TWT #158 –

On June 7th, 1862, James J Andrews was hanged by Confederates for his role in the Great Locomotive Chase in which Andrews and other Union heroes totally screwed up a train-jacking mission.

It’s always sad when the plans of an American hero fall short. Jay Gatsby. Walter White. And now, James Andrews.

in 1862 Andrews had the brilliant idea to steal a Confederate train in Georgia and drive it north, destroying the railroad behind them along with telegraph wires, until they linked up with the Union army in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Andrews motto was “Great ideas. Terrible Execution”

On April 12, 1862, Andrews and his gang of 23 Union men dressed in civilian clothes and successfully hijacked the locomotive “The General” from a train station in Big Shanty, Georgia.

The conductor of the train, William Allen Fuller (who was apparently taking a long trip to the bathroom when his train was stolen), initially started his pursuit on foot. After realizing he couldn’t run as fast as a train, Fuller upgraded to a handcar, and eventually took control of another train, “The Texas” and drove it backwards for 51 miles of the pursuit.

Meanwhile, our heroes were busy working their way north, hoodwinking southerners at train stations in order to get passage, and destroying telegraph wires as they (slowly) progressed towards Chattanooga.

Andrews crew lighting something on fire to try to stop Fuller…it did not work.

Unfortunately, once Fuller was on board “The Texas,” he got up enough speed to nearly catch up to “The General,” so Andrews didn’t have time to stop and destroy the track behind him (how did Andrews choose a train so slow, that another train could catch it running BACKWARDS?!?!).

Because of this, Andrews and his crew pivoted their sabotage mission into a simple escape run.

Worst of all, Andrews train was running out of fuel and, just 18 miles south of Chattanooga, the Union crew had to abandon the locomotive and scatter into the winds…

Except they were all caught.

Andrews and his men abandoning the General…this also did not work…

While in custody, after hearing his sentence was “death by hanging” and not being too stoked by this fact, Andrews managed to escape on June 1st… but was again caught.

So alas, exactly 157 years ago today, Andrews was hanged by a group of Confederates. (Unfortunately they did a horrible job and Andrews feet actually touched the ground, meaning his neck didn’t break and he strangled to death…)

11 days later, seven other members of Andrews crew were also hanged.

Luckily, this wasn’t a sad story for our entire train-jacking party. Eight members of Andrews gang escaped and made it all the way North. While six were held as prisoners of war and eventually exchanged for Confederate prisoners.

So remember, folks, if you’re planning on stealing a train in Georgia, don’t choose the slowest train on the tracks.

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