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Gerald Taylor, descendant of Philip Shadrach, receives medal while a Wilson relative looks on; at top is depiction
of the chase, at bottom right are Wilson (top) and Shadrach // Wikipedia and U.S. Army photos |
Pvt. George D. Wilson delivered a short message from the gallows moments before he was hanged with
six other Union soldiers for taking part in a daring raid aimed at disrupting rail traffic between Atlanta
and Chattanooga, Tenn.
According to legend, the raider told the crowd near Oakland
Cemetery in Atlanta the “time
would come the Union would be restored and the American flag would fly over the
nation again,” says Brad Quinlin, a Georgia-based researcher and historian.
Quinlin
played an integral part in ensuring that Wilson and 2nd Ohio comrade
Pvt. Philip G. Shadrach receive the Medal of Honor.
“It’s been a
long time in coming,” President Joe Biden said of the honor during a July 3 White House presentation ceremony attended by Wilson and Shadrach descendants.
James Andrews and his band of Union raiders, dressed in
civilian clothes, tried to destroy much of the Western & Atlantic Railroad
and communications as they rushed northward on April 12, 1862. But
little damage was done and the group was forced to flee when the commandeered locomotive
General ran out of fuel. They were captured and most later escaped or were exchanged. Andrews and seven others -- including Shadrach and Wilson -- were treated as spies and
executed.
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| Pvt. George Wilson (far right) makes a speech just before the hanging |
Among the pursuing locomotives was the Texas, which survived
and is at the Atlanta History Center. The General is the star attraction of the
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Ga., where the
chase began. While the North considered the two dozen raiders heroes, the
Confederacy held the same regard for conductor William A. Fuller and others who
joined the pursuit – now known as the Great Locomotive Chase.
A Shadrach family member and descendants of Jacob Parrott, a
raider who received the first ever Medal of Honor, years ago encouraged Quinlin to use
his innate (and persistent) research skills to support the nomination of the
two soldiers. Quinlin, who lives in Suwanee, Ga., told CNN there is no clear
reason why paperwork wasn’t submitted for Shadrach and Wilson; perhaps their
officers were promoted to different units and moved on. He worked with descendant Ron Shadrach on the forms.
The researcher, a volunteer at the Charles H. Coolidge
National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in Chattanooga, told the Picket he felt
it was crucial for living Medal of Honor recipients to support the effort to
recognize Shadrach and Wilson more than 160 years after they showed conspicuous
gallantry. Nineteen other Union soldiers who took part in the raid were awarded the Medal of Honor.
He got involved about 15 years ago and there were many bumps
along the way. He learned from a retired general he needed to submit forms “nobody
told me to fill out.”
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| General (left) and Texas are at museums in Kennesaw and Atlanta (Picket photos) |
Last week was an emotional moment for the families,
supporters and Quinlin. The years of work had paid off. An Army official told
him, “You know, Brad it
is not supposed to be easy.”
The Picket
asked Quinlin and several other Civil War experts – including two at the
museums home to the General and Texas – for their thoughts on the legacy of the
Andrews Raid, what it meant at the time and why Shadrach and Wilson should be
honored this many years later.
Quinlin (more about him below) provided his responses in a telephone interview, while the rest submitted
emails. Some submissions have been edited for brevity and context. They are
presented alphabetically, by last name.
---------------------------------
RICHARD BANZ, executive director of the
Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Ga.
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
I think it is always important to remember and honor heroic deeds. We
have specific commemorations such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day for this
very purpose. Philip Gephart Shadrach and George Davenport Wilson made the
ultimate sacrifice for their community and country when they were executed on
June 18, 1862, for their participation in the Great Locomotive Chase. The
irony is that they should have posthumously received the Medal of Honor much
closer to their deaths rather than have their families wait 162 years for these
two individuals to be honored and recognized.
2. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
Northerners
recognized the bravery and heroism of the raid even though it strategically
failed. Their actions showed the determination and resolve of the Union to
win this war. The Raiders became a source of pride and sacrifice for the
Union effort, and they carried this with them following the war through veteran
reunions and recounting of the raid.
3. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
Southerners involved in the Great Locomotive Chase were as equally
resolved to end the raid as were their counterparts to make it succeed. That
they were able to recapture the General and
the way that they did it… first on foot, then using a pole car, followed by
pursuit in three different locomotives is nothing short of
incredible.
4. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
Heroes all. These were men who were willing to sacrifice everything for
their perspective countries to succeed. Amazingly, they seemed to hold each
other in high esteem despite being enemies during this terrible war. Alas,
we must also recognize that war is not the answer to our problems. Perhaps our
nation could have peacefully resolved its many differences and social wrongs
without the Civil War ever taking place. Would it not have been much
better had all these men and their families been allowed to live out their
lives in peace?
5. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
Participants of the Great Locomotive Chase were the very first Americans
to receive the Medal of Honor. Two of the locomotives involved in the Chase,
the General and Texas, have been preserved largely
because of their role during that event. The story behind April 12, 1862,
has lasted through time and has become legendary throughout the country and
indeed the world.
---------------------------------
CHARLIE CRAWFORD,
president emeritus of the Georgia Battlefields Association and tour leader for Georgia
Civil War sites
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
I first remember hearing about the effort to get medals for
Shadrach, Wilson, and Llewellyn when I was stationed in the Pentagon in the
1970s. It was often mentioned along with the effort by Samuel Mudd’s
descendants to get Dr. Mudd fully exonerated for allegedly conspiring with the
Lincoln assassins.
Since all the soldiers who participated in the raid were from
three Ohio Regiments (2nd, 21st, 33rd), the
movement to get the additional medals was spearheaded by people from
Ohio. They and their successors in the movement have persisted, despite
the Department of the Army repeatedly denying the request in part because of
missing or insufficient records.
Unlike the long-delayed upgrade of his Distinguished Service
Cross to the Medal
of Honor for Col. Ralph Puckett Jr. in 2021 (while
he was still alive) for something he did in Korea, the awards to Shadrach and
Wilson aren’t going to make them feel appreciated or inspire others who will
hear them tell of their actions.
Remember that the Medal of Honor was brand new in 1862 and was
the only medal available to recognize worthy acts. Since there was no
awards and (decorations) system such as we have today, there were no criteria specified
for the medal’s award. It was often awarded haphazardly. Capturing a
Confederate flag was often rewarded with the medal. Tom Custer (Custer’s
younger brother, right) had two medals for capturing two flags during the Army of
Northern Virginia’s retreat to Appomattox. At that point, Confederates
interested in avoiding capture might have gotten less attached to their flags,
which have since become similar to holy relics.
The great variance in actions
that earned the medal led to a 1890s War Department review that revoked many
wartime medals and also awarded new ones for wartime acts that were now deemed
worthy. One of the new awards went to Col. John W. Sprague, who organized
the defense of Decatur, Ga., when Wheeler attacked during the 22 July 1864
Battle of Atlanta.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
It made
for great reading in the newspapers, and it indicated the range of
methods the U.S. would try in an attempt to win the war.
Remember the
context, though. Big news from the eastern theater was McClellan getting
the Peninsula Campaign underway. Especially in Georgia but also nationally, the
U.S. Army had just forced the surrender of Fort Pulaski and thus rendered
Savannah useless as a port for blockade runners. Probably most
importantly, the casualty figures from Shiloh were a shock to both sides. No
American battle had ever produced such carnage. Antietam, Gettysburg,
Chickamauga and the Overland Campaign might later come to overshadow Shiloh,
but in mid-April 1862, Shiloh was an incomprehensible event.
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| Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with Theresa Chandler, a descendant of Wilson (U.S Army) |
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
The dastardly Yankees would resort to any means. It also
made Southerners behind the lines aware that they could be vulnerable. Even
today, Southerners describe the raid by Yankee “Spahs” (southern for Spies, and
said with emphasis and venom). The raiders were actually not spies but
saboteurs, though the penalty for getting caught can be death for either
offense.
