Detailed coverage of one of the Civil War's lesser known and stranger episodes. Includes informed speculation on why the endeavour was undertaken, thorough recital of the events of the raid itself, and extensive coverage of the raiders in the following days, as they were moved between prisons and, eventually, returned to the North. This latter portion is an aspect of the story which has not previously been told, and is fully as interesting as the events of the raid itself.

In no part of this book did I find myself wanting further detail, or wondering what events had been omitted or compressed for brevity. It is rare to find a book which is so complete in it's story.

This book is incredible in its detail of happenings of this spy mission during the cival war. Kudos to the author for the masterful amount of information presented here. this is a good book.

"Stealing the General" is a good story, but it seems to have gotten a lot more billing as an adventure in movies or books than it actually was. Maybe some of that comes from the fact that the heroes were unsuccessful. However, even in Bonds telling of the story, he reminds us of such things like the pursuing party wasn't as armed as the Union soldiers thought.

That said, I was interested in the story. I didn't like how Bonds would jump forward out of the flow of the story to tell the reader something that would happen years down the road to a character or story.

I found myself more interested in the story once the soldiers were captured and what happened to them. There they suffered various treatments from torture to being forgotten. They staged multiple jailbreaks.

I also thought what happened to them afterwards may part of what is wrong with the story overall. The actual players in the story seemed to have worked to build up their roles and heroism. In that way, it is like a bunch of fishermen talking about their catches.

Still, the undercover operation earned most of the men involved the Medal of Honor. For that alone, the story of these men should not be forgotten and Bonds does a good job of sorting through the fact and fiction of the story.

If you like stories of Navy Seals, Green Berets or commando operations like an Alistair MacLain novel or Jack Higgins, this book will fascinate because it is a real story about real men with all the flaws of real men. This is the grandfather of commando stories and worth the read.

I had completely forgotten the old Fess Parker movie "The Great Locomotive Chase" when I saw this book. The book captured my interest quickly and was easy to follow. It was an excellent account of the lead up and conditions of the raid to steal a locomotive and wreck the supply lines for the western confederate armies in 1862. It followed the participants from when they volunteered, their trip deep into Northern Georgia, stealing a train under noses of a Confederate Army camp and then the dash to the north. Then came the relentless pursuit by the train crew to get their train back! This lead to the capture of the Yankee Spies. The book follows the Andrews Raiders through their capture, jailing, trials, executions, escapes or exchanges and their post war experiences. It also included the celebrity of certain participants and their efforts to glorify and enhance their participation.
Maps were scarce but the maps that were provided greatly helped me follow the story. Lots of pictures of the participants during and after the war were interesting also. Other pictures of sites, buildings, bridges, and monuments all added to the story. I would rate the author very highly in being able to track down pictures of related items in various archives.
I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the Civil War. It presented an excellent picture of the early chaotic stage of the war and gives a good picture of the passion Southerners and Northerners felt.
I think that this book's focus on the Great Locomotive Chase from the first thought to the death of its last survivor is a unique perspective on the Civil War.

An enthralling true-life history that richly deserves (1) a better cover; (2) a better title; (3) a paperback edition; (4) more publicity; and (5) a faithful big-budget film adaptation from a major director. Apart from the challenging size of its dramatis personae, this is well-nigh perfect.

I grew up in Ringgold GA. and was well versed in this chase. The author does an excellent job cutting through some of the "myth" ex.(Campbell in the movie was a soldier, but he was civilian)as well as Pettinger instead of Parrot receiving the 1st Medal of Honor. I found the text an excellent read and it is footnoted very nicely. I learned some things about the Chase I did not know! The only mistake I could find was the description of Lt. General James Longstreet detraining at Dalton to go to the Battle of Chickamauga. Longstreet and the men who arrived from Virginia detrained at Catoosa Station just a short distance below Ringgold. Overall, I would encourage anyone to buy this book and study in depth this event in History. Come visit Rinngold and see the restored Depot as well as the monument to the General. Just a short distance from Ringgold is Chattanooga. Andrews, Campbell, and the 6 soldiers who were hung are buried at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga. The area around Chattanooga is rich in History...

