Union Soldiers Honored Posthumously with Medal of Honor for Daring Civil War Mission
In a solemn ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to U.S. Army Privates Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson, recognizing their extraordinary bravery during a daring Civil War operation. The two soldiers were part of a Union mission that involved hijacking a Confederate locomotive deep within enemy territory and driving it 87 miles north while disrupting vital rail and communication lines.
The mission, now known as the Great Locomotive Chase, took place on April 12, 1862, and was led by civilian spy James J. Andrews. Shadrach and Wilson, along with other volunteers, tore up tracks and severed telegraph wires in a bid to cripple Confederate supply lines. However, the mission ended in tragedy as Confederate forces captured the raiders. Shadrach and Wilson were executed by hanging, while other participants were either killed, escaped, or remained prisoners of war.
Although the first Medal of Honor was awarded to Pvt. Jacob Parrott, another participant in the raid, Shadrach and Wilson were initially excluded from receiving the nation’s highest military decoration. It wasn’t until the fiscal 2008 National Defense Authorization Act that they were authorized to receive the honor. The ceremony this week finally corrects that oversight, 162 years later.
President Biden praised Shadrach and Wilson’s courage, emphasizing that they were “fighting and even dying to preserve the union and the sacred values it was founded upon: freedom, justice, fairness, unity.” The president’s remarks highlighted the enduring significance of the Civil War and its impact on contemporary American society.
Family members of the two soldiers were present at the ceremony. Gerald Taylor, the great-great-nephew of Shadrach, and Theresa Chandler, the great-great-granddaughter of Wilson, expressed pride in their ancestors' legacy. Chandler reflected on Wilson's last words, which conveyed a deep commitment to national unity and the abolition of slavery.
The story of the Great Locomotive Chase has been immortalized in popular culture, including the 1956 Disney film “The Great Locomotive Chase” and the 1926 silent film “The General,” further solidifying the daring mission’s place in American history.
President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously to Union soldiers Philip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson for their bravery during the Civil War. The soldiers participated in the Great Locomotive Chase, a daring mission in which they hijacked a Confederate train, disrupting enemy rail and telegraph lines before being captured and executed. The recognition comes 162 years later, correcting an oversight in which they were initially excluded from receiving the honor. Family members attended the White House ceremony, honoring their ancestors' legacy and sacrifice.