The Great Locomotive Chase at Tunnel Hill | History Traveler Episode 97 

Thanks for posting this. A little known story. One of the Raiders was Sgt William Pittenger. He was among the first 5 soldiers awarded the Medal of Honor. He became a Methodist minister after the war and was sent to California. He died in 1904 and is buried in Fallbrook, California in North San Diego County. My Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camp is named in his honor and we have renovated his gravesite.

The Civil War. Fascinating and heartbreaking. Very interesting video. Learning things I never learned in school.

Fess Parker: James J. Andrews, Davey Crockett, Daniel Boone et all, What a résumé!

I'm 51 years old and was born, raised lived in the Atlanta area for 28 of those years. I've been interested in the history of the American civil war since the age of 8, when my Cub scout Den went to Chattanooga on a day trip and stopped off at the Chickamauga National Battlefield on the return trip to Atlanta. During the next 20 years I would go on to visit both locomotives involved in this historic event. Seeing the General at the Big Shanty museum in Kennesaw Georgia and the Texas when it was located in the Atlanta Cyclorama in Grant Park. Ironically I have never visited the spot where the chase ended. Thank you for sharing this. I'm thinking I'll be making a special trip next spring to Ringold to mark this spot off my Civil War historic sites.

I got interested in the Civil War after watching the Wald Disney movie: "The Great Locomotive Chase" with Fess Parker who also was one of my favorite actors back in the day.

This story embodies the Civil War. Outstanding courage, and determination on both sides. A sad ending with good people dying for a cause they could have ignored, and each side, respecting the other as if they were their own. Thank you for bringing life to their story!

My Great-Great-Great Grandfather on my mother's side, George Wilson, was a part of Andrew's Raiders. He was recently awarded the Medal of Honor after initially only receiving a Silver Star. We have yet to go to the ceremony to receive it due to Covid concerns.

That is a neat looking tunnel. I remember watching "The Great Locomotive Chase" on television when I was a kid. You do a really good job narrating your videos. Thanks.

The General is at the Kennesaw Civil War Museum. My family donated the 65th Georgia flag to the same museum.

Interesting as always. Thanks!

Excellent filming work and audio. Great Lesson. Be safe and take care.

I teach school in Letts, Iowa. Final resting place of Raider William Henry Harrison Reddick. We are honored that this medal of honoree resided in our community. As a Middle School Social Studies Teacher we are always trying to find our more about The Great Locomotive Chase, as well as Mr. Reddick. Thank You for you great video =. Mark Wehrle, Letts, Iowa.

Grew up 10 miles from here never knew about the locomotive chase or the museum. Probably should have been a field trip for me in the 80's. Great content.

The work it must have took to make that tunnel is mind boggling, the blood sweat, and tears, literally. Your narrating is great, and loved the video. A learning session built in. Thank you.

Another of the nearly forgotten stories in the Civil War. Thank you.

near the end of the Great Locomotive chase the Andrews raiders kept the General running by stoking the firebox with the wooden planks that they had broken off the sides of their last remaing box car because they had no time to stop and refill the General's tender with more firewood before the steam locomotive that they had captured finally ran out of steam north of Ring gold.

Great job of connecting all the dots!!

I made the drive from Chattanooga to Atlanta and saw sign for this tunnel. Wish I had the time to see it, but I appreciate you for making these videos

Love it, I have lived most my life in Ringgold Georgia, my family moved here in 1977, my Granny and Poppy lived here way before us, Ringgold Georgia is a great place to live🫶✌️ PS. I'm from Chattanooga Tennessee -1964🙏 Thanks for these videos, great job ✌️

Being from Georgia I have been all around there and their learned a lot about our history from Lake Winfield Scott to Snake Creek Pass

My wife and I went to chattanooga because of your videos and I would highly recommend going to chattanooga national cemetery and visiting the graves of these men to anyone visiting the area and the view is amazing also

A great job taking us to an great and interesting location! Thank you.