I grew up in Ringgold GA. and was well versed in this chase. The author does an excellent job cutting through some of the "myth" ex.(Campbell in the movie was a soldier, but he was civilian)as well as Pettinger instead of Parrot receiving the 1st Medal of Honor. I found the text an excellent read and it is footnoted very nicely. I learned some things about the Chase I did not know! The only mistake I could find was the description of Lt. General James Longstreet detraining at Dalton to go to the Battle of Chickamauga. Longstreet and the men who arrived from Virginia detrained at Catoosa Station just a short distance below Ringgold. Overall, I would encourage anyone to buy this book and study in depth this event in History. Come visit Rinngold and see the restored Depot as well as the monument to the General. Just a short distance from Ringgold is Chattanooga. Andrews, Campbell, and the 6 soldiers who were hung are buried at the National Cemetery in Chattanooga. The area around Chattanooga is rich in History...

A good factual summary, well referenced and easy to follow. However, its style could be a bit easier to read like a Stephen Ambrose book.

Mr. Bonds has done the work and the result is a well constructed history of an exciting piece of Civil War intrigue. Thoroughly researched and thoughtfully written, this book will appeal to anyone interested not only in Civil War and railroading history, but also to those who are looking for just a good read. Congratulations to Mr. Bonds on a job well done.

Using a multitude of sources and what must have been very time consuming research, Mr Bonds gives thorough coverage to the subject. Whereas previous publications deal mainly with the events of April 12, 1862 and shortly before and after, he provides a lot a background about the personalities and actions leading up to the raid and then follows through with details about the participants and their lives after the raid and the war. All in all, by far the most complete discussion of a unique event.

This account of the great locomotive chase was well researched and written with great detail. My only criticism of it is that it was a bit slow in the beginning. It had more background and detail than I prefer. The early part of the book was slow reading, the chase itself lacked drama (of course, I knew the outcome), but the last part on the exploits of the raiders was totally fascinating. As pure history, this is an excellent book, but as a readable history, it lacked punch. Obviously, the author's purpose was to write history, not to write exciting history. Maybe McCullough has spoiled me! I would recommend this book highly to anyone who is interested in the Civil War or this specific event. I cannot imagine that the author left any thing out. I admire this book a great deal. There is a great, grand film here if someone made it right.

This book has a personal interest to our family as one of the Raiders was a relative of ours. We have been assured by our of the utmost authorities on the raid, that this is very accurate.

Stealing the General is an exceptional work and I highly recommend it. Proving once again that truth trumps fiction, this true story is far more engrossing than most works of fiction or the sorts of tales Hollywood offers us: A hastily assembled group of Union soldiers sneaks deep behind Confederate lines in a daring attempt to steal a locomotive and sever rebel supply lines ahead of an impending advance by the Union army. I was not familiar with this event prior to reading Stealing the General, but the raid was infamous in its time and after reading this book it's easy to understand why.

The heart of the book is undoubtedly the execution of the train heist and the subsequent chase. Bonds does such an excellent job of telling and pacing the story that the tension is truly palpable as you read it. In addition to the chase itself, Bonds provides important background information on the state of the war prior to the raid, helping to explain why a Union general approved it in the first place, and covers the aftermath of the raid, including the harrowing escape of some of the captured Union soldiers and the awarding of the first-ever Medal of Honor.

Stealing the General will be particularly enjoyed by those with an interest in American history, but anyone who enjoys a good adventure will find this book hard to put down.

This is a fabulous re-telling of a Civil War escapade, without the ludicrous overreaching of Buster Keaton and Walt Disney. Even the most rabid rivet-counting train nut will have a hard time finding fault, and it should bring joy to every Civil War buff. Buy it, read it, enjoy it.

