Staff Reports
In yet another baffling move, President Biden is set to posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Phillip G. Shadrach and George D. Wilson, Union spies who hijacked a Confederate locomotive during the Civil War—maybe he couldn’t find any living heroes to honor. These two soldiers from the 2nd Ohio Infantry Regiment are the latest to be recognized for their role in a mission that sounds more like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster than an act of valor.
Apparently, the Biden administration has a penchant for revisiting ancient history. Shadrach and Wilson, members of Andrews’ Raiders, executed a doomed scheme known as the Great Locomotive Chase in April 1862. Their tale is straight out of an 1860s action film: soldiers in civilian garb hijacking a Confederate train, tearing up tracks, and wreaking havoc on Southern communications. The Raiders’ grand escape plan failed spectacularly when they ran out of fuel and found themselves captured by Confederate forces. Seems their energy strategy was about as effective as Biden’s.
Biden to award Medal of Honor to two Union spies who stole Confederate train https://t.co/AZcIJESrSZ
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 3, 2024
The tale got more dramatic with Shadrach and Wilson being convicted of “bridge burning” and subsequently executed. They were part of a group where some escaped jail, and others, like these two ill-fated soldiers, paid the ultimate price. From prisoner swaps to dashing escapes, the actions of Andrews’ Raiders have all the makings of a historical epic. It almost makes one wonder if Biden chose this moment to emphasize the importance of glorified train robbers over contemporary heroes who’ve served in more current conflicts.
Most intriguingly, President Bush signed legislation way back in 2008 to award these medals. But just like that infrastructure bill we hear so much about, it took years for anyone to act. Maybe this is what Biden considers “building back better”—circling back to finish what his predecessors started, albeit with considerable lag time. This delay and lack of clarity from the White House about why it took 16 years to honor these men is another item in the administration’s inefficiencies.
So, as everyone prepares their patriotic displays for Independence Day, President Biden apparently found inspiration in an event over 160 years ago to illustrate heroism and sacrifice. This may be his indirect way of reminding us how out of touch his administration is with today's pressing issues, preferring instead to dig up relics of a bygone era.
