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[188] most satisfactory explanations, reached an embankment where Andrews had torn up the rails, and made every preparation to throw the cars off the track. The conductor discovered the trap in time, and backed his engine instantly, in order to overtake those who laid it. At his approach the Federals made off in great haste, throwing out of the cars everything that could embarrass their flight. They at first got a little ahead, and the few occupants of log huts lying contiguous to the railway track looked on without understanding this strange pursuit. But being short of fuel, they soon began to lose ground; they could not stop long enough to tear up the rails; they tried in vain to keep up the fire of their engine; they were about to be overtaken; their oil had given out; the axle-boxes were melted by the friction. The game was lost; they stopped the engines and rushed into the woods, where they hoped to conceal themselves. Meanwhile, the telegraph had everywhere announced their presence, and the entire population started in pursuit. A regular hunt was organized in these vast forests, and Andrews was captured with all his men. The majority of them were shut up in narrow iron cages and publicly exhibited at Knoxville, to intimidate the Union men, after which fifteen of them were hung; the remaining eight were spared, and had the good fortune to survive and relate their strange adventures. The arrival of Pope had increased the forces assembled at that place under Halleck to ninety thousand effective men.1 They were divided into three large corps. Grant's old army, called the army of the Tennessee, composed of the divisions of Hurlbut, Sherman, Smith and Davis, was under the orders of General Thomas, who at the beginning of the war had distinguished himself at Mill Springs. Buell commanded the army of the Ohio, which he had so opportunely led to the battle-field of Shiloh, comprising the divisions of McCook, Wood, Nelson and Crittenden. The army of the Mississippi, which Pope had brought from Missouri, and to which Curtis had contributed some reinforcements from Arkansas, consisted of the five small divisions of Stanley, Hamilton, Palmer, Paine and Plummer; a distinguished officer, General Granger, commanded its cavalry. The reserve was composed of the divisions
Philadelphia, Jos. H. Coates and co., 1876.
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