[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 763 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 763
To posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to
James J. Andrews and William H. Campbell in recognition of their
extraordinary bravery and steadfast devotion to the Nation during the
Civil War as the only civilian members of Andrews' Raiders, who
launched a daring military raid that became known as the ``Great
Locomotive Chase''.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 28, 2025
Mr. Fleischmann introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee
on House Administration, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
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A BILL
To posthumously award the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to
James J. Andrews and William H. Campbell in recognition of their
extraordinary bravery and steadfast devotion to the Nation during the
Civil War as the only civilian members of Andrews' Raiders, who
launched a daring military raid that became known as the ``Great
Locomotive Chase''.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``James J. Andrews and William H.
Campbell Congressional Gold Medal Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) James J. Andrews was born in Holiday's Cove, Virginia
(now Weirton, West Virginia), in 1829. He eventually moved to
Kentucky. During the Civil War, Andrews served as a civilian
spy for the Union Army and was the leader and organizer of
Andrews' Raiders.
(2) William Hunter Campbell, born in Carroll County, Ohio,
on September 9, 1839, was a unique addition to the raid. In
1862, he was visiting friends with the 2d Ohio Infantry in
Kentucky when he was unexpectedly recruited for a daring
mission.
(3) On March 25, 1862, James J. Andrews developed a plan to
cut off the Western and Atlantic Rail Line supply line from
Marietta, Georgia, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to allow the
Union Army to attack and occupy the city. Andrews presented the
plan to General Buell and General O.M. Mitchell, commanding the
Union Army in North Alabama. The plan was accepted, and Andrews
gathered 22 Union soldiers from 3 Ohio Regiments (2d Ohio
Infantry, 21st Ohio Infantry, 33d Ohio Infantry). The plan was
to work from northern Alabama in small groups, dressed in
civilian clothes, and reach Marietta, Georgia, to gather and
steal a train. They were to run the train toward Chattanooga,
cut the telegraph lines, tear up railroad tracks, and, if
possible, burn the bridges. This would cut off all troop
movement and supplies from getting to Chattanooga. The capture
of Chattanooga early in the war would cut off essential
supplies and food from getting up to Virginia and the
Confederate Army there.
(4) On April 12, 1862, 24 volunteers from the Union Army,
led by civilian scout James J. Andrews, commandeered a
Confederate locomotive named the ``General'' outside of Big
Shanty, Georgia (now Kennesaw), and took it northward toward
Chattanooga, Tennessee, doing as much damage as possible to the
vital Western and Atlantic Railroad line as they went. Out of
fuel, Andrews and his men abandoned the locomotive and
scattered into the woods before being captured by Confederate
troops.
(5) All captured were put on trial and convicted for acts
of ``unlawful belligerency'' or being unlawful combatants and
spies. Shortly after that, Andrews and 7 of the Raiders were
executed by hanging, with the remaining held as prisoners-of-
war. Andrews' body was taken down from the scaffold and buried.
On October 16, 1887, his remains were recovered and taken to
their final resting place at Chattanooga National Cemetery.
(6) William H. Campbell was hung with 6 of the military men
on June 18, 1862. In April 1866, these men were relocated and
interred in Chattanooga National Cemetery.
(7) On March 25, 1863, 6 members of Andrews' Raiders were
awarded the first Medals of Honor in our Nation's history.
Ultimately, 21 of the 24 members of Andrews' Raiders would
receive the Medal of Honor for their actions on that day. On
July 3rd, 2024, President Biden awarded the most recent Medals
of Honor to members of Andrews' Raiders, stating ``Their heroic
deeds went unacknowledged for over a century, but time did not
erase their valor''.
(8) Chattanooga, Tennessee, is recognized as the birthplace
of the Medal of Honor.
(9) In 1956, Walt Disney made a movie about Andrews'
Raiders' exploits called ``The Great Locomotive Chase'',
starring Fess Parker as Andrews. Buster Keaton's 1927 feature-
length comedy masterpiece ``The General'' was loosely based on
the incident.
(10) Today, the hijacked locomotive, ``General'', is on
display at The Southern Museum in Kennesaw, Georgia. ``Texas'',
the locomotive used to give chase, is on display at the Atlanta
History Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
(11) The civilians of the Andrews' Raiders, James J.
Andrews and William Hunter Campbell, acted with extraordinary
bravery and unwavering devotion to their Nation as they
attempted to turn the tide of the Civil War.
SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate shall make
appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on behalf of Congress,
of a single gold medal of appropriate design collectively in
commemoration of James J. Andrews and William H. Campbell, in
recognition of their extraordinary bravery and steadfast devotion to
the Nation during the Civil War as the only civilian members of
Andrews' Raiders, who launched a daring military raid that became known
as the ``Great Locomotive Chase''.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the presentation
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury (referred
to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a gold medal with
suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions to be determined by the
Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal
under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be given to the
Smithsonian Institution, where it shall be available for
display as appropriate and made available for research.
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
the Smithsonian Institution shall make the gold medal received
under paragraph (1) available for--
(A) display, particularly at the Charles H.
Coolidge National Medal of Honor Museum; and
(B) loan, as appropriate, so that the medal may be
displayed elsewhere.
SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of the gold
medal struck pursuant to section 3, at a price sufficient to cover the
cost thereof, including labor, materials, dies, use of machinery, and
overhead expenses.
SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.
(a) National Medals.--Medals struck under this Act are national
medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
(b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 5136 of
title 31, United States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be
considered to be numismatic items.
SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund such
amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of the medals struck
under this Act.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of duplicate
bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be deposited into the
United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
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