The White House has announced that two Civil War soldiers will be awarded the Medal of Honor next week.

We have told you about these soldiers on several recent episodes.

George Davenport Wilson and Philip "Perry" Gephart Shadrach will be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in Washington D.C. on July 3rd.

Wilson and Shadrach were members of the legendary Andrews' Raiders and were part of every step of the mission that is known as the Great Locomotive Chase. The Raiders gained fame in 1862 when they stole a train called the General in what was then Big Shanty, Georgia. Their plan was to race north and destroy the rails between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tennessee but due to several reasons the mission ultimately failed. Twenty-two of those Raiders were captured after the raid and jailed. Eight were executed including Shadrach and Wilson. Eight escaped from prison.

The six others were later part of a prisoner exchange and those six men were our country's first recipients of the Medal of Honor on March 25, 1863.

Over the next 20 years, of the twenty-two soldiers who were part of Andrews' Raiders were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Another solider was offered the Medal, but he was stopped by Confederates on his way to Georgia. He didn't participate in the Raid and declined the honor.

But for reasons that aren't completely understood over the 162 years since The Great Locomotive Chase Shadrach and Wilson were never honored.

So, now after generations of family members have waited and worked George Wilson and Perry Shadrach will finally be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Brad Quinlin is a historian who worked with a descendant of the Shadrach family, Ron Shadrach, to help research this case, put together nomination packets, and request the Army, the Pentagon, and the White House to once and for all correct this record and honor these 2 soldiers.

In this episode a conversation with historian and author Brad Quinlin.

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