I slept easy of nights after that

SWMODave

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Location
Southwest Missouri
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The Thomas O'Sullivan in Missouri
Captain James G. McIntosh … “In the fall of 1861 I was given command of the ‘Chickasaw,’ as engineer. The ‘Chickasaw’ was one of the best machines on the road. The ‘General Lyon’ was another good engine which later on made a war record. Engines were all named just like steam-boats and the passengers had favorites among them. It was common to hear them say: ‘We’ll get in on time today because the “ Chickasaw” is pulling us.’

“There were no through trains except the specials. We stopped at every station. If we were informed in time that parties were anxious to get away on the train but hadn’t quite got their trunks packed, why, we would wait for them. It was the duty of the employees to be obliging. ‘

“Fate didn’t permit me to enjoy my career as boss of the ‘Chickasaw’ very long. The incident which caused me to abandon railroading occurred in Buchanan county in 1862. The ‘Chickasaw’ was pulling a special containing officers of the road into St. Joseph. Much trouble had occurred of late through the activity of bushwhackers and we were keeping a sharp lookout. The ‘Chickasaw,’ with safety valve popping off, was rolling smoothly along, making good time, when we came in sight of the Platte river bridge. An instant later I saw a man step on the bridge and signal us to stop. About the same time we noticed great volumes of smoke rolling up from the bridge. There were two guesses as to the motive of the man who was waving his hands at us. He might be a section hand warning us against danger or he might be a bandit intending to hold us up. I adopted the latter view of the dilemma and pulled the throttle wide open. The conductor, who had been looking out from the cars, took issue with me and signaled for me to stop. I felt a bit like a mutineer on the high seas, but as I knew the conductor’s object as well as mine was to get the train through safely, I put my judgment against his. As we swept on to the bridge a gang of long haired fellows rose up out of the brush and fired into us. The conductor, in the meanwhile, had crossed the tender and come into the cab, laid flat on the deck with us and the train thundered safely across the bridge.

The fire had been started too late to weaken the timbers. The only damage done was the shattering of glass in the car windows. There was considerable money on the train, and doubtless the bandits had learned of this. After getting a safe distance we slowed up and looked back. The bridge was entirely in flames.

“When we pulled into St. Joseph, Master Mechanic H. A. Rowley came up and congratulated us for the nerve he thought we had displayed in pulling the train out of danger. I told him for my part that I was much obliged, but I resigned my job as engineer right then and there, and soon afterwards joined the 9th Missouri Cavalry, under Colonel Odin Guitar.

I slept easy of nights after that.”

from the General History of Macon County, Missouri
 
“When we pulled into St. Joseph, Master Mechanic H. A. Rowley came up and congratulated us for the nerve he thought we had displayed in pulling the train out of danger. I told him for my part that I was much obliged, but I resigned my job as engineer right then and there, and soon afterwards joined the 9th Missouri Cavalry, under Colonel Odin Guitar.

I slept easy of nights after that.”
Safer in the cavalry than in the cab.
 
Great Story.
 
View attachment 218592
The Thomas O'Sullivan in Missouri
Captain James G. McIntosh … “In the fall of 1861 I was given command of the ‘Chickasaw,’ as engineer. The ‘Chickasaw’ was one of the best machines on the road. The ‘General Lyon’ was another good engine which later on made a war record. Engines were all named just like steam-boats and the passengers had favorites among them. It was common to hear them say: ‘We’ll get in on time today because the “ Chickasaw” is pulling us.’

“There were no through trains except the specials. We stopped at every station. If we were informed in time that parties were anxious to get away on the train but hadn’t quite got their trunks packed, why, we would wait for them. It was the duty of the employees to be obliging. ‘

“Fate didn’t permit me to enjoy my career as boss of the ‘Chickasaw’ very long. The incident which caused me to abandon railroading occurred in Buchanan county in 1862. The ‘Chickasaw’ was pulling a special containing officers of the road into St. Joseph. Much trouble had occurred of late through the activity of bushwhackers and we were keeping a sharp lookout. The ‘Chickasaw,’ with safety valve popping off, was rolling smoothly along, making good time, when we came in sight of the Platte river bridge. An instant later I saw a man step on the bridge and signal us to stop. About the same time we noticed great volumes of smoke rolling up from the bridge. There were two guesses as to the motive of the man who was waving his hands at us. He might be a section hand warning us against danger or he might be a bandit intending to hold us up. I adopted the latter view of the dilemma and pulled the throttle wide open. The conductor, who had been looking out from the cars, took issue with me and signaled for me to stop. I felt a bit like a mutineer on the high seas, but as I knew the conductor’s object as well as mine was to get the train through safely, I put my judgment against his. As we swept on to the bridge a gang of long haired fellows rose up out of the brush and fired into us. The conductor, in the meanwhile, had crossed the tender and come into the cab, laid flat on the deck with us and the train thundered safely across the bridge.

The fire had been started too late to weaken the timbers. The only damage done was the shattering of glass in the car windows. There was considerable money on the train, and doubtless the bandits had learned of this. After getting a safe distance we slowed up and looked back. The bridge was entirely in flames.

“When we pulled into St. Joseph, Master Mechanic H. A. Rowley came up and congratulated us for the nerve he thought we had displayed in pulling the train out of danger. I told him for my part that I was much obliged, but I resigned my job as engineer right then and there, and soon afterwards joined the 9th Missouri Cavalry, under Colonel Odin Guitar.

I slept easy of nights after that.”

from the General History of Macon County, Missouri
I love stories about trains. I use to collect Lionel years ago. Wish I still had them. The Chickasaw was a beauty.
 
