James J. Andrews
Encyclopedia
James J. Andrews was a Kentucky
civilian who worked for the Union Army
during the early years of the American Civil War
. He led a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad
, known famously known as the Great Locomotive Chase
. The mission failed and Andrews and seven fellow raiders were executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying.
). He moved to Kentucky
, where he found employment as a house painter and singing coach. During the Civil War, he was engaged in buying contraband merchandise (including quinine
) and smuggling it between the military lines. While serving as a secret agent and scout in Nashville, Tennessee
, for Major General
Don Carlos Buell
in the spring of 1862, he devised a plan to take eight men to steal a train
in Atlanta, Georgia
, and drive it north. They would disrupt Confederate
communications in western Tennessee
and burn the long railroad bridge over the Tennessee River
at Bridgeport
. The mission failed when the required engineer failed to show up at the designated meeting place.
In April, Andrews proposed a new scheme to Major General
Ormsby M. Mitchel
to seize a locomotive
in northern Georgia
and drive it to Chattanooga, Tennessee
, where he would rendezvous with Mitchel's attacking Union Army
. On April 12, 1862, Andrews, another civilian, William "Bill" Campbell, and 22 volunteers from three Ohio infantry regiments
garbed in civilian clothes, stole a locomotive
known as The General
at Big Shanty, near Kennesaw, Georgia
. They headed north, destroying tracks and telegraph wires along the way in an effort to discourage pursuers and render the railroad useless for supplying the Confederate troops
in Tennessee
. William Allen Fuller
, the conductor
of the stolen train pursued the train hijackers on foot, by handcar, and in a variety of other locomotives, most notably the "Texas", in which he gave chase for 51 miles (82.1 km) in reverse. After an 87 miles (140 km) chase, the General lost power just north of Ringgold, Georgia
, and Andrews and his raiders scattered. He was captured soon afterwards and identified as the leader.
He was court-martial
ed in Chattanooga and sentenced to hang
in one week as a spy. Andrews escaped from Swims Jail on June 1, but was quickly recaptured the next day. On June 7, he was taken to Atlanta ahead of the advancing Union army by train over the same tracks that he had used during the raid. Andrews was ineptly hanged at about 5:00 that afternoon (the scaffold was so low that his feet touched the ground and he most likely died of strangulation as opposed to a broken neck), near the present day intersection of 3rd and Juniper Streets, NE. Andrews' body was temporarily buried at the site of execution. His remains were removed to the Chattanooga National Cemetery
on October 16, 1887, and a gravestone and monument to the raid was erected near the Ohio Memorial (Section H, Grave No. 12,982).
He was engaged to Elizabeth Layton of Flemingsburg, Kentucky
at the time of his execution. After learning of her fiances death, Layton became distraught and apparently never recovered and died two years later, her family believed of a "broken heart".
As a civilian, Andrews was ineligible for the Medal of Honor
that was presented to most of the raiders.
Walt Disney
made a movie of Andrews' exploits in 1956 called The Great Locomotive Chase starring Fess "Davy Crockett" Parker
as Andrews. Buster Keaton
's 1927 feature-length comedy masterpiece The General
was also loosely based on the incident.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
civilian who worked for the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the early years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He led a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad
Western and Atlantic Railroad
The Western and Atlantic Railroad of the State of Georgia' is a historic railroad that operated in the southeastern United States from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee....
, known famously known as the Great Locomotive Chase
Great Locomotive Chase
The Great Locomotive Chase or Andrews' Raid was a military raid that occurred April 12, 1862, in northern Georgia during the American Civil War. Volunteers from the Union Army, led by civilian scout James J...
. The mission failed and Andrews and seven fellow raiders were executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying.
Biography
Andrews was born in Holiday's Cove, Virginia (now Weirton, West VirginiaWeirton, West Virginia
Weirton is a city located in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, United States. Most of the city is in Hancock County, with the remainder in Brooke County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 20,411...
). He moved to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, where he found employment as a house painter and singing coach. During the Civil War, he was engaged in buying contraband merchandise (including quinine
Quinine
Quinine is a natural white crystalline alkaloid having antipyretic , antimalarial, analgesic , anti-inflammatory properties and a bitter taste. It is a stereoisomer of quinidine which, unlike quinine, is an anti-arrhythmic...
