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Remembering the Great Locomotve Chase
Hometown Cherokee ^ | April 6, 2009 | Calvin E. Johnson, Jr.

Posted on 04/13/2009 9:42:25 AM PDT by BigReb555

Are children still taught American History in the public and private schools?

(Excerpt) Read more at hometowncherokee.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: americanhistory; locomotives
Are children still taught American History in the public and private schools?

The Georgia State Senate, on Friday April 3, 2009, approved the changes the House made to SB No. 27 that officially proclaims April as Confederate History Month. It now goes to Governor Sonny Perdue for signing. April 26th, Confederate Memorial Day, has also been recognized as a legal Georgia holiday since 1874.

2009 marks the 53rd anniversary of Walt Disney Pictures great movie classic "The Great Locomotive Chase" starring Fess Parker and Jeffrey Hunter.

When it comes to old locomotives, we are all children at heart. Many of us love a story from the bygone era of passenger trains that was once the fastest way to travel. Our nation's most famous locomotive "The General" is now home at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Ga. Kennesaw is about 45 miles north of Atlanta on the Old Highway 41.

http://www.southernmuseum.org

April 12, 2009, is the 147th anniversary of the "Great Locomotive Chase" that made "The General" famous. Jefferson Cain, an employee of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, was Engineer of The General. At 4:15 on the morning of April 12, 1862, Cain pushed the throttle of The General and drove the engine out of Atlanta, Georgia for Chattanooga, Tennessee as a cool spring rain fell on the city.

During the spring of 1862, the peaceful town of Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) was paid not so peaceful a visit by Union spies led by James Andrews, who brought with him plans to disrupt Confederate supply lines. Andrews and his men boarded the train at Marietta, Georgia. They had spent the previous night at the Fletcher House now (Kennesaw House). Twenty boarded the train while two were left behind.

The next stop was the Lacy Hotel in Big Shanty for a twenty minute breakfast break. That's where The General was stolen in full view of "Camp McDonald" a drill camp and home to many Confederate officers and enlisted men. There was no telegraph there, which was one reason Andrews chose the site.

Andrews, A Kentuckian, had made a name for himself by smuggling much needed quinine through Union lines for the benefit of Confederate soldiers and civilians. There were with him three experienced engineers, William Knight, Wilson Brown and John Wilson. When asked where they were from, they replied by saying, "I am from Fleming County, Kentucky." They also said that they were on their way to join the Confederate Army.

The official plan to steal The General was approved by Union General Ormsby Michael. The plan was to take the locomotive north on the Western and Atlantic Railroad and destroy tracks, bridges and tunnels along the way. General Michael agreed that he would take Huntsville on April 11, 1862, and then would wait on Andrews before moving into Chattanooga, Tennessee.

"Someone.....has stolen my train,” William Fuller, conductor on the General said in amazement as the train was pulling away from the Big Shanty train depot. Men of the Western and Atlantic railroad almost immediately began the chase with engineer Jefferson Cain, William Fuller, and machine foreman Anthony Murphy close behind. With no telegraph at Big Shanty, the men ran north along the railroad tracks to Moon Station and procured a platform handcar; then went on until they found "The Yonah." The next train used was the "William R. Smith." The last locomotive used in the chase by William Fuller was the famous "Texas" that was heading South. The Texas is now housed in Atlanta, Georgia's Cyclorama at Grant Park. With no time to spare, the Texas was run in reverse through the entire chase.

James Andrews and his Raiders were slowed down by southbound trains that had to pass before they could continue. With the telegraph out of service, Fuller was fortunate to catch telegraph operator Edward Henderson. Fuller gave the young Henderson a hand up on the train, as it was in motion, and gave him a message for General Ledbetter that Henderson sent from Dalton.

Andrews and his men failed to destroy the bridges over Georgia's Chickamauga Creek, Etowah River and Tunnel Hill. They also failed to slow down the pursuers by setting up the cars of The General on fire and sending them back down the railroad tracks. The end came when they ran out of wood and lost power about 18 miles south of Chattanooga.

It took about two weeks for the Confederates to capture the Union spies. Some of them made it as far as Bridgeport, Alabama. Eventfully, all 20 of Andrews Raiders were captured. James Andrews and six of his men were hung in Atlanta, eight escaped, and others were paroled.

The United States Congress created the Medal of Honor in 1862 and it was awarded to some of the raiders. James Andrews was not eligible because he not a part of the military service.

William Fuller, who is buried at Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery, was recognized by the Confederate Government, Georgia Governor Joseph Brown and the Georgia General Assembly for his act of heroism.

Learn more about Confederate History Month and the events of this memorial month at” http://confederateheritagemonth.com and http://confederatehistorymonth.com Lest We Forget!!

1 posted on 04/13/2009 9:42:25 AM PDT by BigReb555
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To: BigReb555
Could be because April 12th was the 148th aniversary of another, more significant historical event.
2 posted on 04/13/2009 9:47:41 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: BigReb555

Kids aren’t even taught about Johnny Appleseed these days.

I shudder to think what’s in their school history books.


3 posted on 04/13/2009 9:49:24 AM PDT by VanDeKoik (Conservatives see untapped potential. Liberals see Tapped-out hopelessness.)
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To: Non-Sequitur

Might be, but i doubt that gets mentioned in government schools either.