This is a fabulous re-telling of a Civil War escapade, without the ludicrous overreaching of Buster Keaton and Walt Disney. Even the most rabid rivet-counting train nut will have a hard time finding fault, and it should bring joy to every Civil War buff. Buy it, read it, enjoy it.

In "Stealing the General" Russell Bonds presents a minutely detailed account of an 1862 raid that sent a party of Union soldiers (and two civilians) behind Confederate lines to steal a locomotive and then burn railroad bridges between Atlanta and Chattanooga to isolate the latter city in advance of a proposed Federal movement. The Union raiding party captured the locomotive (the "General" of the title) but because of close pursuit they were unable to carry out the main part of their mission, the destruction of the bridges. The entire raiding party was subsequently captured and about a third of them were executed as spies (the survivors and their dead military comrades were awarded Medals of Honor). Bonds delves into the backgrounds of the raiders (and their foes), creating three-dimensional portraits of real men, with flaws as well as commendable virtues.

The incident resulted in many postwar articles and books, including several by participants, and eventually provided seeds for not only the 1956 film, "The Great Locomotive Chase," but also an earlier Buster Keaton classic, "The General." But for the past half century, the raid has been largely neglected as a subject for serious study; Bonds's book corrects this lack.

Although not a story of a great battle or a famous military leader, this is nonetheless a book that provides compelling, vivid reading about heroes who may have been less than perfect, and all the more real because of that.

This is how history should be told. History is not a collection of facts but a story that has consequences and implications.

Mr. Bonds does an excellent job of both in this book.

The only "problem" was everytime he mentioned an individual I would flip back to look at the persons portrait. With these portraits, it made the story even better.

This is how history should be told. History is not a collection of facts but a story that has consequences and implications.

Mr. Bonds does an excellent job of both in this book.

The only "problem" was everytime he mentioned an individual I would flip back to look at the persons portrait. With these portraits, it made the story even better.

Publisher's Weekly has announced that Paramount has purchased the movie rights to this book. That should alert anyone interested in the Civil War or history that this story is worth reading.

Because of a personal interest in this event - my great, great grandfather was a minor participant - I have read numerous accounts of this adventure. I can confidently say that "Stealing the General" is the most lively, vivid description of this daring Civil War raid that exists. It is thoroughly researched and covers the dynamic conflicts and self-promotions that emerge years after the event, themselves a cacophony of accusations and half-truths.

Russell Bonds has brought up to date one of the most audacious yet under publicized Civil War events. If you like this book, you might want to see the "General" itself and other exhibits at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw (formerly Big Shanty), Georgia, just north of Atlanta, and a few feet from where the original Andrews Raiders stole the General. And if we get a new movie, us older kids may get to enjoy this adventure again just as much as we did when Disney's movie came out!

As advertised, there is much new material in this recounting of the otherwise familiar historical event, indicating considerable new research on the part of the author. Excellent!

There has been such a deluge of books on the American Civil War in the past forty years - many of them thrown together with minimal research - that many readers might ask, do we really need another? Particularly a book written by a lawyer for Coca-Cola? In fact, Stealing the General is a remarkably good book that seems to escape the vicissitudes of more pedestrian efforts at Civil War history. Author Russell S. Bonds has not only carefully researched the details of the famous Andrews raid in April 1862, but he lays out the tale of train theft, capture, execution for some and escape for others in a dramatic and gripping fashion. Unlike most Civil War history, this book is a real page turner and even though most readers will know the broad details, the author displays an ability to fascinate the reader with details that are often not so well known. This book can be viewed on several levels: as a cautionary tale about one of America's first commando-style operations, as a demonstration of human resilience and ingenuity in the face of danger, and as a measuring point on a nation's attempt to quantify military valor. Stealing the General succeeds magnificently on all three levels.

