KENNESAW, Ga. – In a ceremony on Thursday, April 12, an Ohio family will donate a rare Civil War-era Medal of Honor to Kennesaw’s Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History.
The Waggoner family of Ohio, descendants of Sgt. John M. Scott, will donate the medal Scott was posthumously awarded for his participation in the April 12, 1862 event that has come to be known as the Great Locomotive Chase. Scott was one of Andrews Raiders, a group of Union spies who stole the locomotive General and fled toward Chattanooga, tearing up track and destroying bridges in an attempt to cut off Confederate supply lines.
The medal presentation will be part of a series of events and ceremonies in Kennesaw marking the 150th anniversary of the Great Locomotive Chase. The medal, which was previously on loan, will become a permanent display and will be added to the Southern Museum’s extensive collection of Andrews Raid artifacts, photos, and memorabilia which features the General as its centerpiece.
“We’re very grateful to the Waggoner family because Sgt. Scott’s medal is of particular significance to the Southern Museum,” said Executive Director Richard Banz. “Not only is it one of the earliest Medals of Honor ever given, but it was also awarded for an event which occurred right here in Kennesaw. It will be a treasured addition to our Andrews Raid collection.”
The slate of commemorative activities on April 12 is highlighted by a program including a 150th anniversary proclamation at 8:30 a.m. at the historic Depot across from the museum, as well as breakfast and dinner events at the Trackside Grill. The museum is also offering free admission to the public from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
In addition, on Saturday and Sunday, April 14-15, the museum will host “Camp McDonald: A Living History Weekend” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Local re-enactment groups will recreate and interpret life in a Confederate encampment that was located nearby. Tickets purchased for this event also include admission to the museum.
For more information, call (770) 427-2117, visit southernmuseum.org or follow the museum at facebook.com/southernmuseum.