Descendants of 2 Ohio soldiers who took part in daring Andrews Raid make visit to where they were hanged as spies. The men finally received the Medal of Honor this year, and families also saw their new headstones

The new headstones for Perry Shadrach and George Wilson in Chattanooga (Picket photos)

I am just back from Chattanooga, Tenn., where I covered Sunday afternoon's unveiling of new Medal of Honor headstones for two participants in the Union’s Andrews Raid during the Civil War.

The story of the Great Locomotive Chase and the bravery of its volunteers has to be one of the most memorable and moving I have reported on in the Picket’s 15 years.

The sabotage mission along the Western & Atlantic Railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga in 1862 was a tactical failure, but was a boost to the war-weary North and brought the first Medal of Honors.

Descendants of raiders, supporters and loved ones at Tunnel Hill in Georgia (Picket photo)

Eight raiders were hanged in Atlanta as spies after the Great Locomotive Chase, among them Pvt. George D. Wilson and Pvt. Perry Shadrach, who were finally awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously this past summer.

Descendants from all over, mostly Ohio, traveled to the South to take a bus tour Saturday along the Georgia route of the locomotive chase involving the locomotives General and the Texas.

They visited the Coolidge Medal of Honor National Heritage Center on Sunday, where they saw the new Wilson medal and one for fellow raider Jacob Parrott, before traveling to Chattanooga National Cemetery for a moving ceremony at the gravesites. (At left, retired Army Gen. Burwell B. Bell III with photos of Shadrach and Wilson)

I was with descendants over the weekend and posted about 40 (whew) updates on Facebook

I feel so lucky to have been there and be entrusted with these stories – not only the sacrifice of these men, but the long effort by their families and supporters to see that Shadrach and Wilson receive the nation’s top military medal for incredible valor. There were a lot of twists and turns as they tried to right a wrong (or oversight).

I hope to write a longer post but, for now, please see all the updates on the Picket’s Facebook page. These vignettes gave me insight into the families behind these American heroes.

Thanks so much for your interest!

James Longstreet was here: Civil War veterans often mailed or gave out calling cards at reunions and meetings. Manassas has one that belonged to the general

One of the general's calling (visiting) cards (Manassas National Battlefield Park)

William Adams Longstreet was born in 1897 to a family noted for its celebrity -- and controversy. His grandfather, Confederate Lt. Gen. James Longstreet, was in his final years, bloodied but unbowed after decades of defying the South, as a biography describes him.

William was just 6 when his grandfather, 82, died in January 1904 in Gainesville, Ga. Like others related to the general, William grew up in the town with a purpose.

“He was a jovial man who was dedicated to clearing the general’s name,” nephew Dan Paterson said of William.

James Longstreet was pilloried by foes for his performance at Gettysburg and, later, support for Reconstruction, black suffrage and the Republican Party. Recent books, however, have brought him a good measure of vindication.

William (second from left), half-sister Jamie (behind stone) and Dan Paterson at Alta Vista Cemetery in 1969

As the last direct descendant with the surname Longstreet, William felt an extra obligation by taking up the mantle and defending “OId Pete” whenever he could. William – who worked for the U.S. Postal Service and lived in Washington, D.C. -- made appearances at battlefields and joined a Sons of Confederate Veterans camp named for his grandfather.

The descendant in 1959 donated a Gen. Longstreet calling card and an unframed print of a painting of the general to Manassas National Battlefield Park. Park museum specialist Jim Burgess told me the painting was made by renowned artist Howard Chandler Christy.

I learned of the calling card after a recent visit to the park, and I decided to delve into the topic. Such cards were the equivalent of today’s business cards, though most did not include contact information.

That’s because they were often mailed or given out, such as the likely case with Longstreet, at battlefields, veteran reunions and public events. The general (right) dispensed them as a sign of goodwill, rather than the pursuit of business.

Calling cards (or visiting cards) were popular with members of the Grand Army of the Republic (Union), United Confederate Veterans and other organizations.

