Video: 'Civil War Stories - The Great Locomotive Chase'

(Saturday, April 12, 1862, 6:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. local time; during the Great Locomotive Chase, part of the Western Theater of the American Civil War) — Volunteers from the Union Army, led by civilian scout James J. Andrews, commandeered a train, The General, today in Big Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw) and took it northward toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, doing as much damage as possible to the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad (W&A) line from Atlanta to Chattanooga as they went.

They were pursued by Confederate forces at first on foot, and later on a succession of locomotives, including The Texas, for 87 miles.

Because the Union men had cut the telegraph wires, the Confederates could not send warnings ahead to forces along the railway.

Confederates eventually captured the raiders and quickly executed eight of them as spies, including Andrews; some others were able to flee.

Some of the raiders were the first to be awarded the Medal of Honor by the U.S. Congress for their actions. As a civilian, Andrews was not eligible.