Love your videos! I live right down the road from where you filmed this. I'm very familiar with this episode of history and have been to all the sights. Incredibly interesting. Very nice job!

I grew up in the area of kennesaw/marietta so I've heard the story of the General for many years! You're doing a great job on these videos man! Keep up the good work!

Just saw the Instagram story and just wanted to stop by and say thanks for all the great work you do to upload content it’s really nice to see someone take time to appreciate history like you do!

Hey it's my learn something new for the day! I loved the video on the actual train the raiders hijacked...the General of course...this is incredible! Thanks, JD! Now I have to find the one on the graves, missed that one..

Really interesting that they were that close to be a perfect tunnel. The fact that dirt on one side and bedrock on the other. Great episode once again.

I just wanted to say that I'm so glad I found your channel.

I love your videos! I have learned so much from them. Looking forward to the next one.

Great history lesson as always :) thanks for taking us along

Went there myself on a school field trip when I was in 5th grade. I need to go back now that I’m grown. Gonna try and do it soon. Thanks for sharing !

Another great job, I really enjoy your history lesson on everything you do. Thanks 😊

Awesome job as always. Thank you!

You know you are doing this right when on Monday night Pacific Time, you have 475 thumbs up and 0 thumbs down. Good job and thank you!

This channel taught me so much more than school did. 👍

Absolutely. LOVE. These GREAT VIDEOS! You are a master story-weaver. Each video is a stand-alone piece of art. Thank you for your work and thank you for making history fascinating.

Very interesting story again, here in Holland we don't get so deep into the civil war unfortunately. It's most of the time the first and second WW, the Golden Century ( as we call it ; de gouden eeuw ) and more important Dutch history. Glad you make videos like these to show me and many other viewers these important history! Greetings from Holland!

Really really enjoyed this series on The General and actually seeing it in the last video was living history for me.

From the U.K. I think your videos are fantastic. Keep them going.!!

When you said tunnel, man your not kidding! Now that's a tunnel! If I had to jump off that train while being that far down in enemy territory, I sure would be praising everything Dixie in my best southern accent.

Love this channel. Enjoying the history lessons.

It was exciting , exploring the tunnel. This was a wonderful story 🤗

I grew up in ringgold. “ love That you made this video’ man, you leave no stone unturned! 😬♥️😬

I love this stuff. Great vlog JD. Well done 👍🏻😎

Very good video! I took a motorcycle ride from Kennesaw ( Big Shanty) where the chase started and followed the trek north to Ringold and the monument you ended with. I made all the stops along the way, and it was well worth it... Read the history and it makes it come alive as you follow this amazing trek. The Texas which pursued the General is in the Cyclorama in Atlanta,, There's much more to this story if you read all the history of it... And,, one more note,, I had the privilege of having the superintendent of the visitor center take me thru the tunnel,, I rode up on my bike and NO one was there but him, and he said, " want me to take you thru the tunnel"? duh!! He told me all about the tunnel and the workers who worked on it. If you notice,,, each end is a little different. One set of workers was less caring about their work than the other,,, and it shows! One end is sloppy and the other is amazing!!! Thanks for the video!! I'll keep watching,,,

Thank you for taking us to so many amazing places! I’m originally from Puerto Rico (I live now in North Alabama) and some of the places that you visit are not that far from me. I will create a list so I can visit soon! 🙏🏻

I lived about 5 minutes from the monument where the General gave out. Used to drive by it every day. Cool piece of history and cool to see the story being told.

Great to see the last part of this video Sad history through the last vidoes Great bit of history and have enjoyed it Thankyou

Wow! Thanks for another amazing adventure.

I was there a few months ago I live south of there in Dallas several big battles here also where we whooped Sherman so bad he left it out of his memoirs

Thank you for sharing this piece of history with me ! Take care , stay safe and healthy wherever your next adventure takes you ! Doing well here in Kansas .

