The General was built in 1855 by Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor for Georgia’s Western & Atlantic Railroad.
It was a 4-4-0 “American” type steam locomotive used in normal passenger and freight service between Atlanta and Chattanooga.
On April 12, 1862, Union raiders led by civilian scout James J. Andrews seized the locomotive at Big Shanty, now Kennesaw, while the train crew and many passengers were eating breakfast.
The raiders intended to move north toward Chattanooga while cutting telegraph wires, damaging track, and burning bridges to disrupt Confederate military transportation.
Conductor William Fuller began pursuit first on foot and then through a series of handcars and locomotives.
The General’s progress was slowed by the single-track operating environment, scheduled trains, fuel needs, and the time required for sabotage.
The pursuers ultimately used the locomotive Texas running in reverse. The raiders abandoned General near Ringgold when fuel and water ran low.
The locomotive returned to railroad service after the war and was rebuilt and modified over time.
It was retired in the 1890s and later preserved because of its association with the raid. It is now displayed at the Southern Museum in Kennesaw.
For TransitSatellite, the 1862 chase route must be separated from General’s decades of ordinary service. The locomotive was not built for the raid; the raid is one episode in a much longer operating life.