General, The
Why it's listed
The General is a 53-ton American-type steam locomotive built in 1855 by the Rogers, Ketchum and Grosvenor Locomotive Works for the Georgia-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad. It became famous on April 12, 1862, when civilian James J. Andrews and 19 Union soldiers seized it at Big Shanty, now Kennesaw, and drove it north to destroy the railroad and cut communications with Atlanta. Confederates pursued them on foot, by push car and in three locomotives, and the General ran out of fuel about two miles north of Ringgold after 87 miles. Eight raiders were executed, and nineteen soldiers received the Medal of Honor, the first ever awarded. The engine returned to service, hauled ammunition at Kennesaw Mountain, and was damaged in the 1864 evacuation of Atlanta. It was restored in 1891-92, displayed in Chattanooga for decades, and was given to Georgia in 1972. It now stands in the Big Shanty Museum.
Significance in brief: The locomotive was one of the principal engines in the 1862 Andrews Raid, also called the Great Locomotive Chase, during the Civil War. Union raiders seized it at Big Shanty and ran it north before it was abandoned for lack of fuel. Nineteen of the Union soldiers involved received the Medal of Honor, the first presentation of that award. It also serves as a physical reminder of the steam locomotive era.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000617, listed June 19, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Big Shanty Museum of Cherokee St., Kennesaw |
|---|---|
| County | Cobb County |
| Listed | June 19, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000617 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates 1855, April 12, 1862) |
| Architect / builder | Rogers, Ketchum and Grosvenor Locomotive Works, Paterson, New Jersey (construction #631) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the State of Georgia and on exhibit at the Big Shanty Museum in Kennesaw; condition listed as good, altered and moved, with preservation work in progress. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Big Shanty Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.02366, -84.61437 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000617.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2335866
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.