— Ch. 1 · The Real Chase Behind The General —
The General (1926 film).
~5 min read · Ch. 1 of 5
In 1862, eight Union spies stole a Confederate locomotive named the General during the American Civil War. They traveled northward for over one hundred miles before being captured by pursuing Confederates. William Pittenger wrote about this event in his 1889 memoir titled The Great Locomotive Chase. Buster Keaton read that book and decided to adapt it into a silent comedy film. He changed the story's perspective so that Confederates were not portrayed as villains. This decision reflected his belief that audiences would reject such a narrative at that time. Keaton wanted to shoot near the actual location where the historical events took place. He attempted to lease the real-life locomotive called The General from the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway. That railway denied his request because they realized he planned to make a comedy instead of a serious drama.
Oregon Set And Dangerous Stunts
Production began on the 8th of June 1926, in Cottage Grove, Oregon. Burt Jackson found vintage railroads there that looked authentic for the period setting. Three 35 mm cameras arrived from Los Angeles along with eighteen freight cars full of props. One thousand five hundred locals were hired to work on the set. Regular train service stopped until production ended. The crew stayed at the Bartell Hotel while filming occurred nearby. On May 31, set construction started using materials brought from California. By July 23, Keaton shot the climactic train wreck scene in a conifer forest near Cottage Grove. Between three and four thousand local residents watched the spectacle unfold. Some came from the Oregon National Guard who appeared as extras dressed as both Union and Confederate soldiers. Six cameras recorded the sequence which began four hours late after several trial runs. The wreckage remained in the riverbed for nearly twenty years before being salvaged during World War II. Keaton performed stunts involving jumping between moving engines and running along roofs of railcars. He once sat on coupling rods connecting drivers while the locomotive picked up speed. Had wheelspin occurred he could have been thrown off and injured or killed.