“The heyday was in in the 1880s and 1890s during their highest membership,” said Everitt Bowles, who sells calling cards on his “Civil War Badges” website. “They’re not hard to find if you're involved with Civil War events. The higher prices are usually because of the elite regiments or for how famous the soldier was. Of course, there were a lot more common soldiers in the war versus the generals.”

Such cards can go for as little as $10 to several hundred dollars.

“Longstreet was such a famous person. He would give them out at reunions,” said Vann Martin of the online shop “The Veteran’s Attic.”

General was warmly welcomed at reunions

Longstreet was all about national reconciliation after the Civil War and he famously traveled to Gettysburg and to all manner of meetings and reunions.

His card simply read “James Longstreet, First Corps Army of Northern Virginia, ’61-’65. The top left featured the third national flag of the Confederate States of America.

“I am not familiar with how extensive James Longstreet calling cards might be. Given his longevity, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't use several different styles over the years,” said Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. “I'd say this definitely has to be postwar, probably, given the stylized Third National, very postwar.”

The original Christy painting of the general hangs in Chickamauga and Chattanooga visitor center (Picket photo, left).

Longstreet’s widow, Helen Dortch Longstreet, a tireless advocate, commissioned the painting. A second version of the subject is on loan from Gettysburg National Military Park to the Longstreet Society, based in Gainesville.

Ogden cites Longstreet as an example of recent interest in Civil War memory.

Scholars and authors in recent decades have brought new interpretations of the man, finding he was not the “Southern Judas” he came to be called.

Many collectors love postwar reunion items and calling cards

Dan Paterson (right), William’s nephew and a great-grandson of James, said the general made numerous postwar journeys, including Fredericksburg in 1884; Knoxville, Tenn., circa 1893; Chickamauga for the 1899 dedication of the Georgia monument; Chicago; Gettysburg twice; and Richmond, Va., for the 1890 unveiling of its Lee monument

The general must have carried his calling cards to these and reunions.

Martin, with “The Veteran’s Attic,” said he has collected a few calling cards bearing a photograph, but they are somewhat unusual.

Longstreet’s card, he said, would have been treasured by those who received one. “He had people writing him all the time. They wanted his signature.”

Union veterans were more likely to have them printed “because they had more money. The South had to go through Reconstruction,” said Martin.

T.J. Jones of the 41st Tennessee (The Veteran's Attic)

Calling cards draw some interest, but they are not a priority, said Martin.

His website includes a card made for T.J. Jones of the 41^st Tennessee Infantry (above). The private was wounded captured twice during the war. He later worked for the railroad. He died in 1910. The card includes a photo of the bearded Jones as a veteran. The card is on sale for $335.

Some collectors focus on pennants, badges and pins from Civil War reunions. A more unusual item was one made of seashells in the 1890s for a GAR post in Buffalo, N.Y., Martin said.

Cards and portraits of Bowley, Lord and Wolff, click to enlarge (Library of Congress)

The Library of Congress has a few online images of Civil War calling cards, among them one for nurse Helena E. Miller Wolff, 1^st Lt. Charles P. Lord of the 6^th Massachusetts Infantry and 1^st Lt. Freeman Sparks Bowley of the 30^th U.S. Colored Troops.

Bowley, a white officer, is remembered for a vivid account of the battle of the Crater at Petersburg and its aftermath and his memoir.

Hated by many in the South, beloved at Gettysburg meeting

When I visited and interviewed people about Longstreet some 15 years ago, his story was little-known to most Americans. The novel “The Killer Angels” and the film “Gettysburg,” coupled with scholarship by historians, helped to usher in a reassessment of the general. More favorable books have followed.

At the Longstreet Society’s annual memorial at the general's grave at Alta Vista Cemetery this year, president Richard Pilcher gave a brief summary of the general’s life, mentioning his military prowess, public service and courage away from the battlefield – working for reconciliation after the war. “Many Southerners considered him a traitor to the cause, and blamed him for the Confederacy’s defeat,” he said.

