The first Medals of Honor were presented for actions during the Great Locomotive Chase , also known as Andrews’ Raid, a daring Union train raid behind Confederate lines in April 1862 near Big Shanty, Georgia, during the American Civil War.

Quick Scoop

  • The incident: The Great Locomotive Chase (Andrews’ Raid).
  • When it happened: April 12, 1862, during the U.S. Civil War.
  • What happened: Union volunteers stole a Confederate locomotive and tried to destroy rail lines and bridges to disrupt Confederate supply routes.
  • First medals: On March 25, 1863, six of “Andrews’ Raiders,” including Jacob Parrott, received the first Medals of Honor for their role in this raid.

Mini Background

The Great Locomotive Chase began when a small group of Union soldiers and a civilian spy, James J. Andrews, slipped into Confederate territory and seized a train called “The General.” Their mission was to drive it north, tearing up track and cutting telegraph lines to cripple Confederate communications and logistics between Atlanta and Chattanooga.

A dramatic pursuit followed, with Confederates chasing by rail and on foot, turning the episode into one of the most famous spy-and-sabotage stories of the Civil War. The raiders were eventually caught; some were executed, others imprisoned, and later exchanged.

Why It Led to the First Medals of Honor

  • The raid required exceptional bravery : Volunteers knowingly went deep behind enemy lines with high risk of capture and execution.
  • The mission’s strategic goal —crippling a major Confederate rail lifeline—was critical to Union war aims.
  • The raiders’ conduct, including enduring torture and imprisonment (as in Jacob Parrott’s case), was seen as above-and-beyond sacrifice.

On March 25, 1863, the Secretary of War presented Medals of Honor to six of these raiders in Washington, D.C., with Jacob Parrott recognized as the first official recipient.

TL;DR: The first Medals of Honor were awarded for the Great Locomotive Chase (Andrews’ Raid), a Union train-stealing sabotage mission in Georgia during the Civil War.

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