A Locomotive Built in Lancaster -- The 2-10-0 "Bee" in 1867

Photograph of the "Bee" locomotive, built at Norris Locomotive Works in Lancaster, 1867

One of the joys of Civil War research is that any day artifacts can pop up on Ebay and send you on diverse and exciting research paths.  Such was the case a couple days ago when a carte-de-visite photograph of a locomotive built in Lancaster showed up in my Ebay searches.

The photograph shows a locomotive named "Bee" and has a backmark identifying it as a product of the Norris Locomotive Works, Lancaster, PA.  The locomotive's specifications -- "Cylinders, 20-In. Diameter, 26-In. Stroke, Driving Wheels, 48-In. Diameter" -- and the name of John A. Durgin, Constructor, also appear on the back.  There is a reference in the Locomotive Engineers Journal of 1870 to the trading of photographs among different shops, so it seems plausible that this photograph was taken to showcase the work being done in Lancaster.

Backmark of photograph above
"The Norris Locomotive Works, Lancaster, PA."

Prior to the war, the Lancaster Locomotive Works turned out engines from 1853 until it failed during the Panic of 1857 when railroads could not pay for the locomotives that they purchased.  The shops lay idle for several years until two of the Norris brothers connected to the Norris Locomotive Works in Philadelphia moved production to Lancaster in late 1863.

The facility was located in the northeastern part of Lancaster City along the railroad on the northeast corner of Plum and Fulton Streets.  By June 1865, the works produced one locomotive per week and employed 400 men in Lancaster.  A map from 1866 exists in the collections of the Free Library of Philadelphia and shows the facility's six-acre layout with buildings labeled A-L that housed a machine shop, foundry, blacksmith, boiler shop, erecting shop, etc.  An article in the June 20, 1866, Intelligencer describes all of these shops in detail.       

A Lancaster boy, Henry C. Frazer (1850-1903), who apprenticed at the shop between 1865 and 1868 recalled that many of the locomotives produced in 1865 went into service on the Western Pacific Railroad in California (Railway and Locomotive Engineering, May 1902, p. 208).  In 1866, John A. Durgin became Constructor and Superintendent, and the first ten-wheeled locomotives were produced in 1867 for the Pennsylvania and the Allegheny Valley Railroads.

Focusing on these two 2-10-0 "decapod" engines, the locomotives are interesting as prototypes in the first wave of "consolidation" engines that would successfully fill the role of hauling heavy freight.  The two 2-10-0 Lancaster engines were the first of that configuration built in the United States and designed by Alexander Mitchell, who had perfected the design of the 2-8-0 engine in 1866.  Other correspondents to the Railway and Locomotive Engineering journal provided additional details about the locomotives:

Alexander Mitchell tried to advance on the consolidation with two engines called the "Ant" and the "Bee," which had five pair of drivers connected and a pony truck in front.  The engines gave some trouble on curves, so the back pair of drivers were taken out and a pair of small carrying wheels substituted, making the first of the 2-8-2 or Mikado type.  Two engines were built by the Norris Locomotive Works, Lancaster, Pa., in 1867. Quite a number of this kind of engines is now used in mountain service.  (p. 32, Railway and Locomotive Engineering, January 1907)

Lancaster's locomotive works were closed again in October 1868, perhaps testifying to the volatility of industrial growth in the Civil War era.  Surely, some of the returning veterans of the 79th Pennsylvania found employment there upon their return from the war in summer 1865.  

The Bee appears to have gone into service on the Lehigh Valley Railroad and was modified in 1883 to a 2-8-2 configuration.  The Bee's novelty attracted attention as railroad engineers reflected on their early days in professional journals in the early 1900s, and engravings from those journals document its appearance over the course of its lifetime.

1907 Railway and Locomotive Engineering

Engraving of "Bee" Locomotive

Modification Plan for the Bee, 1883-4
Locomotive Engineering, January 1898, p. 28

'En Avant': To Munfordville and the Green River

Sketch of Munfordville, Kentucky (HW 1/11/1862)

Today's letter is similar to yesterday's, touching on the December 17 march from Bacon Creek Station to Mufordville and the Battle of Rowlett's Station.  Written by Hospital Steward John B. Chamberlain, it does give some new details about how the regiment treated its sick, praising efforts at the regimental level but condemning the Louisville and Nashville Railroad for its operations.  "En Avant," by the way, is French for "forward" or "onward."

As a research note, if anyone knows anything about the Lancaster Inquirer for the first half of 1862, please let me know.  I do not know of its existence in any archives, leaving a six-month gap for which we would be missing any letters from "Judge" Caines and Chamberlain.  Letters posted on the blog from the Inquirer up to this point are from the bound volume for the year 1861 in possession of the Lancaster County Historical Society.  