Longstreet in postwar years voiced his opinion that Gen. Robert E. Lee should not have launched the disastrous Day Three attack at Gettysburg. Advocates of the romantic Lost Cause myth lashed out at him, and said he failed Lee at Gettysburg by delaying the execution of orders. Some of the general's writings in various newspapers often backfired on him.

Many Confederate veterans lionized him and he was popular at reunions, including a notable gathering at Gettysburg in 1888.

Civil War blogger John Banks has written about Longstreet’s trip to Pennsylvania and the general’s friendship with former foe Dan Sickles and other Union luminaries.

“The most celebrated man at the event sported massive, white whiskers and a cleanly shaven chin: James Longstreet, who commanded the Confederates’ First Corps at Gettysburg on July 1-3, 1863. Nearly everywhere Robert E. Lee’s ‘Old War Horse’ went he drew appreciative, and often awestruck, crowds,” Banks wrote a few years back.

Longstreet (center) and Sickles (right) during the 1888 reunion (Gettysburg NMP)

As the blogger points out, the general was more popular in the North than the South because of his alignment with President Ulysses S. Grant and the Republican Party. Former colleagues in gray savaged him for daring to criticize Lee’s decisions at Gettysburg.

The main hallway at the Piedmont Hotel in Gainesville, home to the Longstreet Society, has copies of documents on his appointment to federal offices, including postmaster, U.S. marshal and minister to Turkey. He also served as a railroad commissioner.

I recently asked Banks to describe Longstreet’s personality.

“Seems like guy I’d want to have a beer with -- good dude. Not a loudmouth.”

As for Sickles?

“Loudmouth”

William A. Longstreet was an ambassador for his grandfather

Dan Paterson’s late mother, Jamie Louise Longstreet Paterson (left), was crucial in the fight to vindicate the general’s conduct, during and after the Civil War.

Jamie was born 25 years after the death of James Longstreet, who had moved to Gainesville in 1875 and operated a hotel.

She was born in Gainesville to Fitz Randolph “Ranny” Longstreet – one of the general’s sons -- and Zelia Stover Longstreet.

Randolph’s first wife, Josie, died in 1904 and he remarried in 1929. William A. Longstreet’s mother was Josie and Jamie was his much younger half-sister.

Jamie grew up in Gainesville, married the late William D. Paterson and they lived in Washington and Bowie, Md.

Dan Paterson, now in his mid-60s and living in Centreville, Va., said the calling cards were passed on to Ranny, who kept them in a metal box. That container survives today and remains in the family.

Dan used the card as a template for his own business card.

Ranny Longstreet was a farmer and loving father, said Dan Paterson. “My grandfather was  … easy-going, he did not go into the military.”

William with book by James Longstreet, with Herman Leonard and in 1969 (Courtesy of Dan Paterson)

Paterson recalls his time with William in Georgia and elsewhere. They joined the same Richmond-based SCV chapter that was named for James Longstreet.

Paterson, a member of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table, has defended James his entire life. So did Herman Leonard, a family friend who gave talks about the general.

Paterson keeps a copy of a photo  (below) of William Longstreet and Leonard taken at Gettysburg in 1965. They stand in front of a shack that was labeled as Longstreet’s headquarters, which actually was a short distance away.

William A Longstreet and Herman Leonard (Courtesy of Dan Paterson)

“It was a tourist attraction from a leftover bunch of buildings in the area that were vendors.  I have the sign hanging in my basement,” said Paterson. The building no longer stands.

“That shack, much like that portrait, were my landmarks at Gettysburg when we were kids.”

William Adams Longstreet died in 1973 at age 76. He and his wife Gladys left behind no children.

He rests near Jamie, his parents and the general in the family plot at Alta Vista.

A U.S. flag flutters above them.

This researcher helped families obtain Medal of Honor for two soldiers. Here's what he, a descendant and six experts say about the Great Locomotive Chase legacy

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 2^nd 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.

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.”

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.

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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.

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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 (2^nd, 21^st, 33^rd), 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.

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)

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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.

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KEN PADGETT, Friends of Resaca Battlefield

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.

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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.  

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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.”

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.”

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.