The lost cause monument that I chose honors an incident called “Andrews Raid.” The actual monument is an “American” type steam locomotive engine named the “General.” The engine operated on the Western Atlantic Railroad line and serviced both freight and travel between Atlanta, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee. According to Russell S. Bonds in Stealing the General, “Chattanooga was an important rail junction that controlled food and supplies coming from the dep south headed to the confederate armies in Virginia.” The engine was built by the Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor Company, out of Paterson, New Jersey, in December of 1855. The raid that made the “General” famous occurred during the Civil War, in April 1862. This story behind the General is so intriguing that movies were made about
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Andrews, a civilian union spy. Andrews. James J. Andrews was born in Hancock County Virginia in 1829. Not much is known about his childhood or his education. People in the town of Flemingalbery had little to say about him, only that Andrew was a simple young man who walked down the road asking for odd jobs, getting work as a house painter and a music teacher. “He certainly wasn’t an abolitionist, but he did claim to be for the undivided Union and old flag first and last. He became useful after being successful double agent gathering information from the confederate aide by pretending to be a confederate scout. One soldier even remarked, saying “his fame as a scout went everywhere before him.” P32
James Andrews chose Big Shanty because he the closest telegraph for the Confederate troops was 12 miles away in Marienet, Georgia. Andrews also knew that the train out of Big Shanty serviced a major Confederate distribution site. He believed that if he cut that tie, he could win the war for the Union.
“Cut the rail lines in Chattanooga, and it could end the war.” Rich Grant in Following the Great Locomotive
Andrews, a civilian union spy. Andrews. James J. Andrews was born in Hancock County Virginia in 1829. Not much is known about his childhood or his education. People in the town of Flemingalbery had little to say about him, only that Andrew was a simple young man who walked down the road asking for odd jobs, getting work as a house painter and a music teacher. “He certainly wasn’t an abolitionist, but he did claim to be for the undivided Union and old flag first and last. He became useful after being successful double agent gathering information from the confederate aide by pretending to be a confederate scout. One soldier even remarked, saying “his fame as a scout went everywhere before him.” P32
James Andrews chose Big Shanty because he the closest telegraph for the Confederate troops was 12 miles away in Marienet, Georgia. Andrews also knew that the train out of Big Shanty serviced a major Confederate distribution site. He believed that if he cut that tie, he could win the war for the Union.
“Cut the rail lines in Chattanooga, and it could end the war.” Rich Grant in Following the Great Locomotive