From the December 28, 1861, Inquirer:

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"EN AVANT"

Munfordsville, Hart co., Ky,
Dec 18, 1861

Mr. Editor:-At last the longing anticipations of our boys have been realized.  'En Avant!' has been the order; and the joyous alacrity--the eager hope that we could measure strength and manhood with our accursed enemies, showed the anxiety of the men to advance to the fray.  Some time ago, while we were making 'ready' for an advance, in camp Negley, and while the men were drilled incesantly in every movement laid down in the 'books,' orders were received to march, which were obeyed with cheerfulness.  Green River--Buckner--Zollicoffer and traitors floated in the dim distance; and the boys wanted no better prospect or greater allurements.  Onward we marched; but to halt at Bacon creek, on account of a bridge having been burned down by a body of secesh cavalry: so we pitched out tents and waited for it to be rebuilt. General Negley detached a number of men from the 79th regiment for the purpose, and Capt. Kendrick was appointed to superintend the work.

On the morning of the 17th inst., orders were received to strike tents and march for Green river, but eight miles from camp Wood.  After a rapid march, we arrived in good spirits; immediately after our arrival, a dispatch was received ordering out the entire force, on a 'double quick' to the river, as a skirmish was going on with the enemy.  But our hopes of a fight were disappointed, for upon our arrival, the fight was already over, and we were not afforded even an opportunity of seeing the tail-end of the retreating and beaten traitors.

From all account that I can gather, three companies of Colonel Willich's German Indiana regiment crossed the river, and were attacked by two regiments of Infantry and one regiment of Texas Rangers.  A brisk hand to hand fight immediately commenced; and notwithstanding the trrible odds, with the great advantage of position, ambush &c., the rebels were badly beaten.  When our artillery opened on them, they started on the run, as if they would let the 'devil take the hindmost.' The 79th was eager for the fray, and wanted to make a dash; but the rebels were off, and we had to take it out in thinking what we would have done, had the rebels only waited.  the list of injured can hardly be correcly ascertained, as there are so many conflicting rumors afloat.  We lost twelve killled, five mortally and twenty-four slightly wounded.  The rebels suffered severely, losing some sixty killed, and among them a Colonel and a Major.  Colonel Willich says the infantry was a cowardly set of dogs; but the cavalry were as bold, determined and brave men as he ever saw.  The rebels are poorly clad, some have no uniforms at all. 

The village in which we now are, has between four and five hundred inhabitants.  The houses are eminently Southern--being mostly log huts.  It strongly reminds me of Charlestown, Virginia, which I consider the meanest burlesque on civilization I ever saw; but Mumfordsville is an admirable imitation--a kind of delapidated second edition.

The earnest, sincere thanks of the sick of the 79th are due our most excellent surgeon, Dr. Wright and his assistant, who regard the comfort of the sick as of the highest importance first, and make all circumstances yield accordingly.  They always look ahead and provide for any contingency that may occur.  I must not close without giving the Louisville and Nashville Railroad a passing notice.  There is no system or management at all on the road.  If you ask for any information, they will either pay no attention, or else tell a downright lie.  The day we were to leave, orders were given each surgeon to have his sick at the Railroad Depot by noon, as there was to be a special train ready at 3 o'clock, p.m., to take them down the road.  The appointed time arrived, but no train; and there the sick had to wait all night!  Fortunately some hospital tents were found at the station, in which some were placed; while the rest were quartered in sheds to prevent exposure to the night air.  I doubt not but that the exposure will prove fatal in numbers of cases.  Such conduct on the part of the managers of the road is atrocious, and should receive the severest censure.  At eight o'clock on the morning of the 28th inst., six or eight freight cars were brought up the road, and the sick put aboard.

I am happy to say that the 79th still retains its reputation of being the healthiest and hardiest regiment in this division.  We have but nine men at Louisville, in the hospital there; and but thirteen in the camp hospital.

Your old correspondents, "The Judge" and "The Missionary," send their regards; you will hear from them soon.  By the way among the recent promotions, not as yet announced however, in the army bulletins, is that of Wm. H. Thackara, of Company B, to Ward Master in the hospital.  You know, from personal acquaintance, that a better selection could not have been made.  Kind, faithful and attentive with methodical, orderly habits, he attends to his duties ably and efficiently.  He deserves a more eulogistic panegyric than this, but partiality might be ascribed to me.

Yours, respectfully,
Occasional

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Making a March and Building a Bridge

Union Troops advance in tandem along the Louisville and Nashville Railroad and Turnpike (FLI 1/18/1862)

Back to events in the history of the 79th Pennsylvania after a two-post detour to John Hunt Morgan's Confederate cavalry and the 45th Pennsylvania...

