January 19, 1807 -
October 12, 1870 (aged 63)
In honor of General Robert E. Lee's birthday here is a bit of information on the 4-4-0 locomotive "The General".
Western & Atlantic Railroad #3 "General" is a 4-4-0 "American" type steam locomotive built in 1855 by the Rogers, Ketchum & Grosvenor in Paterson, New Jersey for the Western & Atlantic Railroad. The locomotive is widely known for being part of the Great Locomotive Chase during the American Civil War when Union spies stole the locomotive in an attempt to cripple the Confederate rail network. Today, the locomotive is preserved at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw, Georgia, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The locomotive wasn't named after Gen. Lee but I wanted to put a train in the post to honor a great man on the anniversary of his birth.
Deo Vindice
Ah, General Lee. Contrary to what us "Yankees" have been taught, I've learned what a truly great and moral leader he was. Where have men like him gone?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great comment. Yes, we need many more like him.
ReplyDelete