In April 1862, as the Union's Third Division advanced toward Chattanooga, James Andrews proposed that a small party in civilian dress steal a train near Atlanta and head north while burning bridges behind them to hinder Confederate reinforcement of Chattanooga on the Western & Atlantic Railroad. Twenty-three soldiers and one civilian volunteered and became known as Andrews' Raiders, but after delays and separations only twenty, including Andrews, boarded the train. At Big Shanty, when the crew and passengers left for breakfast, they uncoupled all but three boxcars and seized the locomotive General, then moved north, repeatedly cutting telegraph wire and removing rails. Their escape was slowed at Kingston by trains coming from Chattanooga, while conductor William A. Fuller, foreman Anthony Murphy, and engineer Jeff Cain began pursuit on foot after seeing the train stolen. They ran two and one-half miles, found a pole car, later used the Yonah and then the William B. Smith, and after another break in the track Fuller and Murphy continued on foot until they took up pursuit with the Texas, running it in reverse after moving its freight cars to a sidetrack. At Calhoun, Confederate Capt. W.J. Whitsett and ten soldiers joined the chase with the Catoosa. Andrews tried to hinder the pursuers by uncoupling cars, setting one afire, and dropping crossties on the track, but these obstacles were removed, and after stops for water and wood the raiders burned what they had as they passed through Dalton, Tunnel Hill, and Ringgold. About two miles above Ringgold, the General ran out of steam, ending the eighty-nine mile chase. The raiders scattered but were pursued and eventually captured; eight were hanged as spies, fourteen were sent to prison camps and escaped, six of those were recaptured and later paroled and exchanged, and those six became the first recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, with thirteen other raiders later receiving the award.

Photo: Public domain

Photo: Public domain

Photo: Gary Todd / Public Domain

Photo: Duane and Tracy Marsteller