Always an interesting and informative video. Like being there with you.

Love these videos! I live in this town (Tunnel Hill, GA) and have all my life but I’ve never actually been in the tunnel or to the museum. I’ll have to stop by soon!

Ahhh...more train stories, AWESOME👍

Love the ones you do on the civil war awsome video's. Iam so glad I ran across your video's in the past. I've been a describer for a while. I've told alot of my friends to check your video's out.

I was in a small Ohio town, Kenton, in August 2022 where a union soldier, Jacob Parrott is buried. He received the 1st Medal of Honor for being involved in the Great Train Chase. He was a young private at the time.

I’ve been there numerous times. Great place to visit. But Tunnel Hill is also know you be a very haunted place. There’s plenty of stories on the internet.

Fantastic video! I grew up just a few miles from where the Great Locomotive Chase ended and have visited that marker several times. By chance did you visit Chickamauga when you were in the area?

The music that your added in this vid is pretty awesome!!

That's another great one I still say go to Fredericksburg Virginia

Another amazing video thank you so much. Take care

Fess Parker as Andrews and Jeff Hunter, 1956. Great film.

Wish you'd shown more of the tunnel roof construction. How is it holding up? Thanks for these. I'm old and stuck in the house for months. I really appreciate these.

Ever pop to London, your see those tunnel pockets everywhere, mostly Victorian buildings. But love your videos, always had a interest on the civil war

Thanks for sharing this with us I have actually been there too another fact is my company has a terminal just 2.5 miles away from that Tunnel Hill Ga location

Amazing video good job 👍

Great one. Once again. On to the next place JD.

Great job buddy! Awesome video

yes keep the civil war vid comin!!!

Very interesting makes me want to take a trip

Very cool

While you are in the area, come visit the Medal of Honor Heritage Center in downtown Chattanooga

Excellent Again.....Great Story....Thanks....

great job as usual

Great video!

The spike puller was not the pipe wrench the tag is next to, but there are two items used to pull spikes, the claw bar, which is the long bar with a two toed foot, and the item right behind the pipe wrench, that has a c shaped hook, and a ladder of round protrusions on the stem. This item was used to pull spikes in between two rails that were too close to get the claw bar attached to the spike, like on a switch. The raiders would’ve used the claw bar.

Love your videos and the history lessons , History is so important as it is reminder on not making the same mistakes twice and to grow! Just one question, what happened to the train Texas?

I can't believe you didn't mention the movie by Buster Keaton called The General. Its legit one of the greatest movies of all time and a silent comedy.

Wow!! So interesting. I’ve heard this story now I can say I’ve seen it thanks to your. That tunnel was amazing. Oh how I love learning history. Thanks JD we live what you do By the way I donated to the cause of getting the graffiti off the Stone Mountain. I apologize but my mind slip the name of the mountain ( Band of Brotherz) hope that helps. ♥️♥️😊👍👍👍

This was really interesting I hope to visit this place

The Confederate Locomotive TEXAS Is Preserved At The Atlanta History Center

Awesome

I remember watching the silent movie The General with buster keaton.

I have Samuel slavens medal of Honor it has been passed down several generations

The very first Medal of Honor I beleave

No brave man should hang .... top of the tree once again bud . Jamie England uk 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👍