Q. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
The U.S. participants, like many young men who go to war, were motivated
by patriotism, bravery, hubris, recklessness, the need for a job, etc.
The men of Sills’ brigade were also motivated to see some action. They
had been in middle Tennessee and -- as men often do --worried that the war
would end without them seeing the elephant.
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
We often assert that the Atlanta Campaign is undervalued and
understudied even though it was perhaps the pivotal campaign of the war, but we
can also assert that the Andrews Raid is overly studied and overly publicized
since -- even had it been successful -- it would have made no difference whatsoever
in the outcome of the war.
(Editor’s
note: Read the last section of this blog post for Crawford’s timeline for the
other members of the Andrews Raid to receive their medals)
---------------------------------
GORDON JONES, senior
military historian and curator at the Atlanta History Center
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
These were American soldiers who went above and beyond the call of
duty. No matter how long ago that happened, they still deserve to be
honored. It’s never too late to correct an oversight.
Q. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
They were ordinary people doing what they felt they had to do – and in
so doing, became extraordinary. But you also have to understand and be honest
about their motivations. They didn’t volunteer for
this because they wanted to be heroes or expected to be honored as such. They
volunteered because they felt it was their duty to their country, their cause
and (in the end) their comrades-in-arms.
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
Honestly, the
Andrews Raid was not of great strategic importance at the time. The
outcome of the war did not hinge on its success or failure. But I think
it’s still important today for three reasons:
It’s the
origin story of the highest award for military valor the United States
government can bestow. It’s about personal sacrifice to save others.
That’s timeless. Here is a
prime example of how a new technology -- railroads – really changed how this
war was fought, and, for that matter, how all wars would be fought for the next
century. As supply arteries, railroads became key military objectives –
just look at the battles for Atlanta.
The third
thing is this: How many of us became history or Civil War buffs after hearing
the story of the Andrews Raid and, specifically, after watching Disney’s “The
Great Locomotive Chase”? That (1956) movie had a huge impact on a whole
generation of kids.
Yeah, it was a movie, but it made me want to find out about
the history. It was one of those trigger moments.
---------------------------------
KEN PADGETT, Friends of Resaca Battlefield
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| Padgett at Resaca battlefield park in North Georgia (Picket photo) |
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
No other war in American history
had such a significant impact that touched almost every family in our country. The
Andrews Raid was one of the most fascinating operations in the war. Both
Andrews and Fuller were both heroes to their respected nations.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
The raid was an overall failure for the Union, but it did give them some
heroes that they needed badly in 1862.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
The South made heroes of the pursuers.
Q. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
A story and legend that was amazingly true for both sides.
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
It is a case study of the determination of purpose and resourcefulness
of the pursued and the pursuer.
---------------------------------
TONY PATTON, Friends of Resaca
Battlefield
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
I feel that sacrifice should never be forgotten. These
two men should be honored and remembered just as their fellow soldiers
were, regardless of time of service.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
I'm sure it was a big boost to morale, even if it wasn't
totally successful.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
I believe for the South, it struck fear into the home front.
It also made them aware of how vulnerable the bridges and river crossings
were along the railroad. Most were fortified with forts and/or blockhouses
not long after this event.
Q. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
The men of both sides were doing what they felt
were right. Lots of folks want to judge these men through the lens
of modern-day thinking and beliefs. It was a different time.
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
It was a daring mission for sure. The men who volunteered for
this, I feel, are much like our men and women who serve in the military today.
They should be remembered for their bravery, duty and sacrifice to this
country.
---------------------------------
BRAD QUINLIN, Civil War historian,
author and researcher
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
Quinlin says
family members many years ago asked him to get involved, and he scoured numerous
documents and filled out many forms required by the Army. Rather than an approach
of believing Shadrach and Wilson should receive the honor because most of the
raiders did, he delved into their actual valor and papers that showed commitment
to mission.
“Shadrach and
Wilson enlisted. They weren’t drafted. They volunteered for this mission
knowing as civilians if they were captured (out of uniform), death would be a
possibility.”
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| Brad Quinlin (second from right) with members of Wilson family (U.S. Army) |
Q. What did the honor mean for the
families and you?
