The famous train stolen by Union spies during the Civil War now resides at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw.
By James & Dorothy Richardson
January 2007
Do you remember the 1956 Walt Disney movie The Great Locomotive Chase, which starred Fess Parker? Or are you a fan of classic silent films and have seen The General, a 1927 masterpiece starring Buster Keaton?
If so “” or if you’re simply a history buff “” you may recall that the General was a locomotive that was stolen on April 12, 1862, by a band of Union spies. Their intent was to destroy the Confederate supply line by burning bridges along the railroad between Atlanta, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. The General and its exciting history are hallowed at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia. In fact, the actual locomotive is housed there, just yards from the site where it was stolen.
The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, formerly called the Kennesaw Civil War Museum, underwent an expansion in 2003. The museum, a Smithsonian Institution affiliate, has greatly increased the collection of Civil War and train artifacts. This is a must-see place for FMCAers who like trains, Civil War history, or simply a good action story.
A new film at the museum tells the true tale of intrigue and train travel. Sit down and watch how a group of Yankees, posing as future Confederate inductees, boarded the General in Marietta, Georgia, and rode it to Kennesaw, where passengers and crew disembarked for breakfast at Kennesaw’s Lacy Hotel.
This presented James J. Andrews and his Union spies the opportunity to take the train. The plan was daring, and all knew they were risking their lives if they were caught. Yet they grabbed the controls and sped away from the hotel. The General’s conductor, William Fuller, saw his engine as it rounded the bend out of sight. He summoned his engineer and used another locomotive, the Yonah, to pursue it. The chase passed through several towns. The Yankees cut telegraph wires and uprooted track along the route.
In one town, Fuller encountered another engine, the Texas, commandeered it, and continued the chase. Even though that train was traveling backward, it managed to keep up with the General. Finally, 18 miles outside Chattanooga, the Union raiders were forced to stop, and ran for their lives. All were eventually captured. James J. Andrews and six other men were hanged; six more made a daring jailbreak and survived, eventually returning to the North. Eight others became part of a prisoner exchange. All of the Union raiders were awarded the Medal of Honor by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, except for Andrews, for he had never enlisted.
One of those medals is on display at the museum, as is a reproduction of the Lacy Hotel where the chase began.
The museum also houses two other permanent exhibits. One is titled “Railroads: Lifelines of the Civil War,” and explains the importance of railroads during the war and how they were used to ship troops, weapons, and medical supplies. Through photographs and models, visitors get a perspective of how both sides used the railroads, and even how they destroyed the other’s tracks to further their cause.
The other permanent collection, “Glover Machine Works: Casting A New South,” features a reproduction of an 1800s locomotive factory that was instrumental in industrializing the South following the Civil War. Visitors can inspect the only belt-driven locomotive assembly line in the United States, original equipment from the factory, and two restored Glover locomotives in various stages of construction. Also included are photographs of the Glover family and illustrations depicting the history of the factory.
Of course, the highpoint and main exhibit at the museum is the General itself, housed in a building that was constructed around it. The train we see today is, of course, a bit different from the original, which underwent modifications over the years. It is no longer functional; the General took its last ride in the 1960s.
Elsewhere in the museum, an exhibit area offers a changing gallery with 3,500 square feet of floor space. The entire museum has 40,000 square feet of space for its collection of more than 50,000 items. Some pieces are on loan from the Smithsonian Institution through its affiliate program. Others are permanently housed at the museum.
Since 1996 the Smithsonian Institution has been sharing its wealth of more than 136 million artifacts and objects in its vast collection with affiliate museums across the United States. Some 140 museums in 39 states, the District of Columbia, Panama, and Puerto Rico have established partnerships with the Smithsonian.
The Southern Museum has several artifacts from the Smithsonian’s collection. A pistol that belonged to Confederate General J.E.B. Stewart, a Civil War uniform, and a deck of playing cards used by Confederate soldiers are among those on display.
Anyone who likes old trains and steam locomotives will really enjoy visiting the museum and seeing the General. Incidentally, a DVD of Disney’s The Great Locomotive Chase is on sale in the gift shop, along with other unusual items.
After your tour of the museum, continue through downtown Kennesaw (or Big Shanty, as it was called in Civil War days). A small park is situated alongside the museum and railroad tracks, on the site of the Lacy Hotel. Across the street from the museum is the 1908 Railroad Depot for the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The depot is one of many stops on a walking tour of historic Kennesaw.
More Civil War history. Four miles south of Kennesaw on Old U.S. 41 is Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. It commemorates the first, and one of the bloodiest, battles in the Atlanta Campaign. Kennesaw Mountain was one of the last opportunities for the Confederates to keep the Union army from reaching Atlanta, which was a vital railroad center for the South. The 2,888-acre park encompasses many of the main sites of the battles. The Confederates had constructed miles of earthen fortifications in preparation for the engagement, and about 11 miles of these earthworks still exist today within the park.
The battle there lasted from June 19 to July 2, 1864. More than 67,000 soldiers were either killed, wounded, or captured during those days. At the site called Cheatham Hill, where some of the fiercest fighting occurred, visitors can see the earthworks where the Confederates hid until the Union army was within shooting range.
Union survivors of the battle from Illinois purchased 60 acres around Cheatham Hill and donated it to the state of Illinois for the creation of a marble monument that stands today. Later the land was designated a national battlefield and became property of the federal government.
The battlefield contains 17.3 miles of walking trails embellished with cannons and earthworks, inviting visitors to experience the past by retracing the footsteps of both Confederate and Union soldiers. Interpretive signs help to explain the events that unfolded there. Several areas are accessible by car and a short, easy walk, such as the Illinois Monument at Cheatham Hill. The visitors center presents an overview of the combat and the grounds.
Anyone interested in locomotives and the Civil War will have plenty to occupy their time when visiting Kennesaw and the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. Relive one of the most exciting events in the war and experience the Great Locomotive Chase.
Further Info
Natural attractions near Kennesaw include Allatoona Lake and Red Top Mountain State Park. Both have opportunities for outdoor recreation, and both have campgrounds. Other campgrounds are located in nearby Cartersville and Acworth. Check the “Business Directory,” published in the January and June issues of FMC or online at FMCA.com, for more information.
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
2829 Cherokee St.
Kennesaw, GA 30144
(770) 427-2117
www.southernmuseum.org
Open daily. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $6.50 for seniors over 60, $5.50 for children ages 4 to 12, and free for children 3 and under. Located off Interstate 75 exit 273, approximately 45 miles north of Atlanta.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive
Kennesaw, GA 30152
(770) 427-4686
Open daily. Free admission and free parking. The road to the top of the mountain is closed to private vehicles on weekends and major holidays; visitors must take a shuttle (for a small fee) at those times.