At the Oostanaula Bridge

The Raiders were now nearing the Oostanaula Bridge south of Resaca, their first objective. This bridge, along with many others on the W&ARR at the time, was a wooden covered bridge. (The present bridge stands on some of the supports that held the wartime structure.) All efforts were directed toward getting a fire started in the rear box car with a view to leaving it burning on the bridge and setting the bridge afire. All the wood they had was soaked and even with coals from the firebox of the General, it wasn't possible to get a roaring fire going.

As the Raiders approached the bridge they slowed down and uncoupled the smoldering box car and left it on the bridge. As they sped on the Raiders were disheartened to see their pursuers ease onto the span and push the smoking car on through; Fuller left both cars kicked back at him from the General on a siding at Resaca.

Beyond Resaca the Raiders resorted to dropping cross ties on the track in hopes of slowing down the Texas. This proved futile, for the jettisoned ties bounced off the track. A few miles above Resaca the General approached Green's Wood Station near Tilton, and was again in need of fuel. A quick stop was made at Green's for wood, and then for water at Tilton. But the pursuers were so close behind that the Raiders could not satisfy completely the needs of the General. The stops did permit the building up of steam, which enabled the locomotive to take off in a hurry for Dalton.

The Raiders passed Dalton at a high rate of speed. About two miles north of Dalton they stopped again to cut the telegraph wire. All but a few words of Fuller's message to General Leadbetter got through before the wire was cut by John Scott. This was enough to alert the authorities at Chattanooga. Before Andrews' men could pry another rail up, the pursuing Texas came into sight and once again the Raiders had to flee in haste.

The remaining miles on the chase were a close race between the locomotives which were within sight and sound of each other now, making it impossible for the Raiders to cause further obstructions. Even at Tunnel Hill, no effort was made to fight back at the pursuers or damage or obstruct the tunnel.

Some accounts indicate that the Raiders uncoupled their third and last boxcar on one of the Chickamauga bridges in an effort to burn it, but the preponderance of evidence indicates the third box car was still coupled to the General at the end of the chase.