Two Union soldiers involved in the stealing of a locomotive behind Confederate lines on April 12, 1862 will be given a posthumous Medal of Honor today by President Biden. Both were captured and were executed by the Confederacy after the “Great Locomotive Chase. Nineteen other members of the operation have already been given the Medal of Honor.
Privates Philip Shadrach and George Wilson, “will receive the medals during a White House ceremony that will recognize their “gallantry and intrepidity” during what become known as the Great Locomotive Chase, one of the earliest special operations in U.S. Army history, the White House said” according to Reuters.
The train “The General” was captured by 22 men infiltrated into Marietta, Georgia by the Union Army. As the Union men headed north, they destroyed the tracks of the Western and Atlantic Railway while being chased by Confederate soldiers. The Unionists cut the telegraph wires, which prevented the Confederates from telegraphing ahead to block the tracks. After an 87 mile chase they were captured. Led by James Andrews, they are called “Andrew’s Raiders.”
Note: The feature photo shows the Texas which chased the raiders.
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