Pfff... just image how mutch work it would take before making this tunnel

JD, There's more to the Great Locomotive Chase than a bunch of guys going to Georgia to steel a train and create havoc. In March 1862 Union Brig. Gen. Don Carlos Buell's Department of the Ohio army was merged into the new Department of the Mississippi under General Henry Halleck. Buell marched most of his force to Pittsburgh Landing, TN to reinforce General Grant at the Battle of Shiloh on the night of April 7, 1862. A garrison of 7,000 men were left in Nashville and the 3rd Division under Maj. Gen. Ormsby Mitchel marched south towards Huntsville, AL. Mitchel had the nickname "Old Stars" because he was an astronomer prior to the war and built an observatory in Cincinnati, OH. There were in fact two raids. Sometime before Buell departed Nashville in late March, Andrews presented him with a plan to take eight men to steal a train in Georgia, and drive it north. Buell would later confirm in August 1863 that he authorized this expedition. This raid failed when Andrews lost his engineer. As Mitchel was moving south from Nashville to Huntsville, he had designs on capturing Chattanooga in eastern Tennessee. However, he new that his force could be easily overwhelmed by Confederate reinforcements coming by rail from Atlanta. Andrews' proposed a combined operation; General Mitchel and his forces would first move on Chattanooga; then, the Andrews’ Raid would promptly destroy the rail line between Chattanooga and Atlanta. These essentially simultaneous actions would bring about the capture of Chattanooga. Andrews' Raid was intended to deprive the Confederates of the integrated use of the railways to respond to a Union advance, using their interior lines of communication. The raiders arrived in Marietta, GA on April 11 and the raid began on April 12. On the same day the raiders arrived in Marietta, GA Gen. Mitchel seized the city of Huntsville, AL without a shot being fired. He captured several locomotives and trains. He also captured Confederate wounded from the Battle of Shiloh who were in the train depot waiting for transport to hospitals. That train depot still stands and graffiti from those Confederate wounded is preserved on the third floor walls. After seizing Huntsville, Mitchel failed to convince his superiors, (Buell and, later, Major General Henry Halleck) to provide him with enough troops to attempt to capture Chattanooga. Half of the plan was cancelled, but Andrews didn't know this. Buell later visited Mitchel in Huntsville to discuss future strategies. The two generals disagreed, and on June 30, Mitchel telegraphed Secretary of War Edwin Stanton tendering his resignation. Stanton rejected it. In early September, Halleck (now General-in-Chief of Union armies) appointed Mitchel as commander of the 10th Army Corps and Department of the South, headquartered in South Carolina. Mitchel arrived in the Palmetto State on September 15 and assumed command on September 17, 1862. His tenure was brief however. After contracting yellow fever, Mitchel died on October 30, 1862, at Beaufort, South Carolina, at the age of fifty-two years. Sorry for the long post. It's just this is such an interesting and complicated story.

jacob parrot was born not too far from me. and there's a museum that has their story in another town near me

Now it's too come here to Arkansas and blog Pea Ridge, Prairie Grove, Poison Springs, Jones Mill and Little Rock. The first 2 as part of the Missouri campaign, the others as part of The Red River campaign. Poison Springs was a slaughter that shouldn't have happened.

There is an old black n white silent movie called The General available free on Pureflix streaming service....cool....a silent movie is a piece of history telling us history!

To me a lack of smoke means that the locomotive is being run efficiently. Usually with a good fireman and engineer you'd only see smoke from a stack as the locomotive is accelerating or on a steep grade. The rest of the time the "white smoke" that you see isn't smoke at all, it's steam. Often as not, nowadays if you go on a steam train excursion you'll see black smoke for a photo run by as it makes the scene more dramatic and photogenic. These two locomotives I would really be surprised to ever see black smoke issuing from them though as they burned wood, not coal.

I owe you lunch for this one.

The first time the medal of honor was awarded were to the surviving men of Andrews Raiders

New subscriber. Eaglegards...

The music is a little too loud otherwise a great video.

Enjoy video!

Are you going to visit the "Texas" in Atlanta to close the circle?

Samuel slavens is my 4th or 5th great-grandfather on my mother's side my mother's name is constant slavens were from Columbus Ohio

As many places you have been. What is your favorite spot, beauty wise? I have been to 9 battlefields. My favorite beautiful battlefield has to be Harper's Ferry. There was nothing beautiful about this war, non the less. It was a war that makes no sense to me. Sure to end slavery is a huge plus, but brother vs. brother is the worst of the worst. Entire families wiped out. Once again, your videos are the best. Thanks.