Great Locomotive Chase

The General Departs Atlanta

The General steams out of the Car Shed in Atlanta for its trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The General Departs Marietta

In an unusual scene, a group of men who pretend not to know each other board the train with tickets to various points on the Western & Atlantic. Unbeknownst to others, they are a group of Union spies under the command of James J. Andrews.

The General Stolen

The General arrives in Big Shanty/Kennesaw. When many of the passengers and the crew head to the Lacy Hotel for breakfast, Andrews and his raiders steal The General and three box cars and head north.

Raiders Reach Kingston

When the raiders reached the town of Kingston, they encountered an unexpected delay. It would turn out to also be a deadly one, as it gave a pursuing party time to close the gap.

Pursuers Commandeer a Locomotive

The pursuers commandeer the Yonah, yard engine for Cooper Iron Works. The Yonah gave the pursuers their first burst of speed, allowing them to make up valuable time. Conductor William A. Fuller later said he make the 14-mile trip from the Etowah River to Kingston in 15 minutes.

The Raiders Depart Kingston

The Pursuers Arrive in Kingston

Just minutes after the Raiders departed Kingston, the Pursuers arrived.

The Pursuers Depart Kingston

Minutes later, the pursuers left Kingston on the William R. Smith, a locomotive from the Rome Railroad, heading toward Adairsville, Ga.

Raiders Tear Up Track

Just south of Adairsville, the raiders stopped to tear up the track, prohibiting their pursuers from continuing the chase in a locomotive. At this point, the pursuers abandoned their second locomotive – the William R. Smith – and continued on foot. Minutes later, they commandeered their third engine – the Texas, which ran in reverse for the remainder of the chase.

Raiders Pass Through Dalton

The raiders passed through Dalton. Minutes later, Edward Henderson, who joined the Chase near Calhoun, sent a telegraph to Gen. Danville Leadbetter, alerting him of the engine theft.

Tired, The General, was about to give out. About two miles north of Ringgold, the Great Locomotive Chase came to an end. The raiders fled, but were later captured.

Andrews Hanged

James J. Andrews is hanged in Atlanta.