Stealing the General is laid out in standard narrative format, with the opening chapters discussing the origins of the raid and the men involved on both sides. Most readers are not likely to be overly familiar with Union Brigadier General Ormsby Mitchell, an aggressive division commander in eastern Kentucky in the spring of 1862. Mitchell developed the plan with James J. Andrews, a smuggler and sometimes-Union intelligence operative that was familiar with Confederate railroad operations in Tennessee and Georgia. As the author explains, the basic plan was for Andrews to infiltrate behind enemy lines with over 20 disguised Union soldiers, steal an engine in Georgia then proceed back up the rail line toward Chattanooga, burning bridges and tearing up rails as he went. With the Confederate lines of communication disrupted, Mitchell would lead his troops to capture the isolated Chattanooga garrison in a coup de main. As the author describes it, the plan initially went well, with 22 of 24 raiders succeeding in infiltrating over 100 miles behind enemy lines and Mitchell succeeded in making a rapid advance into northern Alabama and northwestern Tennessee.

As a look at America's first real special forces operation, the Andrews raid reveals the impact of small "friction" factors that ultimately doomed the raid to failure. The well-known U.S. Army "6-P" rule was also in effect, in that Andrews failure to bring along any tools for removing rails prevented the raiders from doing much damage to the rail line. The author's narrative of the railroad chase and the capture of the raiders is well-told and first-rate drama. This part of the book, particularly the role of minor delays, reminds me of the 1945 "Hammelburg Raid" by Patton's troops, which was also doomed by minor delays. However, the military lessons of the Andrews Raid are limited by the fact that these were not specially trained soldiers and that there was a serious lack of small-unit leadership.

Readers may expect the narrative to wind down after the capture of all the readers, but the sections on the execution of Andrews and 7 raiders, then the incredible escape of 8 of the raiders from Atlanta are just as enthralling as the section on the raid itself. The final section concerns the awarding of the newly created Medal of Honor to most of the survivors, which is also quite well done. The narrative does begin to drag a bit in the final pages as the author covers some of the post-war self-serving disputes between the survivors and the role played by various individuals. One character that readers will find hard to like is William A. Fuller, the southern conductor who played a key role in apprehending the raiders. Although the author appears to paint Fuller as a fanatic, almost sadistic character at times, he then reverses himself and tries to certify that Fuller was indeed a decent man who did what he thought was right. As for myself, the author's description of Fuller's statement that "Andrews did not show much strength of character" on the scaffold, then keeping the rope that hanged PVT Samuel Slavens as a "prized possession," then expressing his condolences to Slavens' widow after the war seemed to certify him as a first-class jerk. Sometimes jerks can play a role in historical events - perhaps another lesson of this book - but it does not ennoble them.

Ultimately, the author succeeds in covering this story from start to finish and provides great drama and insight in parts. This author's style can be a bit tedious at times, with a tendency to over-describe every building along the railway. I also wish that the author had put more effort into explaining Andrews himself, who enters and exits the book as an enigma. In any event, Stealing the General provides an example of historical writing that breaks away from the drudgery of so much other contemporary Civil War historiography.

What a great American story! Russell Bonds has dug up a vast amount of information regarding a great Civil War era adventure. The Andrews Raid of April 1862 captivated newspaper readers in the North and the South at the time. Now, the author has tracked down those old newspaper articles plus sifted through reams of other sources to bring us the definitive book on what really happened. He does a nice job of laying out the military situation in the western theater and reveals why the Union authorities authorized a mysterious spy named James J. Andrews to sneak into north Georgia with twenty-four Federal soldiers to steal a Confederate train. So began the Great Locomotive Chase. Pick this book up and find out what happened when Confederate authorities caught these daring men. What followed certainly was not pretty, but it led to the design and creation of the Medal of Honor - the most hallowed of all military medals. This well-documented book is full of excellent photographs and maps to aid the reader. Whether you are a Rebel or Yankee advocate, this is a page turner that is difficult to put down until the end of the last chapter.
John Fox, author of "Red Clay to Richmond: Trail of the 35th Georgia Infantry Regiment, CSA"

Whether you are familiar with the April 1862 theft of a rebel train or not, it was one exciting, historic day in our Civil War. The ripples created by this event reached several battlefields and directly to the White House. The narrative presented by Russell Bonds is utterly fascinating, meticulously researched and extremely well written. This book is a must read for a detailed account of soldiering and related activities of 150 years ago.