) and smuggling it between the military lines. While serving as a secret agent and scout in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, for Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell
Don Carlos Buell was a career United States Army officer who fought in the Seminole War, the Mexican-American War, and the American Civil War. Buell led Union armies in two great Civil War battles—Shiloh and Perryville. The nation was angry at his failure to defeat the outnumbered...
in the spring of 1862, he devised a plan to take eight men to steal a train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and drive it north. They would disrupt Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
communications in western Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
and burn the long railroad bridge over the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
at Bridgeport
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut.Bridgeport may also refer to:-Places:In Canada:* Bridgeport, Nova ScotiaIn the United States:* Bridgeport, Alabama* Bridgeport, California, in Mono County...
. The mission failed when the required engineer failed to show up at the designated meeting place.
In April, Andrews proposed a new scheme to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby M. Mitchel
Ormsby MacKnight Mitchel was an American astronomer and major general in the American Civil War....
to seize a locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
in northern Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and drive it to Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, where he would rendezvous with Mitchel's attacking Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
. On April 12, 1862, Andrews, another civilian, William "Bill" Campbell, and 22 volunteers from three Ohio infantry regiments
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
garbed in civilian clothes, stole a locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
known as The General
The General (locomotive)
The General is a type 4-4-0 steam locomotive that was the subject of the Great Locomotive Chase of the American Civil War. The locomotive is preserved at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-...
at Big Shanty, near Kennesaw, Georgia
Kennesaw, Georgia
Kennesaw is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It had a population of 29,783 according to the 2010 census. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Founded in 1887, Kennesaw has a past surrounded with railroad history...
. They headed north, destroying tracks and telegraph wires along the way in an effort to discourage pursuers and render the railroad useless for supplying the Confederate troops
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. William Allen Fuller
William Allen Fuller
William Allen Fuller was a conductor on the Western & Atlantic Railroad during the American Civil War era. He was most noted for his role in the 1862 Great Locomotive Chase, a daring espionage mission and raid conducted by non-uniformed personnel of the Union Army in northern Georgia...
, the conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
of the stolen train pursued the train hijackers on foot, by handcar, and in a variety of other locomotives, most notably the "Texas", in which he gave chase for 51 miles (82.1 km) in reverse. After an 87 miles (140 km) chase, the General lost power just north of Ringgold, Georgia
Ringgold, Georgia
Ringgold is a city in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,422 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Catoosa County...
, and Andrews and his raiders scattered. He was captured soon afterwards and identified as the leader.
He was court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
ed in Chattanooga and sentenced to hang
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
in one week as a spy. Andrews escaped from Swims Jail on June 1, but was quickly recaptured the next day. On June 7, he was taken to Atlanta ahead of the advancing Union army by train over the same tracks that he had used during the raid. Andrews was ineptly hanged at about 5:00 that afternoon (the scaffold was so low that his feet touched the ground and he most likely died of strangulation as opposed to a broken neck), near the present day intersection of 3rd and Juniper Streets, NE. Andrews' body was temporarily buried at the site of execution. His remains were removed to the Chattanooga National Cemetery
Chattanooga National Cemetery
Chattanooga National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located near the center of the city of Chattanooga in Hamilton County, Tennessee...
on October 16, 1887, and a gravestone and monument to the raid was erected near the Ohio Memorial (Section H, Grave No. 12,982).
He was engaged to Elizabeth Layton of Flemingsburg, Kentucky
Flemingsburg, Kentucky
Flemingsburg is a city in Fleming County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 3,010 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fleming County.-Geography:Flemingsburg is located at ....
at the time of his execution. After learning of her fiances death, Layton became distraught and apparently never recovered and died two years later, her family believed of a "broken heart".
As a civilian, Andrews was ineligible for the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
that was presented to most of the raiders.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
made a movie of Andrews' exploits in 1956 called The Great Locomotive Chase starring Fess "Davy Crockett" Parker
Fess Parker
Fess Elisha Parker, Jr. was an American film and television actor best known for his portrayals of Davy Crockett in the Walt Disney 1955-56 TV mini-series and as TV's Daniel Boone from 1964-70...
as Andrews. Buster Keaton
Buster Keaton
Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton was an American comic actor, filmmaker, producer and writer. He was best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression, earning him the nickname "The Great Stone Face".Keaton was recognized as the...
's 1927 feature-length comedy masterpiece The General
The General (1927 film)
The General is a 1926 American silent comedy film released by United Artists inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, which happened in 1862. Buster Keaton starred in the film and co-directed it with Clyde Bruckman...
was also loosely based on the incident.