James J. Andrews (c. 1829 – June 7, 1862) was a Kentucky civilian who worked for the Union Army during the early years of the American Civil War. He led a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, known as the Great Locomotive Chase. Andrews and seven fellow raiders were caught at the end of the chase and executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying.[1]
Andrews was born in Holiday's Cove, Virginia (now Weirton, West Virginia).[1][2] He moved to Kentucky, where he found employment as a house painter and singing coach.[1] During the Civil War, he was engaged in buying contraband merchandise (including quinine) and smuggling it between the military lines.[1] While serving as a secret agent and scout in Nashville, Tennessee, for Major GeneralDon Carlos Buell in the spring of 1862, he devised a plan to take eight men to steal a train in Atlanta, Georgia, and drive it north. They would disrupt Confederate communications in western Tennessee and burn the long railroad bridge over the Tennessee River at Bridgeport. The mission failed when the required engineer failed to show up at the designated meeting place.[1]
In April, Andrews proposed a new scheme to Major GeneralOrmsby M. Mitchel to seize a locomotive in northern Georgia and drive it to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he would rendezvous with Mitchel's attacking Union Army. On April 12, 1862, Andrews, another civilian, William "Bill" Campbell, and 22 volunteers from three Ohio infantry regiments garbed in civilian clothes, stole a locomotive known as The General at Big Shanty, near Kennesaw, Georgia.[1] They headed north, destroying tracks and telegraph wires along the way in an effort to discourage pursuers and render the railroad useless for supplying the Confederate troops in Tennessee. William Allen Fuller, the conductor of the stolen train pursued the train hijackers on foot, by handcar, and in a variety of other locomotives, most notably the "Texas", in which he gave chase for 51 miles (82 km) in reverse.[1] After an 87 miles (140 km) chase, the General lost power just north of Ringgold, Georgia, and Andrews and his raiders scattered. He was captured soon afterwards and identified as the leader.[1]
He was court-martialed in Chattanooga and sentenced to hang in one week as a spy.[1] Andrews escaped from Swims Jail on June 1, but was quickly recaptured the next day. On June 7, he was taken to Atlanta ahead of the advancing Union army by train over the same tracks that he had used during the raid.[1] Andrews was ineptly hanged at about 5:00 that afternoon (the scaffold was so low that his feet touched the ground and he most likely died of strangulation as opposed to the internal decapitation that causes death in a proper hanging), near the present day intersection of 3rd and Juniper Streets, NE.[1] Andrews' body was temporarily buried at the site of execution. His remains were removed to the Chattanooga National Cemetery on October 16, 1887, and a gravestone and monument to the raid was erected near the Ohio Memorial (Section H, Grave No. 12,982).[3]
Legacy
He was engaged to Elizabeth Layton of Flemingsburg, Kentucky at the time of his execution.[1] After learning of her fiancé's death, Layton became distraught and apparently never recovered and died two years later, her family believed of a "broken heart".[1]
The first recipients of the Medal of Honor were made to military survivors of the raid. As a civilian, Andrews was ineligible for the Medal of Honor that was presented to most of the raiders.
^ abcdefghijklmRussell S. Bonds. Stealing the General: The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor, Westholme Publishing, 2006. ISBN978-1-59416-033-2
^Casstevens, Frances (November 14, 2006). Tales from the North and the South: Twenty-Four Remarkable People and Events of the Civil War. McFarland. p. 4. ISBN9780786428700.
^Holt, Dean (December 3, 2009). American Military Cemeteries. McFarland. p. 55. ISBN9780786457328.
