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...