Stealing the General by Russell Bonds

Remember the thrill and the nail-biting drama you witnessed the first time you saw the Disney movie, The Great Locomotive Chase? That `50s era classic has been bested by Russell Bonds' true-life history, Stealing the General. Russell Bonds is in real life an attorney living in Atlanta, but after hours he stealthily and painstakingly researched diaries, recollections, newspapers, magazines, personal correspondences, and government documents related to the 1862 theft of the Confederate locomotive (and her tender), the General. The result is the book you reading about now.
The Union spy James Andrews (Fess Parker) pulled together a diverse band of Federal soldiers for a secret mission to steal the General, race it north, destroying tracks and burning vital bridges behind them. Such a deed would cut the South in two and shorten the war. The audacious plan was backed by none other than General Ormsby "Old Stars" Mitchel.
The drama unfolds into a page-turning experience, beginning with the General's routine 4:00 a.m. departure from Atlanta, north through Marietta to the crew's breakfast stop at Big Shanty, just yards from a large Confederate training camp. There, the General was stolen by Andrews and his men who had been passengers on the train. The raiders themselves come to life as Bonds delves into their backgrounds, turning them from what could have been cardboard cutouts into breathing human beings, each man with a story of his own.
As the train's conductor William Fuller and his crew sat down to breakfast, the General slipped her cables, and began her escape. Fuller dropped his napkin, bolted out the door, began running after the locomotive, but soon requisitioned one of his own (the Texas). From that point on, the chase, at times up to sixty miles an hour, becomes a breath-taking journey for the reader, an almost 400-page tome which you will be unable to set aside until the final words are read.
Stealing the General is a history of almost epic proportions - spies, train-stealers, counter spies, those-who-gave-chase guys, the capture, escape, recapture, more escapes and recaptures, days without food and never-ending rain, imprisonment in unbelievably harsh conditions, stacked-deck trials, executions, more escapes, and finally, the post-war reunions of heroes and anti-heroes, Federals and ex-Confederates alike.

Don Brittain, author of The Spanish Centuries and Eagle Across the Sun

I vividly remember the Disney movie of "The Great Locomotive Chase", because it stared Fess Parker, then at the peak of his Davy Crockett fame. The movie was extremely exciting, and it was my favorite for many years. It's refreshing to finally read a book that tells the true history of this almost-forgotten raid, and the background and future happenings after the "Chase" was ended. The author has a good touch with words, and he never becomes dry in his narration. This is a small part of action in the Civil War that, if it had succeeded, might have changed the subsequent history of that war. These men were heroes, both North and South, doing their best for their respective causes.

This is not a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, primarily because the story is familiar to any Civil War buff and most certainly to the millions who have seen the Disney film based on the incident.

Instead, what you have here is a fascinating glimpse at a tiny incident in history and a wealth of detail on the few dozen lives it directly affected. In that regard, "Stealing The General" is spellbinding.

Little things that otherwise might never come to one's attention, such as the fate of Mark Anthony Cooper, a sixty-one year old industrialist who sold his iron mill to the Confederate government in 1863 for the stupendous sum of $400,000. Cooper accepted payment in soon-to-be-worthless Confederate bonds. His role in the "great locomotive chase" was very peripheral (he owned an engine that would play a role in the event), but Bonds rolls it into the story, adding to the thoroughly enjoyable mountain of detail he gently puts before the reader.

