The Great Locomotive Chase Trivia Quiz

Answer: he died of yellow fever

General Mitchell died of yellow fever on Hilton Head Island, SC, on October 27th 1862. Mitchell Blvd on Hilton Head Island is named for him.

Answer: 2nd -21st- 33rd Ohio

These soldiers were hand picked by Andrews. They met outside of camp near Shelbyville, Tn. Their mission was to destroy bridges and damage the railroad in North Georgia. General Mitchell was to capture Huntsville,Al and the raiders were to meet him there.

At that point Mitchell could capture Chattanooga. The raiders left camp near Shelbyville and traveled by small groups in civilian clothes to Marietta,Ga. If asked, they were to say they were heading south to join the Confederate Army. They would all meet at a hotel in Marietta and launch their daring plan. 5 soldiers were from the 2nd Ohio, 9 soldiers from the 21st Ohio and 8 soldiers from the 33rd Ohio.

Answer: Maine

Confederate General Daville Leadbetter may be one of the few if not the only Confederate general born in the state of Maine. Leadbetter Point in Maine is named after him.

Answer: Mason

Sgt. Elihu Harlam Mason was the second raider and man to be awarded this high award. It is interesting to note after Mason was captured he broke out of jail and again was captured. After being exchanged he was wounded in the hip at Chickamauga and again taken prisoner. He indeed did have a color-ful war record.

Answer: Western and Atlantic

The Western and Atlantic railroad was put down in the late 1830s. Its line ran to Terminus, later renamed Atlanta.

Answer: William Campbell

William Campbell was hanged for his part in the raid. He was visiting his friend with the 2nd Ohio in camp and heard of the dangerous mission and voluntered. Because he was not a soldier he was not recognied for his participation. Campbell and Andrews were the only two civilian raiders.

Answer: Fleming

Andrews had told his raiders to say they were from Fleming county Kentucky as he knew that no Confederates were from that county and thus could not counter their claim. However, this worked against the raiders when captured, after awhile the rebels caught on to this game. Fleming county was another name for a Union raider.

Answer: When the crew stopped for breakfast

The Union raiders had decided to steal the train at Big Shanty,Ga while the crew was eating breakfast. Andrews also knew that Big Shanty had no telegraph office and this was a planned 20 minute stop. While the passengers got off the raiders took possession of the train and took off,so quickly that the guards of the Confederate camp had no time to act.

Answer: Confederate deserters

The Confederates first suspected Confederate deserters, as a major Confederate camp of thousands of soldiers was at the stop at Big Shanty.

Answer: Camp McDonald

The element of surprise is what Andrews had counted on. Camp McDonald was a Confederate training camp not more than a stone's throw from where the train was stolen.

Answer: ran on foot after the train

The conductor William A. Fuller and Anthony Murphy, a machine foreman, thinking Confederate deserters had stolen their train reasoned the train would run out of steam a few hundred yards up the track and took off in a dead run after the train. After two miles the men found a hand platform at Moon's Station.

They used it until they were thrown from it by a missing rail that Andrews had stolen.

Answer: When Confederates found cut telegraph wires and torn track

Andrews first misson was to cut the telegraph wires and tear up track. Thus no one would know ahead of them what they were doing and no one from behind them could chase them.

Answer: rain

From the start rain had played a vital role. Andrews thinking that the rain would delay the capture of Huntsville, Alabama had delayed the raid one day. The Union commander knowing that the raiders may fail marched his army all night to capture Huntsville. Thus trains heading south on the railroad to escape capture clogged the tracks. Andrews' schedule was worthless and waiting for trains to pass his raiders became an issue.

Answer: he was running emergency ammunition to General Beauregard

Andrews had traveled behind Confederate lines in the past. He had learned of the battle of Shiloh just hours before the raiders headed south. The three boxcars attached to the "General" not only concealed his raiders but also helped his story that much needed ammunition was in them. One unsuspecting Confederate even said "he would give the shirt off his back if it would help Beauregard" and then gave Andrews a railroad schedule.

Answer: 65 MPH

At times during the chase the "General" almost left the railroad track especially around the curves. Some of the raiders said they thought for sure they were going to wreck. It was just a matter of when. The maximun safe speed was 40 MPH on a straight away. The raiders had her up to a wreckless and unheard of speed of 65 MPH.

Answer: The Florida

Several trains partitcipated in pursuit of the "General" Among them were the Yohah, William R. Smith, Catoosa, and the most famous, the "Texas".

Answer: Danger ,another train is approching from behind

As stated before because of the rain and one day delay, Andrews ran across a lot of trains carrying red flags heading south. His only option was to wait. At Kingston the raiders had to wait for one hour before they could move on. On one occasion he chose to igore the red flag facing a head on collison. Andrews also put a red flag on the back of his train to further confuse the Confederates.

Answer: Knight

Andrews was prepared and made sure he had extra engineers just in case. Knight had wanted to destroy the "Yohah" when passing her, but Andrews over ruled him saying that the engine would not interfere with their plans. When Fuller and Murphy came across the "Yohah" they used it to follow the "General" Finding torn track ahead they left the "Yohah" until they came upon the "William R. Smith." Again finding torn track they finally found the "Texas" in which they followed the "General" to the end.

Answer: About 87 miles

After reaching about 87 miles the "General" coasted to a stop. The raiders jumped from the train and headed in different directions. The Confederates had telegraphed ahead to Chattanooga so it was just as well. Confederate Cavalry was in hot pursuit of the raiders and within days all of the raiders had been captured.

Answer: True

Of the twenty two raiders, 8 were hanged including Andrews. 8 escaped from prison and made it back to Union lines and 6 were exchanged for other prisoners.

Answer: the "Texas" was run in reverse

Not having time to turn the the "Texas" around, Fuller and Murphy ran the engine at perilous speeds backward in pursuit of the "General"

Answer: the "General" can be seen at the Kennesaw museum in Georgia

The "General" led a useful life after the raid and after the war. It is interesting to note that she was stolen a few more times by different cities and organizations. Today she can be seen in Kennesaw, Georgia, not to far from where she was first stolen.

Answer: they forgot to tip the innkeeper and thus were not awakened in time

Most of the Andrews raiders stayed at the Fletcher House in Marietta, Ga. Two of the raiders forgot to tip the waiter and thus were not awakened in time. Both Martin Jones Hawkins and John Reed Porter joined the Confederate army that day at Camp McDonald and were found out within a few days and put in jail with the rest of the raiders.

Answer: 20

There were 18 soldiers and two civilians. Two of the soldiers James Smith and James Llewellyn never made it out of Tennessee. Rather than to revel the raiders plans they enlisted in the Confederate army near Jasper, TN. They soon deserted and found their way to Federal lines.

Answer: True

"The Great Locomotive Chase" (1956): Fess Parker played the role of Andrews.