the

victors, whoever they might be.

We couldn't have guessed all our plans

were wrecked by the fantastic courage

And determination of one man:

The mild-mannered conductor,

William A. Fuller.

The great locomotive chase was over,

but our troubles were just beginning.

For a week, the country below

Chattanooga was in an uproar,

With soldiers and citizens beating the

backwoods to find the "engine thieves."

I was taken, along with many other

suspicious characters,

To Chattanooga to be questioned at the

headquarters of General Ledbetter.

When it came my turn, I represented

myself as a Southern sympathizer,

Ready to join their army.

Another recruit, General.

A Mr. Pittenger

from Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

- Where'd they find him?

- Wandering the hills above Lafayette.

What were you doing there?

I was on my way to Camp MacDonald.

- Oh, a conscript?

- No, sir, a volunteer.

Why don't you join us?

- I'd be proud to, sir.

- Good.

I think we have just the place

for a smart young lad like you.

- Take care of him, Fletcher.

- Yes, sir.

Did you ever see any of these men before?

No.

That's strange, mighty strange.

Every last one of them's

from Flemingsburg, Kentucky.

Pmengefi Our suffering in prison

would've been easier to bear

Had we not thought our raid a failure.

We could not know that the Southern

newspapers, praising Fuller's bravery,

Were amazed and alarmed that

a handful of Yankee soldiers

Had almost wrecked the Confederacy.

Full 50 times our number

had to be diverted

From Confederate battle lines

for guarding their rail roads and bridges.

AH we knew was that official orders

transferred us from jail to jail...

Chattanooga, Madison, Knoxville.

Now we were being moved again.

Where are you taking 'em, Major?

Atlanta.

Why not just hang 'em up in Chattanooga?

Gotta have a court-martial trial

for them first.

Ain't there no lawyers in Chattanooga?

- I have orders from Richmond.

- No offense, Major.

Mr. Fuller?

May I have a word with you?

You had a word with me, going north.

You're going south now.

4

[mumbling]

- No talking in the yard.

- How many Yanks can you lick today?

Any more trouble out of you,

we put you down the hole.

- Captain, assemble your prisoners.

- Line them up, Corporal.

[Corporal] Line 'em up.

Got to read them the sentence

of the court-martial.

- What's the verdict?

- Guilty. All of them.

I heard they were

just hanging the ringleader.

So did I, but the orders

from Richmond said different.

"Hang every last one of them,

on or before the 15th."

[prisoners] Roll, Jordan, roll

Roll, Jordan, roll I

I want to go to heaven

When I die I

For to hear old Jordan roll

Roll, Jordan, roll I

Why not go ask the captain of the guard

to lend you his master key?

Then you'd have something to go by.

I want to go to heaven

When I die I

For to hear old Jordan roll

. Hey, boys!

' Sir?

[guard] Give us Tenting Tonight.

We're tenting tonight

On the old camp ground I

Give us a song to cheer I

Our weary hearts a song of hope I

And friends we love so dear I

Many are the hearts

That are weary tonight

Wishing for the war to cease I

- Many are the hearts...

- Look!

Look what Knight...

What's going on in there?

Why'd you stop singing?

Why don't you give us the rest of it?

Many are the hearts

That are weary tonight

Wishing for the war to cease I

Many are the hearts

Looking for the right I

To see the dawn of peace

Tenting tonight

Tenting tonight I

Tenting on the old camp ground I

[snoring]

[Andrews] So far, so good.

Knight, you give me the key.

Tomorrow when the guards herd us inside

after our breathing time in the yard,

I'll slip under Mr. Turner's bed

and hide there until dark.

When I'm sure he's asleep,

I'll tie him up and gag him,

Steal his cell keys and unlock the doors.

Then we creep past the guards,

climb the wall and run for the woods.

[Pifienger] No.

We won't do it that way.

Mr. Andrews,

you keep forgetting we're soldiers.

We trained together, and we know

how to fight together.

We'd rather fight than scheme.

Now you're talking like a man.

If we try to sneak out one by one,

only the first will get away.

- The rest'll be cornered.

- That's right.

How would you go at it?

I'd wait until around suppertime, when

it's light enough to see what we're doing.

I'd grab Mr. Turner, take his keys,

and rush the guards outside in a body.

It'll be sudden. Bare hands against

muskets, they won't expect.

- Good!

- It's all right!

What do you think, Mr. Andrews?

Yes, it's a good plan.

Go ahead, Pittenger.

Assign us our positions.

I think Buff um and I look the least

dangerous, so we'll take care of Mr. Turner.

We'll want the biggest men

to rush the guards.

Campbell, you're the first.

Then Ross, I guess.

4

Through with them bread tins, boys?

Boys, I'm sorry about the hangin'.

That's all right, Mr. Turner.

We've all got to go sometime.

Would you be good enough to ask the

captain of the guard to fix my chain?

Why...!

- Corporal, post your guard.

- MacDonald and Irvine, south post.

Get back!

Guards!

[gunshot]

Get back in!

Try the wall!

Guards!

Tall ones help the others over the wall.

Outside! They're climbing the walls!

Head 'em off outside!

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