Sergeant William T. Clark of Company B, 79th Pennsylvania, recorded in his diary for December 11, 1861, the following entry:

At 10 a.m. the “Band” struck up the air “Strike Your Tents & March Away”. When we draw our pins in half an hour the base drum beat & at the “third tap” the tents of our Regiment fell to the right and were rolled up & carried to the R. R. with the other heavy baggage. Our knapsacks were hauled in the wagon. At 11 and ½ a.m. we formed line, stacked arms & were dismissed to fall in at the tap of the drum. At 1 p.m. the Brigade was formed and we started on our march for Bacon Creek. We went down the L. N. Turnpike which is the worst pike I ever saw and we made nearly all of 15 miles in double quick time arriving here at 6 p.m. very tired. We pitched tents as soon as we came, but it was very cold sleeping as our knapsacks were with the wagons which did not arrive untill 1 a.m.

This move, from Nolin Station to Bacon Creek, would be the regiment's biggest movement since leaving Louisville, and was part of a broader movement of Union troops in the area, which was covered by a sketch artist from Frank Leslie's Illustrated whose article appeared in the January 18, 1862, edition and reflected on the new role of railroads in warfare:

Frederick the Great, Marlborough and Napoleon--saying nothing of Wellington, who, like a second Moses, lived from the Pisgah of 1850 to see some strange changes--would have stared at the manner in which a modern army takes the field.  The command of Richard to "saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow," and these iron monsters would have carried 1,000 of knights-at-arms with the ease the good horse Surrey carried one man.  Our Artist has made this very palpable in the sketch we publish to-day, when the long train of carriages on the Louisville and Nashville turnpike carrying grim soldiers of Uncle Sam, sworn to prevail or perish in a deadly field, looks more a holiday excursion, presided over by the benevolent Barnum or the judicious Jarrett, than the heroes of a hundred coming fights.

The L&N RR bridge over Bacon Creek after being burned on December 5 by Confederate cavalry (FLI 1/25/1862)

The Louisville & Nashville Railroad indeed provided an important lifeline for soldiers in the central divisions of Buell's Army of the Ohio.  However, it only went as far south as Bacon Creek, where Confederates had burned a bridge on their retreat in November, and then again on December 5 by Confederate cavalry.  The task of rebuilding the bridge fell to the 79th Pennsylvania's Colonel Henry A. Hambright and his senior captain, William G. Kendrick.  Recall that before the war, Hambright superintended the construction of canal and railroad infrastructure around Lancaster.  Kendrick also had construction experience, winning the contract for bricklaying (maybe masonry, too?) for the Lancaster County Courthouse in the mid-1850s.

On the morning of December 12, Hambright and Kendrick took all the carpenters in the regiment out to rebuild the bridge, a task they accomplished over the next day.  The army's attention could now be turned to a much bigger bridge over the Green River near Munfordville, which would be the site of a battle on December 17, 1861.  Frank Leslie's printed an article on January 25 (the many typos are retained):

A force consisting principally of details from the 1st Wisconsin, Col. Harkweather, and the 19th Pennsylvania, Col. Hamblight, of Gen. Negley's brigade, was set to work, and assisted by a force of workmen sent down by the railroad company, the bridge was entirely rebuilt and a training running over in 24 hours.  An army composed of such material can't be whipped.

Federal troops rebuilding the bridge over Bacon's Creek, Ky (FLI 1/25/1862)

The regiment spent the next several days at this new camp, which Adam Johnston of Company D recalled as "Camp Wood," just north of where the Louisville and Nashville Railroad crossed the Bacon Creek.  Their next move would be on December 17, when they struck tents and marched ten miles to Munfordville, Kentucky.  However, as soon as they began to pitch tents in this new camp, they heard the sounds of the first serious battle of the center wing of the Army of the Ohio taking place just a mile or two away.  The 79th Pennsylvania "formed line in double quick time & started for the scene of the action."  [JHD, 12/17/1861] Stay tuned for more details in a couple days.

Amateurs Talk Strategy; Professionals Talk Logistics.

Here's a post that brings my avocation a little closer to my vocation, and hits on three significant (and basically lost to history) happenings that impacted both the lives of people living in Lancaster during the Civil War and the execution of the Union war effort.

Reading and Columbia Railroad Building, Columbia (Source)

Reading and Columbia Railroad Stock Certificate (Source)

First, construction began in 1861 on the Columbia and Reading Railroad, which ran across northern Lancaster County primarily to complete a New York-Baltimore connection and allow for the more direct shipment of coal from Pennsylvania's mines to Baltimore and beyond.  Discussions and legislative work dated to 1857, and a note in the November 2, 1861, Daily Evening Express stated almost twenty miles of track were ready to be laid and bonds were about to be issued.  The railroad would be completed in late 1863.  Here's a quick history of the Columbia and Reading Railroad.  If you want to dig deeper, the digitized Columbia Spy looks to have some really good information if you simply search "Columbia and Reading Railroad."

