The General (locomotive)

Infobox Locomotive
name="The General"
powertype=Steam
gauge=4 ft 8½ in (1435 mm)


caption="The General" on display in Chattanooga, Tennessee "circa" 1907
whytetype=4-4-0
currentowner=Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History
disposition=static display
builddate=December 1855
builder=Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor
officialname="General"
serialnumber=631
railroad=Western and Atlantic Railroad
roadnumber=3
firstrun=January 1856Infobox nrhp
name =The General
nrhp_type =


caption =
location= Kennesaw, GA
lat_degrees = 34 | lat_minutes = 1 | lat_seconds = 24.7 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 84 | long_minutes = 36 | long_seconds = 51.96 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1855
architect= Rogers,Ketchum & Grosvenor
architecture= Other
added = June 19, 1973
governing_body = State
refnum=73000617 cite web|url= http://www.nr.nps.gov/ |title= National Register Information System |date= 2006-03-15 |work= National Register of Historic Places |publisher= National Park Service ]

"The General" is a type 4-4-0 steam locomotive that was the subject of the Great Locomotive Chase of the American Civil War. The locomotive is preserved at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Before the Civil War

Built in 1855 by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor in Paterson, New Jersey, [cite journal| author=Moshein, Peter and Rothfus, Robert R.| year=1992| title=Rogers locomotives: A brief history and construction list| journal=Railroad History| issue=167| pages=pp 13–147 ] "The General" provided freight and passenger service between Atlanta, Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, before the Civil War on the Western and Atlantic Railroadcite book| title=Stealing the General; The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor| author=Bonds, Russell S.| year=2007| publisher=Westholme Publishing| location=Yardley, Pennsylvania| pages=pp 94-95| id=ISBN 1-59416-033-3 ]

Civil War

During the Civil War "The General" was stolen by Northern spies led by James J. Andrews at Big Shanty (now Kennesaw), Georgia, and abandoned north of Ringgold, after being pursued by William Allen Fuller and the "Texas". Low on water and wood, the "General" eventually lost steam pressure and speed, and slowed to a halt two miles north of Ringgold, where Andrews and his raiders abandoned the locomotive and tried to flee.

Later, the "General" narrowly escaped destruction when General John Bell Hood ordered the ordnance depot destroyed as he left Atlanta on September 1, 1864.

Present-day

Housed at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia.

References

External links

* [http://ngeorgia.com/ang/The_General About North Georgia: The General]
* [http://www.trainsarefun.com/lirr/lirrworldfair/General-Coach-Woodside-eastboundtoworldsfairMay30-1964.jpgThe General on its way to the 1964 World's Fair (TrainsAreFun.com)]