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Permission given, he was allocated an assistant, a John Duncan, who is sometimes referred to as a Pinkerton man. John Duncan was not a Pinkerton Man, but, as Hardin himself once mentioned in a letter to his wife after his arrest , " Duncan, (or as he spelt it , Dunkan) was a Texas State Detective." Duncan set up home near a relation of Hardin`s , in the hope of learning his whereabouts. Discovering that a wagon there was the property of Hardin, Duncan applied to buy it, and this meant that Hardin had to be contacted about the price. The relative duly sent a letter to a John Swain at an address in Alabama. Duncan, believing this to be an alias of Hardin`s notified Armstrong, who requested arrest warrants be issued under both names, a copy of each to be sent by mail to Alabama, and another copy by express.

Meanwhile Armstrong and Duncan hastened to Alabama, only to learn that Hardin had left for Florida, along with four other men. So Armstrong and Duncan continued on to Florida, but without warrants, because they had not yet arrived in Alabama.
Just outside Pensacola, Armstrong identifying himself, recruited the assistance of the local law enforcement officers, explaining he was after Hardin. Armstrong and the other officers entered the train on which Hardin was travelling. Armstrong was walking with the aid of a cane, because of his gunshot wound. Moving his cane to his left hand, he drew his seven-inch barrelled Colt.45 and, approaching Hardin, ordered him to surrender. Hardin recognised the weapon as one popular with the Rangers and cried "Texas by God!" and reached for his own concealed revolver, a cap-and-ball .44, only to get it caught in his suspenders.

While Hardin was struggling to free his revolver, one of his companions, nineteen-year-old Jim Mann, drew and shot a hole in Armstrongs hat. Armstrong retaliated with a shot through Mann`s heart. Mann jumped through the carriage window, but fell dead after a few steps.

Armstrong had in the meantime grabbed Hardin`s gun, but was promptly kicked away into an empty seat opposite. He rebounded back and hit Hardin with his revolver so hard that Hardin remained unconscious for two hours.

This is how Armstrong told of it in later years according to Walter Prescott Webb in his book "The Texas Rangers-A Century of Frontier Defence" Hardin however tells it differently in a letter he wrote to his wife whilst in Jail. In the letter he describes his capture thus:-

"…….. Jane they had me foul, yes very foul. I was sitting in the Smoking car, Neal Campbell and poor Jimmie Mann by my side with my arms stretched on the side when they came in. Four men grabbed me ,one by each arm and one by each leg so they stretched me locking me quick, but poor Jimmie , he broke to run out of the cars and was shot dead by some of the crowd on the outside……"

This letter was written two days after his arrest and the events of that day were obviously still clear in his head, so without taking anything away from Armstrongs arrest of Hardin, it seems Armstrongs recollection of the incident may have altered over the years, or was Hardin trying to make excuses to his kin for an easy arrest? Who knows.

Armstrongs associates disarmed the remainder of Hardins companions, and the train was ordered to continue on to the town of Whitney in Alabama. The three remaining members of the "Party" were dropped off at different stations along the way. Armstrong`s main interest was in the capture of Hardin. At Whitney, Armstrong put Hardin under guard in prison while he awaited the warrants from Texas. So now we know why a Texas Ranger was in Florida, and why Hardin was unable to shoot his way out of a tight spot, but the story continues.

Hardin is under arrest, but Armstrong has no warrant, and as the first telegram explains, Hardin has friends who are threatening to free him in a less than peaceful manner.