Daring and Suffering by William Pittenger Collectors Library of the Civil War History Books for Collectors

This is a very good black leather-bound hardcover. 1982 Time Life Collectors Library of the Civil War series. NOTE: this copy is very good inside and out BUT there is light dust spotting along outer pages edges with some wearing of the gold gilt edging. The inside pages of this copy are still crisp and clean. The binding is tight and straight. This edition has been photographically reprinted from the 1863 first edition thus preserving the authenticity of the original, including typographical and printing irregularities. Black leather bound hardcover boards with gold lettering and embossed frontispiece of soldiers is very good with only a hint of shelf wear including the wearing of gold gilt page edging. Marbled endpapers front and back. All three page edges tipped in gold with visible wearing of the gilt outer top edge. Attached red satin ribbon book mark. The binding is tight and straight. Standard octavo book size or 6" x 9" with 288 pages.

The Great Locomotive Chase, as it came to be known, was an early Civil War escapade that immediately caught fancy and held it. It sparked 13 editions of an account by one participant, a novel, dozens of histories and three movies, most notably the Buster Keaton comedy classic, The General. It took place April 1862, and was a simple but daring act of attempted espionage. Twenty two Federal soldiers disguised as civilians, made their way through Southern lines to Marietta, Ga. Their mission was to seize a train on the vital railroad that linked Atlanta with Chattanooga, and then race north destroying bridges and more along the way. All was going well, the soldiers stole a train while the crew and passengers were off. The train was known as The General, and the conductor saw the thievery and gave chase on foot, then he commanded another locomotive named The Texas and the chase was on. Unfortunately, the end was nigh for the Federal soldiers as they ran out of fuel and water. All were captured, some hanged and some imprisoned. The author, William Pittenger was imprisoned, and upon release published his account of the events. The two engines involved General and Texas, are still intact in GA and a monument to the intrepid raiders stands in Chattanooga.

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