William Pittenger (soldier)
William Pittenger (born January 31, 1840 in Jefferson County , Ohio , † April 24, 1904 in Fallbrook , San Diego County , California ) was a soldier in the Union Army and a writer . He was involved in the Andrews Raid , which he reported on in his book The Great Locomotive Chase .
In 1861 he served for three months in the Second Infantry - Regiment of Ohio. In the same year he was raised to the rank of corporal . A few months later, in March 1862, he was promoted to sergeant . On April 12, 1862, he took part in the Andrews Raid. The plan to paralyze the Confederate telegraph and rail links with a stolen locomotive failed. He was captured on April 15, but was released during a prisoner exchange. As one of the few survivors of the Andrews robbery, he was - like others involved - awarded the Medal of Honor . On August 14, 1863, he was discharged from the army for incapacity for work.
He had six children with his wife Wilhelmina Clyde Osborne, whom he married on May 17, 1864. He described the story of the attack in several books. This later served as a template for the film adaptations of the historical chase by Buster Keaton ( The General , 1926) and Walt Disney Pictures ( The Great Locomotive Chase , 1956).
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| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Pittenger, William |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American Union Army soldier and writer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 31, 1840 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Jefferson County , Ohio |
| DATE OF DEATH | April 24, 1904 |
| Place of death | Fallbrook , San Diego County , California |