Biden to Honor Civil War Soldiers with Medal

President Joe Biden will posthumously award the Medal of Honor to two Union soldiers, Pvt. Philip Shadrach and Pvt. George Wilson, for their bravery during the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. The soldiers were part of Andrews' Raiders, a group that infiltrated Confederate territory, hijacked a train, and damaged vital railway and communication lines. Despite the mission's ultimate failure and their subsequent capture and execution, the raid was one of the earliest special operations in U.S. Army history. Their recognition comes 162 years after their execution, following a long campaign by their descendants and historians. The ceremony will take place at the White House with the soldiers' families in attendance. The Medal of Honor, established in 1863, remains the highest military award in the United States for acts of valor.