james, andrews, this, article, about, civil, raider, mathematician, mathematician, 1829, june, 1862, kentucky, civilian, worked, union, army, during, early, years, american, civil, daring, raid, behind, enemy, lines, western, atlantic, railroad, known, great, . This article is about the Civil War raider For the mathematician see James J Andrews mathematician James J Andrews c 1829 June 7 1862 was a Kentucky civilian who worked for the Union Army during the early years of the American Civil War He led a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad known as the Great Locomotive Chase Andrews and seven fellow raiders were caught at the end of the chase and executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying 1 James J AndrewsEngraving of Andrews from 1887Bornc 1829Holiday s Cove Virginia now Weirton West Virginia DiedJune 7 1862 aged 32 33 Atlanta GeorgiaBuriedChattanooga National CemeteryAllegiance United StatesService wbr branchUnion ArmyRankCivilianBattles warsAmerican Civil War Great Locomotive Chase Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksBiography Edit Grave of James J Andrews and Ohio s monument to the Andrews Raiders at Chattanooga National Cemetery Andrews was born in Holiday s Cove Virginia now Weirton West Virginia 1 2 He moved to Kentucky where he found employment as a house painter and singing coach 1 During the Civil War he was engaged in buying contraband merchandise including quinine and smuggling it between the military lines 1 While serving as a secret agent and scout in Nashville Tennessee for Major General Don Carlos Buell in the spring of 1862 he devised a plan to take eight men to steal a train in Atlanta Georgia and drive it north They would disrupt Confederate communications in western Tennessee and burn the long railroad bridge over the Tennessee River at Bridgeport The mission failed when the required engineer failed to show up at the designated meeting place 1 Georgia Historical Marker for Andrews in Atlanta Georgia In April Andrews proposed a new scheme to Major General Ormsby M Mitchel to seize a locomotive in northern Georgia and drive it to Chattanooga Tennessee where he would rendezvous with Mitchel s attacking Union Army On April 12 1862 Andrews another civilian William Bill Campbell and 22 volunteers from three Ohio infantry regiments garbed in civilian clothes stole a locomotive known as The General at Big Shanty near Kennesaw Georgia 1 They headed north destroying tracks and telegraph wires along the way in an effort to discourage pursuers and render the railroad useless for supplying the Confederate troops in Tennessee William Allen Fuller the conductor of the stolen train pursued the train hijackers on foot by handcar and in a variety of other locomotives most notably the Texas in which he gave chase for 51 miles 82 km in reverse 1 After an 87 miles 140 km chase the General lost power just north of Ringgold Georgia and Andrews and his raiders scattered He was captured soon afterwards and identified as the leader 1 He was court martialed in Chattanooga and sentenced to hang in one week as a spy 1 Andrews escaped from Swims Jail on June 1 but was quickly recaptured the next day On June 7 he was taken to Atlanta ahead of the advancing Union army by train over the same tracks that he had used during the raid 1 Andrews was ineptly hanged at about 5 00 that afternoon the scaffold was so low that his feet touched the ground and he most likely died of strangulation as opposed to the internal decapitation that causes death in a proper hanging near the present day intersection of 3rd and Juniper Streets NE 1 Andrews body was temporarily buried at the site of execution His remains were removed to the Chattanooga National Cemetery on October 16 1887 and a gravestone and monument to the raid was erected near the Ohio Memorial Section H Grave No 12 982 3 Legacy EditHe was engaged to Elizabeth Layton of Flemingsburg Kentucky at the time of his execution 1 After learning of her fiance s death Layton became distraught and apparently never recovered and died two years later her family believed of a broken heart 1 The first recipients of the Medal of Honor were made to military survivors of the raid As a civilian Andrews was ineligible for the Medal of Honor that was presented to most of the raiders Walt Disney made a movie of Andrews exploits in 1956 called The Great Locomotive Chase starring Fess Parker as Andrews Buster Keaton s 1927 feature length comedy masterpiece The General was also loosely based on the incident See also EditList of Andrews RaidersReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m Russell S Bonds Stealing the General The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor Westholme Publishing 2006 ISBN 978 1 59416 033 2 Casstevens Frances November 14 2006 Tales from the North and the South Twenty Four Remarkable People and Events of the Civil War McFarland p 4 ISBN 9780786428700 Holt Dean December 3 2009 American Military Cemeteries McFarland p 55 ISBN 9780786457328 External links EditRailfanning org The Andrews Raid James J Andrews historical marker James J Andrews at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title James J Andrews amp oldid 1067538638, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