Bonds pays close attention to every major participant and acquaints us with their lives before the stealing of The General, during the event and, surprisingly, for decades after. Indeed, Bonds takes us from the Civil War through the mid-20th Century when echos of the great chase still reverberated as politicians strove to control the ancient Civil War locomotive.

It's really pretty neat stuff. Some of the characters we meet are familiar: Abraham Lincoln, Edwin Stanton, while others are simply men who happened to be in - depending on one's perspective - in the right or wrong place at a moment in time.

In a microcosm, Bonds indirectly reflects on both the profoundness of life and its trivial, passing nature. Quite a feat, in my opinion.

Whether you're a student of the Civil War or simply interested in how humans behave, "Stealing The General" offers a fascinating glimpse of war and ordinary life. Well worth the read.

Jerry

Popular history at its best, brilliantly researched, organized and written. Even if you have no interest in the Civil War, railroads or military matters, buy and read this book -- you won't be disappointed. Smooth narrative flow keeps the action on the ground moving along at an interesting pace, while taking time to connect the locomotive chase with the larger military and political events which place it in historical context. Wish more authors wrote this well.

This book is a treasure. It is hard not to tell this story well since "The Chase" was so filled with dash and valor. But Mr. Bonds does this story with equal dash. This book deserves 6 stars and it's why history is such the thrill to read.

I've seen the Disney movie, visited the "General" and "Texas", even own a piece of the rail the chase took place on, but this is the first book that I've read on the subject. It was an easy, enjoyable read. The book was amply illustrated and peppered with photographs. The comments from the reviewer whose relative was Ovid Smith were a bit disconcerting, and he seemed to have his ducks in order to me. Never-the-less, it seemed to be a massive undertaking by someone who had a true love of the story. As a kid, I saw the "General" in Cincinnati rolling down an elevated railroad going through the city. I use to think it had been my imagination until I read in the book that the "General" had been on a 23,000 tour in 1962. Though well illustrated, I would have enjoyed seeing a few more pictures, perhaps of the building in Knoxville where those raiders were tried (it still stands), as well as the site today where the raiders were hung in Atlanta, etc. Still, it was a good read that will suffice me on the subject.

"The Great Locomotive Chase" is the stuff of legend. This somewhat obscure event, which commemorated the first anniversary of the first shots on Fort Sumter, could too easily be written off among Civil War devotees as a lark, a foolhardy distraction from the inexorable march from Shiloh to the Seven Days, to Second Manassas, to the three more years of bloodletting that were required in order to form a more perfect union. But first-time author Russell Bonds does a masterful job of taking this adventure story on its own terms, telling it well, and placing it in its proper context. The raid itself is a gripping story of intrigue, espionage, and derring-do. And if Mr. Bonds had only told the tale itself, this book would be well worth the read. But what sets this distinguished this book apart from so much Civil War writing is Mr. Bonds's ability to tell this gripping tale objectively, while putting it in its proper context. The author sets the table with a relatively brief yet thorough overview of the strategic arrangement of the war nine months after First Manassas. And by doing so, and by explaining why the Raid, coupled with the deep penetration of General Ormsby Mitchell into Tennessee and North Alabama, offered the fleeting chance to cut the Confederacy in two and thereby hasten the end of the war, Mr. Bonds gives the otherwise reckless élan of the raiders its proper place. Andrews and his raiders were not off on a lark, even though students of the era will have the natural reaction, "what were they thinking?" Mr. Bonds answers that question, and the answer, as incongruous as it may seem, reminds the reader that there was so much more to the Great War than the epic battles of the Armies of the Potomac and Northern Virginia.

If the author had done nothing more than told the story of the Great Raid, reconciling contemporary accounts that were so often embellished, this would be a wonderful adventure story, in the great tradition of Shelby Foote's narrative history of the War. But this book does so much more. It puts the Raid in its proper strategic context, and it tells the story of the gallant raiders after the raid itself failed. This book will satisfy both the devoted Civil War critic and the general reader who loves a historical tale well-told.

