Stealing the General

The Great Locomotive Chase and the First Medal of Honor

By: Russell S. Bonds

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

On April 12, 1862—one year to the day after Confederate guns opened on Fort Sumter and started the Civil War—a tall, mysterious smuggler and self-appointed Union spy named James J. Andrews and 19 infantry volunteers infiltrated Georgia and stole a steam engine called the General. Racing northward at speeds near 60 miles an hour, cutting telegraph lines, and destroying track along the way, Andrews planned to open East Tennessee to the Union army, cutting off men and materiel from the Confederate forces in Virginia. If they succeeded, Andrews and his raiders could change the course of the war.

But the General’s young conductor, William A. Fuller, chased the stolen train - first on foot, then by handcar, and finally aboard another engine, the Texas. He pursued the General until, running out of wood and water, Andrews and his men abandoned the doomed locomotive, ending the adventure that would soon be famous as “The Great Locomotive Chase.” But the ordeal of the soldiers involved was just beginning.

In the days that followed, the raiders were hunted down and captured. Eight were tried and executed as spies, including Andrews. Eight others made a daring escape, including two assisted by a network of slaves and Union sympathizers. For their actions, before a personal audience with President Abraham Lincoln, six of the raiders became the first men in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest decoration for gallantry. Americans North and South, both at the time and ever since, have been astounded and fascinated by this daring raid. But until now, there has not been a complete history of the entire episode and the fates of all those involved.

Based on eyewitness accounts, as well as correspondence, diaries, military records, newspaper reports, deposition testimony, and other primary sources, Stealing the General is a blend of meticulous research and compelling narrative that is destined to become the definitive history of “the boldest adventure of the war”.

©2007 Russell S. Bonds (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Good Story, Annoying Narration

I got this book because I remember the 1956 movie as one of the most thrilling of my young life, and I wanted both to relive the experience, and to hear how close the movie was to the facts.
It turns out it was very close; in fact, from the description of the appearance and charisma of the leader James Andrews, the ever-likable Fess Parker was the perfect choice. This book, of course, goes into greater detail than the film, and corrects some errors and fills in missing facts, especially of the events after the raid, and even what became of each of the surviving raiders.
But I found the narration to be very annoying. Bronson Pinchot's voice is strong, and his diction perfect, but his intonations, his interpretation of what he was reading, was awful. He never simply reads what has been written, trusting the words to have their effect. Instead, he puts emphasis on everything he says, in my opinion, usually the wrong emphasis. And when he quotes from the writings of any of the raiders, he invariably made them sound whiny. This book needed a producer to tell him, just read the words, the power is there, you don't have to compensate.
The book, however, was strong enough to make up for the narration. I'm very glad to have relived a part of my childhood. Now if the can only do the story of Jean Lafitte.

An interesting story I was not aware of

Would you listen to Stealing the General again? Why?

How did I miss the Disney movie when I was a kid? I'll be looking for it now, even though this book makes it clear that it is highly fictionalized. There are a lot of people to keep track of, but even a bit of confusion over who is who now and then doesn't detract from the story of these men sent to create havoc in the South during the US Civil War. They are to steal a locomotive and head north, taking out track and telegraph lines as they go, and eventually destroying key bridges. The story of getting deep into enemy territory alone was compelling. The theft of the train and the aftermath, including the lives of these men in post-war years, are equally interesting.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Very interesting and educational book - I knew little about the civil war and nothing about this part of it. The book had humor and intrigue even though you know from early on how it ends. I would highly recommend this "listen".

STEALING THE GENERAL

Stealing the General is an interesting but not thrilling piece of history in the hands of Russell Bonds. The fundamental story is a harrowing adventure but the writer only reports the facts. Bronson Pinchot, the teller of the tale, sounds like Jack Webb saying “Just the Facts ma’am”.

Bonds offers a brief review of the history of the American Medal of Honor. He reports facts about its diminishing honorary value and increasing politicization. Bonds suggests Theodore Roosevelt reverses that politicization by establishing apolitical criteria for awarding the Medal. The Medal of Honor has re-gained its prestigious reputation but the criterion for award continues to evolve. The last modification was in 1963.

Stealing the General becomes a movie. It certainly has the makings of a great drama but Bonds only reports the facts. He misses emotive drama.

New Information. Worthwhile.

What did you love best about Stealing the General?

The story itself is interesting.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them, especially the officer that led the expedition.

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

All were presented well.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

That the Confederates executed some but not the others.

Any additional comments?

J. Davis executed some of the Yankees. Rather harsh it seems to me.

Somewhat disappointing

The book would have been more intriguing if the ending was unknown and not told at the beginning. Although there were some exciting passages, I found it slow going. Knowing the end, the difficulties became predictable failures.

If you love details... then this is for you.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone who is very technically oriented and just wants the facts... not so much a story.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Stealing the General?

After two chapters I was not close to learning about The General.