Meeting with the
families over a few days and the July 3 ceremony at the White House were
special for the historian, who was present at a similar ceremony in autumn 2023
for Larry Taylor, an Army recipient who died a few months later. Quinlin
supported that nomination, too.
Quinlin spent
several days last week with the families in Washington, including the
presentation ceremony. “They looked at me sitting in the audience and smiled.”
They wanted him to be photographed with the medals, and he obliged. “We were so
ecstatic. We are glad it is done.”
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
“The raid
boosted morale. Enlistments rose up,” the researcher says. “It gave an exciting
moment, especially after the casualty rates from Shiloh. It strengthened the
size of the Union army.”
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
The Southern
perspective was the raid proved to be a failure. Could it have succeeded? Heavy
rain and unexpected trains on the Western & Atlantic line ruined the
chances. Quinlin marvels at what Fuller accomplished in his dogged pursuit. “That
was a feat of human strength.” (At left, testimony from Andrews Raid members submitted to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton / courtesy Brad Quinlin)
Q. Would
the raid have affected the outcome of the war, if successful?
Quinlin argues the accompanying movement of Federal troops
could have resulted in the control of a vital railroad coming into Chattanooga,
which was then held by the Confederacy. East Tennessee had copper and saltpeter
mines and success could have led to more Federal enlistments there, the
researcher says. These factors and a cutting of supplies to parts of the South
could have shortened the war and saved 100,000 lives, Quinlin says. Communication
failures, among others, kept the Union army from taking Chattanooga. “Everything fell apart.”
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
“It was one
of the first major, secret operations into an enemy territory,” says Quinlin. Lessons
from the bravado, planning and failures of the mission have influenced military
missions since. Living Medal of Honor recipients appreciate what Andrews and
his men did, Quinlin says. “It (takes) amazing bravery. I ask ever recipient
how do you do that. It is taking the moment and acting. And they did it.”
---------------------------------
RON
SHADRACH, Independence, Ohio; great cousin of Philip G. Shadrach
Q. Why is it important for
the country to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
The
obvious answer is that they had been long overlooked for this honor. An honor
merited on its face. It was on the back of those who sacrificed their lives
that the others could and would become the first so honored. A statute of
limitations or relevancy should never run out on our veterans.
Q. What did this day
mean for your family?
There
has been a great mix of emotions too difficult to capture and describe. We hope
that the nation might feel equally rewarded with the recognition of Private
Wilson and Private Shadrach and the Andrews Raiders for their selflessness in
action.
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| Ron Shadrach holds medal case; his daughter Megan is third from left (Special) |
Q. What did the Andrews
Raid mean to the North/Union at the time? It
did not mean much at the time but as the events ran their course to recognition
with the first Medals of Honor, it became one of those moments that President
Lincoln was able to use to hold the Union together.
Q. What did the Andrews
Raid mean to the South at the time?
It
was a rallying point, an awakening in this area of the South to the real threat
to the everyday life. To this point, the war for citizens in Atlanta and of the
surrounding area was something far away.
Q. How should we look
today at those who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
Both
gave their all, showed unparalleled conviction to their nation and a way of
life centuries in the making. They were (are) all remarkable Americans.
Q. What is the legacy of
the Andrews Raid today?
We
have an event that led to the first Medal of Honor and today still serves to
exemplify a standard for which this honor is based. The Andrews Raid legacy not
only serves as a standard but as a checkpoint for our nation.
People
can read about Pvt. Wilson and Pvt. Shadrach and the Andrews Raid on my
website: Shadrachandwilsonmoh.com. A day by day account of the Andrews Raid as
told by those who lived it can be read here.
---------------------------------
MICHAEL
K. SHAFFER, Civil War historian and author of “Day by Day Through the Civil War in Georgia”
Q. Why is it important for the country
to honor these two men this long after the Civil War?
This
recognition ensures remembrance and acknowledgment of these soldiers'
sacrifices and contributions, thus preserving the history and significance of
their roles in shaping the nation.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the North/Union at the time?