A small failed raid in 1862 produced a long and complex history. Along the way, this raid serves as the inspiration for two moves and a number of books. "Stealing the General" is the latest addition to that stack of books. Not having read the others, I cannot state that it is the best but it has to be very close. Russell S. Bonds tells a story that most of think we know. Along the way, he corrects are misimpressions, fills in the blanks while adding story lines we had no idea existed. All of this happens in the nicest, most entertaining manner possible without once making us feel that we do not know what is going on.

The book divides into four parts, The Plan, The Chase, Consequences and Valor.

The Plan sets the stage detailing the reasons for the raid, introducing the raiders and the hoped for results. Solid writing, with attention to detail produces very real characters that the reader can identify with and take a keen interest in. Brigadier General Ormsby "Old Stars" Mitchell, one of the people that we know nothing about, authorizes the raid. James Andrews, sometime spy, sometime smuggler and possible Confederate agent is the author of the plan and leader of the raid. The men volunteer from three Ohio regiments, agreeing to slip behind enemy lines, destroy the railroad cutting Chattanooga off from the Confederacy. That done, General Mitchell's division will seize the city and the CSA's main East/West railroad line. A strong point of this part is the author's intelligent instruction on the contemporary mechanics of travel by and view of railroads. Atlanta to Chattanooga is just under twelve hours by train.

The Chase is what we have seen in the movies. It is the story of taking of the train, the pursuit and capture of the raiders. The book shows us the limitations of a 90-minute film and how little history it contains. The Plan provided a good account of train travel, allowing us to understand the chances both sides take and the problems they encounter. This is a well-written history and this is the most exciting part of the tale. The author takes the time to correct misconceptions and lay the foundation for the legend that follows. These side trips do not slow the on-rushing trains but increase our understanding of the story to come.

The movies emphasize The Chase with a quick nod to Valor. Consequences detail the imprisonment and military justice that the raiders faced after capture. The conditions the raiders faced in prison, the quality of their trails and the feelings of the people are the backbone of this part of the book. The division between the residents is graphically brought to light, as pro-Union and pro-Confederate locals, vie to hang or help the raiders. A number of the raiders are tried, commended and executed by hanging. Three of the hangings are badly done, James Andrews' strangles while being held off the ground. Twice a rope breaks and the men are hung a second time. With the exception of Andrews, living or dieing seems to be a matter of luck. Some raiders are tried, while others are simply imprisoned. No logic seems to have been used to separate the two groups. This part of the book is one of brutality and escapes that compete with The Chase in daring. The escape and trek to freedom of one group could be a stand-alone story. Those who did not escape are exchanged after almost a year of captivity.

Valor begins with a short history of the Medal of Honor; these men are the first to receive the medal. We follow the men on both sides through the balance of their lives. We have hints along the way but this part makes each player all the more real and human. Included in this part is the birth of the legend and the in fighting between the participants for the glory.

This is a well-balanced book, not about Union soldiers or Confederates civilians but about "ordinary men, far from home, called to do extraordinary things". This is the attraction of this event and the reason we return to it so often. "Stealing the General" is the story of these "ordinary men" and that "extraordinary" event, well told, instructive and enjoyable.

Stealing the General is a great book--full of adventure, suspense, and terrific characters (very well drawn by the author)--and a bittersweet story, one that shows in wonderful prose how a single event--in this case the hijacking of a Confederate locomotive--can be used to explain the emotional and strategic story of the Civil War. I found this book to be one of the best I've read all year. I enjoyed learning about General Ormsby Mitchel, for instance, who authorized the raid--he was an internationally renowned astronomer before the war--and had he not died of typhoid fever early on, was well on his way to becoming a household name. The author's accounts of the executions of some of the Raiders is brilliantly done--not morbid, just moments where you feel the doom of the condemned--and his description of how eight of the Raiders ultimately broke out of prison and escaped to freedom makes for wonderful page-turning reading. Although I did not know much about the history of Georgia before reading this book, the author's snapshot of northern Georgian history is both fascinating and contains some of the best passages in the book.