Regarding the Hannibal - St. Joe RR and it's Platte River bridge. The bridge was long gone when I was a kid, but you could still tell where the old RR right-of-way had been. If I'm not mistaken, there is still a bit of the RR RoW in use as siding for a local industrial plant. It is located just west of the Platte River and east of St. Joe, generally along and adjacent to Saxton Easton Road.

Additionally, the abstract of title to one of my farms lists a transaction indicating an early ownership interest by the Hannibal & St. Joe RR Co. and lists offices in Boonville, Missouri. The transaction date is 1878, although my GGGGPa bought the farm in 1858 from the original land grantee, a Kentucky veteran of the Mexican War. Apparently, the RR's interest in the tract had not been accounted for during the first purchase and a representative of the firm in Brookfield, Missouri was required to sign a release. There is no mention of a fee in exchange for the release. The Republicans probably authorized the railroads to collect protection payments from Southern farmers as an element of Reconstruction. I sure hope the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad Company doesn't come back on me.
 
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During the first part of the war, troops from Iowa (2nd Iowa, etc.) were assigned to guard the rails between Hannibal and St. Joseph. They were moved south, I believe in December 1861, after A. S. Johnston retreated from Bowling Green. I am not sure what troops were put in place after that.
Lubliner.
 
View attachment 218592
The Thomas O'Sullivan in Missouri
Captain James G. McIntosh … “In the fall of 1861 I was given command of the ‘Chickasaw,’ as engineer. The ‘Chickasaw’ was one of the best machines on the road. The ‘General Lyon’ was another good engine which later on made a war record. Engines were all named just like steam-boats and the passengers had favorites among them. It was common to hear them say: ‘We’ll get in on time today because the “ Chickasaw” is pulling us.’

“There were no through trains except the specials. We stopped at every station. If we were informed in time that parties were anxious to get away on the train but hadn’t quite got their trunks packed, why, we would wait for them. It was the duty of the employees to be obliging. ‘

“Fate didn’t permit me to enjoy my career as boss of the ‘Chickasaw’ very long. The incident which caused me to abandon railroading occurred in Buchanan county in 1862. The ‘Chickasaw’ was pulling a special containing officers of the road into St. Joseph. Much trouble had occurred of late through the activity of bushwhackers and we were keeping a sharp lookout. The ‘Chickasaw,’ with safety valve popping off, was rolling smoothly along, making good time, when we came in sight of the Platte river bridge. An instant later I saw a man step on the bridge and signal us to stop. About the same time we noticed great volumes of smoke rolling up from the bridge. There were two guesses as to the motive of the man who was waving his hands at us. He might be a section hand warning us against danger or he might be a bandit intending to hold us up. I adopted the latter view of the dilemma and pulled the throttle wide open. The conductor, who had been looking out from the cars, took issue with me and signaled for me to stop. I felt a bit like a mutineer on the high seas, but as I knew the conductor’s object as well as mine was to get the train through safely, I put my judgment against his. As we swept on to the bridge a gang of long haired fellows rose up out of the brush and fired into us. The conductor, in the meanwhile, had crossed the tender and come into the cab, laid flat on the deck with us and the train thundered safely across the bridge.

The fire had been started too late to weaken the timbers. The only damage done was the shattering of glass in the car windows. There was considerable money on the train, and doubtless the bandits had learned of this. After getting a safe distance we slowed up and looked back. The bridge was entirely in flames.

“When we pulled into St. Joseph, Master Mechanic H. A. Rowley came up and congratulated us for the nerve he thought we had displayed in pulling the train out of danger. I told him for my part that I was much obliged, but I resigned my job as engineer right then and there, and soon afterwards joined the 9th Missouri Cavalry, under Colonel Odin Guitar.

I slept easy of nights after that.”

from the General History of Macon County, Missouri
What a great story! After joining Col. Guitar's militia cavalry, the author slept easy because he had the means to fight back against bushwhackers. Col. Guitar's cavalry was a well-regarded unit, and spent a lot of its time chasing bushwhackers around. Guitar famously thwarted one of Col. Joseph Porter's attempts to move his very large army of recruits south of the Missouri River.
 
Regarding the Hannibal - St. Joe RR and it's Platte River bridge. The bridge was long gone when I was a kid, but you could still tell where the old RR right-of-way had been. If I'm not mistaken, there is still a bit of the RR RoW in use as siding for a local industrial plant. It is located just west of the Platte River and east of St. Joe, generally along and adjacent to Saxton Easton Road.

Additionally, the abstract of title to one of my farms lists a transaction indicating an early ownership interest by the Hannibal & St. Joe RR Co. and lists offices in Boonville, Missouri. The transaction date is 1878, although my GGGGPa bought the farm in 1858 from the original land grantee, a Kentucky veteran of the Mexican War. Apparently, the RR's interest in the tract had not been accounted for during the first purchase and a representative of the firm in Brookfield, Missouri was required to sign a release. There is no mention of a fee in exchange for the release. The Republicans probably authorized the railroads to collect protection payments from Southern farmers as an element of Reconstruction. I sure hope the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad Company doesn't come back on me.
Amazing. Don't you just love the study of history. I am just getting started with my family and my wife says I am obsessed already. Research is like treasure hunting. You never know what you may find next.
 
Nice photo. My son is the train buff, but I have enjoyed riding a few steamers. Wow they are big in person!(One day I want to do it in period garb!) He and his Father have a train table with landscape and all that jazz. He started with an O27 guage Christmas train from Santa...and so it began..
 
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