4 posted on 04/13/2009 9:54:30 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs earn the title of "man's best friend", Muslims hate dogs,,add that up.)
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To: BigReb555
... and America expects what from the NEA agenda and the American educational system? (sic)

To teach math, science, reading, writing, and the pride and dignity of the values of Western civilization and America’s stunning achievements in the world?

Nope. Its all multicultural diversity training and the loving embrace of every perverted and disgusting habit of man.

Sorry, students haven’t gone through twelve years of public school for nothing.
They’ve learned one thing and perhaps only one thing during those twelve years.
They’ve forgotten their algebra, they’ve grown to fear and resent literature, they write like they’ve been lobotomized, but Jesus, can they follow orders!

Students don’t ask that orders make sense because they gave up expecting things to make sense long before they left elementary school.

Things are true because the teacher says they’re true.
Outside class, things are true to your tongue, your fingers, your stomach, your heart, your head.
Inside class, things are true by reason of authority, and that’s just fine because you don’t care anyway.

Miss Wiedemeyer tells you a noun is a person, place or thing, so let it be. You don’t give a rat’s ass; she doesn’t give a rat’s ass.

The only important thing is to please her, and that lesson follows you right through College. - cooperate and graduate as your professors tear down everything good and noble in American history to replace it with their “agenda for change.”

Back in kindergarten, you found out that teachers only love children who stand in nice straight lines.

And that’s where it’s been at ever since.

Nothing changes except to get worse, as those students now vote as they are ordered to vote, and believe what the MSM tells them to believe.

The Matrix is here.

A great job of ruining America by the NEA and the public education system

5 posted on 04/13/2009 9:56:05 AM PDT by bill1952 (Power is an illusion created between those with power - and those without)
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To: BigReb555

6 posted on 04/13/2009 9:57:18 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (American Revolution II -- overdue)
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To: BigReb555

Civil War? Did we have a Civil War? ...

LOL...


7 posted on 04/13/2009 9:58:17 AM PDT by Star Traveler
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To: BigReb555
Buster Keaton in "The General" (1926)

:


8 posted on 04/13/2009 10:03:42 AM PDT by wideminded
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To: ClearCase_guy

Thanks! I didn’t know Keaton made a film of this. I’ll have to get a copy sometime.


9 posted on 04/13/2009 10:06:56 AM PDT by vladimir998 (Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ. St. Jerome)
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To: BigReb555
When I was young my dad owned land along the old rail-bed where “The Yonah” was sent to intercept the General between Rome and Kingston. The old rail-line ran along the bottom land by the Etowah River and still had clinkers from the engine smokestacks under the Johnson grass. There was even a raised mound about ten feet high and thirty yards long perpendicular to the rail-bed where the old plantation train station once stood.

Disney still made Fess Parker the hero though!

10 posted on 04/13/2009 10:07:14 AM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
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To: bill1952

Amen Bill ... Amen.


11 posted on 04/13/2009 10:07:41 AM PDT by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true.)
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To: Peanut Gallery

ping


12 posted on 04/13/2009 10:23:59 AM PDT by Professional Engineer (Our Savior who art in Washinton, Hollow be His name...)
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To: BigReb555

I have visited the museum in Marietta where the general is on display. The museum is quite interesting.

Most of Andrews’s Raiders are buried at Chatanooga national Cemetery where a special marker was built to commemorate what they did.

http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/chattanooga.asp


13 posted on 04/13/2009 10:24:12 AM PDT by MplsSteve
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To: BigReb555
My seven year old son is obsessed with trains, following in the footsteps of his grandfather who has a basement full of trains, adding maybe a dozen sets each year. My son himself now has a bedroom wall devoted to his sets.
Were building him a 6 by 10 ft layout for him this year. Cool hobby for a kids. Beats Xbox any day.
14 posted on 04/13/2009 10:35:55 AM PDT by NavyCanDo (Party like its 1773)
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To: BigReb555

Walt Disney and Fess Parker taught me!

On a more serious note, if I recall correctly, some of the first Medals of Honor went to several of Andrews’ raiders.


15 posted on 04/13/2009 10:36:13 AM PDT by PzLdr ("The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" - Darth Vader)
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To: vladimir998
“The General” is a great film. Even though it's a comedy and was made in the Northwest it is full of authentic detail in that real Civil War equipment was used and Keaton had the advantage of having actual Civil War veterans to help him out.
16 posted on 04/13/2009 10:37:55 AM PDT by fella (.He that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough." Pv.28:19')
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To: wideminded
I saw "The General" last Wednesday at the Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles. The organist who accompained the film also played the piano for two short subjects, "Daydreams" and "The Electric House," both from 1922. The theater was sold out, and the audience even included young children.
17 posted on 04/13/2009 10:48:12 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: fella; vladimir998; All
I showed "The General" to a bunch of 4th graders. They loved it. It's an amazing movie from start to finish. The destruction of the bridge, with the train crossing the river, was *REAL*, with no cgi or any of that other stuff. The train was still there until WWII, when it was cut up for scrap.

Keaton loved trains. Check out "One Week" for his use of a train as a gag of destruction.

18 posted on 04/13/2009 12:09:09 PM PDT by Othniel (Kirk: Don't trust them. Don't believe them. Spock: They're dying. Kirk: LET THEM DIE.)
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To: Fiji Hill
The organist who accompanied the film also played the piano for two short subjects,

I once asked my father what he remembered about the musical accompaniment to silent films. He said that one thing he recalled was that the pianist was often late, so the music didn't start until the movie had been going for a while.

19 posted on 04/13/2009 1:20:20 PM PDT by wideminded
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