President Joe Biden posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to two Union soldiers, Pvt. Philip G. Shadrach and Pvt. George D. Wilson, for their heroism during the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. The ceremony took place in the East Room of the White House, where descendants of the soldiers, Theresa Chandler and Gerald Taylor, accepted the honors on their behalf.
The Great Locomotive Chase, a daring Civil War operation, saw Shadrach and Wilson infiltrate Confederate territory, hijack a train, and drive it 87 miles north. Along the way, they destroyed railroad tracks and cut telegraph wires, significantly hampering the South’s war effort. Despite the passage of a House bill in 2008 honoring them, recognition for Shadrach and Wilson had been delayed until now. Biden acknowledged this delay, stating, “It’s been a long time in coming.”
Shadrach and Wilson were part of a group of 24 Union soldiers known as Andrews’ Raiders. Their mission was fraught with danger, as they risked certain death if caught. “The risk of this mission was enormous,” Biden said. “Philip, George, all the men, were given a chance to walk away, but not one of them did.”
Historians have highlighted the bravery and ingenuity of the group, noting that some had no experience in rail operation. The mission began in heavy rain, making it difficult to destroy rail tracks and burn bridges. Eventually, the men were forced to abandon the train near Chattanooga due to a lack of fuel. Shadrach and Wilson were captured by Confederate forces and executed. Before his hanging, Shadrach declared that he harbored no ill will toward the people of the South, only the rebellion’s leaders, and predicted that the American flag would one day fly over the entire country again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, until the very end, George and Philip believed in the United States of America,” Biden said. “We haven’t always lived up to that, but like George and Philip, we haven’t walked away from it, either.”
Shane Makowicki, a historian with the U.S. Army Center of Military History, emphasized the courage and heroism of these men, noting that today such a mission would require months or weeks of specialized training.
The Great Locomotive Chase, which took place on April 12, 1862, involved the Union raiders traveling 200 miles into Confederate territory, commandeering a train named “The General,” and driving it from Georgia to Tennessee. They destroyed Confederate railroad tracks and telegraph lines, earning 19 of the men Medals of Honor, making them the first group of Army soldiers to receive the award. However, Shadrach and Wilson were among the eight raiders who were captured, tried, and hanged by the Confederacy.
Ron Shadrach, a descendant of Pvt. Shadrach, and historian Brad Quinlin, worked tirelessly to push for Shadrach and Wilson’s recognition. Despite a 2008 act of Congress clearing the way for their honors, bureaucratic delays prevented the awards until now. At the outset of the Biden Administration, two former generals joined their efforts, finally leading to the recognition of Shadrach and Wilson’s bravery.
Quinlin believes that the clandestine mission, if successful, could have shortened the Civil War by as much as two years. “These were common citizens—a laborer, a carpenter,” he said. “They enlisted voluntarily and stayed on despite the risks.”
Before his execution, Pvt. Wilson reportedly gave a speech from the gallows, expressing no regret for his actions to help save the Union. “He proclaimed that they would yet see the flag of the United States wave over them again,” Ron Shadrach said. Two years later, his prediction came true.
Shadrach and Wilson’s recognition comes as the legacy of the Civil War continues to shape U.S. politics. Biden has previously stated that the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol was the greatest threat to democracy since the Civil War. During the ceremony, Biden emphasized that Shadrach and Wilson were “fighting and even dying to preserve the union and the sacred values it was founded upon: freedom, justice, fairness, unity.”
Theresa Chandler, Wilson’s great-great-granddaughter, recalled how Wilson’s final words on the gallows expressed his hope for the abolition of slavery and the reunification of the nation. “When I read that, I had chills,” Chandler said. “We can feel that as a family and that we’re enjoying our freedoms today, what he tried to move forward at the time.”
Brian Taylor, a great-great-great-nephew of Shadrach, described his ancestor as a brave soldier who did what he thought was right. “I kind of feel that he was a bit adventurous, a bit of a free spirit,” Taylor said.
The Great Locomotive Chase has been immortalized in popular culture, including a 1956 Disney movie titled “The Great Locomotive Chase” and a 1926 silent film “The General,” starring Buster Keaton.
More than 160 years after their heroic actions, Shadrach and Wilson have finally received the recognition they deserve. Their bravery and dedication to the Union serve as a testament to the enduring values of freedom, justice, and unity.
Source: UPI, The Washington Post, Associated Press