I found Russell S. Bonds' "Stealing the General" to be a great disappointment. Upon receiving the book, I eagerly checked the index for references to my ancestor, Ovid Wellford "James" Smith. Then to my chagrin, I found that the author went to great lengths to portray Ovid as an interloper undeserving of the Medal of Honor!

Unfortunately, since not a lot is known about this young man, who volunteered to be a soldier at the age of 16 and at age 17 volunteered for the Andrews Raid, the author resorted to conjecture and derogatory statements. Ovid and fellow raider, Samuel Llewellyn, were referred to as "wayward would-be raiders". They WERE raiders, of course. They WERE NOT "wayword" , but had followed orders and joined a Confederate artillary unit when it became necessary.

The author notes that Ovid was "missing" from the 1888 Reunion of the Andrews Raiders. That would have been a good place to inform the reader that Ovid died twenty years earlier. Instead, Mr. Bonds begins a new attack; this time on the young man's father, whom he describes as so "seemingly untroubled by his son's lack of involvement in the operation" that he "actively lobbied the War Department for his son to receive the Medal of Honor." The truth is, The Reverend Samuel Smith wrote ONE letter asking that his son be put on " the same footing" as the other men. Samuel Smith was a highly respected ordained Baptist minister who was revered by his fellow citizens in Parkersburg, West Virginia. He would not have asked for something his son did not deserve.

The author was so intent on convincing his readers that Ovid was not deserving of the Medal, that he didn't bother to mention that this "young pup" (his words) spent several months in Swims jail in Chattanooga, as did the other raiders. This may have led to his death at the age of 23, but that is only conjecture. Conjecture, over time, can come to be believed as fact. That is something that troubles me about this book:; an abundance of conjecture. It may make the narrative more exciting, but then the reader has to try to sort out the fact from the fiction. In this book, Bonds has done a hatchet job on Ovid Smith's reputation as an Andrews Raider. In the early 1900's all of the Medal of Honor awards were reviewed, including Ovid Smith's . Ovid was found to be worthy of his Medal. And that's a fact!

When I read something that I know is not true, I find myself doubting the accuracy of the entire book. And sadly, that is how it is with this book. If you are interested in the Andrews Raid, buy "The General and The Texas" by Stan Cohen and James G. Bogle. Colonel Bogle is the ultimate authority on the subject of the Andrews Raid.

Often it's the insignificant event in history that, for whatever reasons, captures the public's imagination and enters the realm of legend, overshadowing more important incidents (Stuart's ride around McClellan's army outside of Richmond in June 1862, just two months after the Great Locomotive Chase, the subject of Russell Bonds's book, comes to mind.) In the total scheme of things, the raid made by 22 Union volunteers on Marietta, GA, and the confiscation of the locomotive "General" at Big Shanty (today's Kenesaw, GA), didn't accomplish much militarily, but out of these circumstances a fascinating story was born, filled with daring and high drama. The Union soldiers, all experienced railroad men, made off with the locomotive during a breakfast stop at Big Shanty. Their goal was to take the train along the line to Chattanooga, cutting telegraph wires along the way. Confederates gave chase in the locomotive "Texas," dodging dropped railroad ties along the way. The General ran out of fuel after about 90 miles, when the men scattered into the woods. They were all caught; 8 were executed, and 14 went to prison. Four months later some of the soldiers escaped from prison, and the remaining 6 were paroled a year later. These men became the first to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Bonds tells the story of the hijacking and pursuit with all the drama one would expect. He also has investigated the event thoroughly and the many subsequent tellings of it down through history, and is determined to separate fact from legend. The book is detailed yet doesn't bog down into a fact-filled text. Perhaps the greatest thing to come out of the whole incident (besides the Medals of Honor) is Buster Keaton's masterpiece movie, "The General," which is based on it. The book is most enjoyable and informative.