Union Army Wagon Train (of Telegraph Corps near Richmond, VA) (Library of Congress)

Second, Lancasterians in late 1861 often witnessed the unusual site of droves of mules being driven through the county on their way to Perryville, Maryland, at the mouth of the Susquehanna River just 5-10 miles beyond Lancaster County's border with Maryland.  Perryville was the site of major U.S. Army quartermaster operations, which employed a good number of teamsters and carpenters from Lancaster County (DEE 11/4/1861).  Many men from Lancaster's communities of African-Americans, who were not employed as combat soldiers until 1863, appear to have served as teamsters or in support roles at Perryville.  Very interesting accounts of operations there--and later with the Army of the Potomac--were written by a soldier with the pen name "R" for publication in the Lancaster Examiner and Herald.  His first letter from Perryville was published on October 30, 1861, and others followed every two or three weeks (always on Page 3) which you can find by browsing through subsequent editions of the Examiner and Herald.  Here's an excerpt from that first letter:

The operation of breaking the mules for the teams seems to be the most attractive feature of the place.  This department is under the charge of a Mr. Emmonds, assisted by about thirty colored men.  About thirty teams are turned out daily.  The mules are put into a small pen, from which they are driven into stocks or stalls.  Here they are secured somewhat on the Rarey plan, with a rope to each front leg, one round the back, through which one of the ropes on the front leg is passed.  The bridle and collar are then put on, the collar by unbuckling it at the top.  After this they are let into another apartment to receive the rest of the the harness.  Most of them rare and pitch furiously, but are immediately brought to the ground by men at the ropes.  This is continued until the mules submit.  Some yield at once.  Others require more time.  After being subdued, the rest of the gears are put on, and the rope taken off one of the legs.  As soon as hooked into the wagon, the remaining rope is also removed.  Broken mules are taken for the saddle and line, and are hitched in before the new ones are brought to the wagon.  As soon as the team is full, which is usually fitted up in from ten to fifteen minutes, two of the colored men drive it round, with two wheels checked, until the mules are quiet, when it is given into the teamster's charge.  The new wagoner continues driving it every day, with one, if necessary, both wheels locked, until he has perfect control of his team.  The gears, mules, line, &c., are arranged precisely like the Conestoga or Lancaster county farm teams.  The driver rides the left hind mule, with a single line attached to the leader.  The mules are not beaten during the process of breaking, as has been generally reported, though some drivers may occasionally abuse them while working with them.  That some "hard swearing" is sometimes indulged in may by inferred from the remark of one of the Germans from Lancaster, who is here as a teamster, that all the mules had one name--"Soon uv a beatch!"

From Hardtack and Coffee

Finally, I've noticed a good number and wide variety of war-related contracts being noted in Lancaster's newspapers of late 1861 along with advertisements for workers.  Shoes, clothes, lumber for bridges, rifles (and I think cannons from Safe Harbor's iron works), and wagons all were supplied from Lancaster.  One that got a good bit of attention was an order for 100 army wagons completed basically in November 1861 by Cox & Co. at the corner of S. Duke and E. Lime, which the Daily Evening Express noted "is giving employment to a large number of workmen; and has set to work much otherwise unemployed machinery."  (11/7/1861)  In a November 30 article, the Express praised the wagons' quality  and commented, "The principal object was to give employment to a large number of mechanics, and to distribute some $10,000 in this community."  The wagons passed inspection with flying colors, and fifty teams of six mules each traveled from Perryville to Lancaster on December 17 to retrieve the wagons (DEE 12/17). 

Detail of William L. Gill stereoview of S. Duke St, showing carriage manufacturer Cox & Co. (vws)
See original stereoview here.

Strasburg Railroad Hauls Freight: How Cool Is That?

Posting on hold until Labor Day due to school summer project.

By Toby Schramm at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

Col. Hambright, who supervised Pennsylvania Railroad operations in Lancaster leading up to the war, would be proud.  The Strasburg Railroad, a short line railroad constructed in 1832 connecting to the mainline near Leaman Place (many 79th Pennsylvania soldiers were from the part of the county), apparently has expanded from hauling tourists to more serious cargo: "When the Strasburg Rail Road hauls freight, it means business" (Lancaster Online)

The Strasburg Rail Road locomotive rumbles into the yard an hour after sunrise.

Its silhouette is black as coal. Its headlight gleams like the morning star.

But it belches no steam, tows none of the shortline's famous russet-hued passenger coaches.

This is a freight train, folks.

One of a multitude riding The Strasburg's rails this summer.

A rapidly increasing multitude.

The shortline handled nine freight cars in 2009, according to Stephen Weaver, Strasburg Rail Road superintendent.

It's on track to haul up to 300 this year, thus increasing its freight operation by an expected 3,233 percent.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/442768_When-the-Strasburg-Rail-Road-hauls-freight--it-means-business.html#ixzz1W6Qx8aPc