An Anniversary 1862-2012

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

This coming April 12 will be the 150th anniversary of the Andrews Raid and "The Great Locomotive Chase." 

I have learned today that the current home of the "General," in Kennesaw, GA, is now called the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. (When I visited, back in 1994, it was called the Big Shanty Museum.)

According to the museum's web site, the city of Kennesaw will be sponsoring a commemoration on April 12. The museum will be having a "members only" event.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Today, April 12, is the 150th anniversary of the Great Locomotive Chase. 

[jonathan]

For those of us with a military background, it is interesting to note that the military members of the raiders were awarded the very first Medals of Honor for their actions.

A few of the raiders actually survived to receive their medals while still breathing, and lived as late as 1916 or 1918 (I forgot which).

Fess Parker (Daniel Boone TV series) got his break by starring in the Disney version of the movie, if I recall correctly.

I seem to recall Johnny Cash telling this story in his docu-drama about the history of the American Railroad (in between folk songs).

Funny I should be aware of this bit of history... no B&O involved this time.  

Regards,

Jonathan

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

Fess Parker (Daniel Boone TV series) got his break by starring in the Disney version of the movie, if I recall correctly.

I double checked at IMDb, and it appears the first Davy Crockett episode, Parker's real break, aired before The Great Locomotive Chase.

(Daniel Boone was my favorite show as a little boy in the 1960s, so I really mourned Parker's death in 2010.)

Funny I should be aware of this bit of history... no B&O involved this time.  

Regards,

Jonathan

Ah, but there is a "Beano" connection: Disney used the B&O's William Mason and Lafayette in the movie. 

I think I may watch my copy of the Disney movie tonight--after The Big Bang Theory. 

[jward]

speaking of the beano and the civil war, when was the anniversary of stonewall jackson's raid on martinsburg? that was a brilliant piece of military strategy.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

speaking of the beano and the civil war, when was the anniversary of stonewall jackson's raid on martinsburg? that was a brilliant piece of military strategy.

Are you referring to the events of June 20, 1861?

This article refers to Jackson's troops doing serious damage on that date, as well as appropriating a number of locomotives for use by the Confederacy.

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Martinsburg_Virginia_During_the_Civil_War

[Terry Toenges]

I still watch Daniel Boone every day.

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

For those of us with a military background, it is interesting to note that the military members of the raiders were awarded the very first Medals of Honor for their actions.

Just this afternoon, on the web site for the Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History (formerly the Big Shanty Museum), where the General is housed, I read that the descendants of one of the raiders are donating his medal to the museum.

[phillyreading]

I am not sure which raid it was, but in one of the raids the one side stole a steam engine and then cut or burned the ties in between the rails to destroy the tracks, so that nobody could follow them by rail. This could even have been common practice of the military back then.
I have been to the Savanah GA roundhouse a couple of times, very nice place to see, and has some of the southern railroad history.

Lee F.

[M1FredQ]

Fess Parker also owned a vineyard and produced some great wines.
One of his Chardonnays was ranked 93/100 by Robert Parker who is a
very discriminating wine evaluator.

I mention this because sometimes after the kids are all in bed and it
has been one of those rough days I like to sip a glass of wine sometimes
a Makers Mark and run the Trains. Great relaxation calms me down and
it's fun!!!!!!!!!

I have also introduced my kids to Fess Parker Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett.
A book I recently read mentions Crockett referred to himself as David and not Davey.Also new evidence
indicates he was captured at the Alamo. His Mexican captors knew who he was were collecting
autograph es and begged Santa Anna to spare his life but they were refused and Santa Anna went
so far as to have him bayonetted and not shot!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jward]

speaking of the beano and the civil war, when was the anniversary of stonewall jackson's raid on martinsburg? that was a brilliant piece of military strategy.

Are you referring to the events of June 20, 1861?

This article refers to Jackson's troops doing serious damage on that date, as well as appropriating a number of locomotives for use by the Confederacy.

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Martinsburg_Virginia_During_the_Civil_War

that would be the one. but there's way more to the story than mentioned there.

first some perspective. the b&o was a railroad in a difficukt situation. it literally straddled the border between north and south. as such, the b&o was trying to please everybody as a matter of survival.

stonewall jackson had an encampment in harpers ferry, i believe. he complained to b&o management that the trains were keeping his men awake at night. the b&o happily accomodated him by running all trains in an 8 hour window during daylight hours. a couple of weeks later, soldiers blockaded the line at martinsburg, letting eastbound trains pass but holding westbound ones. they did the same at harpers ferry, letting westbounds pass but holding the eastbounds. thus, a whole day's worth of trains were bottled up between the two towns.

stonewall's men then carted off what locomotives and cars they could deep into virginia, and destroyed the rest.

as a postscript, the counties that b&o ran through in virginia eventually broke away to form west virginia, solving the border problem once and for all.

[Doneldon]

solving the border problem once and for all.

Jeff-

Not really. Virginia never approved West Virginia's secession, and heavy conflict continued in the area for the remainder of the Civil War. I suppose one could argue that the B&O was off the hook but that's not exactly true, either. Maryland was a somewhat reluctantly non-secessionist so internal problems repeatedly arose, a level of martial law persisted in the state and the B&O continued to be used as a significant resource in the Northern war effort (with less than unbridled enthusiasm on the part of many employees) which led to considerable pressures on the railroad and its employees who were sympathetic to the Southern cause.

                                                                            -- D