On This Day, April 12, 1862, Union soldiers and sympathizers steal a passenger train and take it from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga, Tennessee sabotaging railway tracks, bridges, and telegraph lines along the way. They were pursued by Confederate troops, first on foot, then by handcar, and eventually by train. The raiders eventually ran out of wood for the steam engine and had to abandon the train, where they tried to escape on foot. The leader of the raid, civilian scout James J. Andrews, and his men were eventually captured. Eight of the men, including Andrews, were hanged. Six of the soldiers became the first to receive the Medal of Honor. However, Andrews was not eligible since he was a civilian.

The raid became known as "The Great Locomotive Chase.”

The Great Locomotive Chase has become a legendary, but still relatively little-known event that unfolded during the early years of the Civil War. It was an attempt by Union forces and sympathizers to destroy railroad infrastructu...

Many things to think about today on the eve of our nation’s independence, but if you’re looking for a great example of all that is right about America, here is one young man who 156 years ago this afternoon—led by example, who wouldn’t quit, and who sacrificed himself at a place called “The Angle,” near a weed-choked corpse of trees on Cemetery Ridge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

His name is 1st Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing. He was 22 years-old and an experienced veteran of numerous battles. At Gettysburg, he commanded Battery A, 4th United States Artillery. He died defending a vital part of the Union line against Pickett's Charge, and although mortally wounded would not leave his post. Grasping his intestines with one hand and the lanyard of his gun with the other, he shouted above the chaos of the battle to his Sergeant, Frederick Fuger standing beside him, "I’ll give them one more shot!" Seconds later a Confederate bullet struck him through the mouth, killing him instantly. His lifel...