Despite the
raid’s failure to fully achieve the primary military objective of destroying
the Western & Atlantic Railroad between Atlanta and Chattanooga, the act symbolized
determination and resolve. The willingness of Federal soldiers to engage in
such a perilous mission reflected their broader commitment to the Union cause.
Q. What did the Andrews Raid mean to
the South at the time?
In response
to the raid, Confederate officials, especially in the state of Georgia,
increased security measures around vital transportation infrastructure, such as
railroads and bridges, to prevent similar incursions in the future. Citizens
could no longer travel on trains in Georgia unless they first obtained a
military pass. This event sent waves of fear across the Empire State of the
South.
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| Great Locomotive Chase route, from Big Shanty to Ringgold, Ga. |
Q. How should we look today at those
who were involved in the chase -- on both sides?
Remembering
that Federal raiders and Confederate defenders had personal stories,
motivations, and families helps to humanize the participants, thus fostering
empathy and a balanced historical understanding.
Q. What is the legacy of the Andrews
Raid today?
We remember
the raid as a daring and courageous mission. The mettle of the Federal soldiers
who accompanied James Andrews behind enemy lines signifies a lasting mark of
bravery. Now -- 161 years after their comrades received the first Medals of
Honor in 1863 -- Privates Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson join the
banners of the brave. Their extraordinary heroism warranted recognition. We
continue this tradition today when honoring our service members.
---------------------------------
Charlie Crawford's timeline of Medal of Honor dates for raid
Not all the medals were awarded on the same date. The first
six went on 25 March 1863 to six raiders (Parrott, Bensinger, Buffum, Mason,
Pittenger, Reddick) who had been exchanged. Of the seven raiders who were
hanged south of Oakland Cemetery on 18 June 1862, Ross and Robertson were
awarded the medal on 17 September 1863, Scott on 4 August 1866 and Slavens on
28 July 1883. Campbell did not receive the medal because he was a
civilian. Wilson and Shadrach were among the hanged seven.
All eight who escaped in October 1862 received
the medal. The award date for seven (Dorsey, Wood, Porter, Brown, Knight,
Wilson, Hawkins) of the eight was 17 September 1863. The eighth who
escaped, John Wollam, has a medal award date of 20 July 1864. I don’t know
why his date is different from the other seven, but it also indicates the lack
of uniformity in recognizing the raid as award-worthy.If you’ve been doing the math, that accounts for 21 of the 24
raiders. Andrews (above, right) will never get the medal since he was a civilian. That’s
22.
When Andrews assembled the group at Shelbyville, Tennessee, in
early April, he told them to use a cover story as they walked to Chattanooga to
catch the train southward. They were told to
say they were headed south to find a Kentucky regiment in which to enlist since
they were supposedly from Flemingsburg, Ky. Two of the raiders were
confronted by Confederate pickets and told they needed to enlist on the spot
rather than continue their search for a Kentucky regiment. One of the two
was Smith, who deserted back to the U.S. Army and received his medal on 6 July
1864.
(Poster board at White House for Philip G. Shadrach / courtesy Brad Quinlin)The other was Llewellyn, who also deserted back to the U.S. Army
but never received the medal. The Department of the Army still maintains
that Llewellyn doesn’t deserve the medal since he didn’t participate in the
raid, nor was he imprisoned. Porter and Hawkins overslept in Marietta and
missed the train, so they didn’t participate in
the locomotive chase, but
they were discovered as part of the original group when they tried to enlist in
the Confederate army (figuring they’d ultimately be deployed much closer to
U.S. lines and could desert then) and used the cover story that they were from
Flemingsburg, Kentucky, which became widely known as part of the ruse. They
were then imprisoned with the others.
Note the varying award dates for the medals: 1863, 1864, 1866,
1883, and now 2024. This also indicates today’s awards are a considerable
afterthought that is unlikely to inspire and certainly will be appreciated only
by a small number of people.
So, three of the 24 will not get the Medal of Honor: Andrews,
Campbell, and Llewellyn, though I suspect the Llewellyn supporters will keep
trying, citing Smith as an example.
