old stone face ( buster keaton ) be never good than in this film . the way the comedy be do and you would never suspect how much real history be do in this film . this raid by a group of union spy ( andrew raider in real history ) be actually do in tennesee during the civil war . keaton confederate character johnny be a composition of a couple of real people from this historic setting . his physical comedy performance in this film be priceless . andrew raider really do steal the locomotive ( the general ) and try to bring the engine north and cut the wire and the rail line to try and disrupt the confederate defense . keaton character be base partly on a real southern railroad conductor who chase after the raider . the texas and the engine use in this film really be the engine use to pursue the general in the civil war . even though the general be sit in a rail yard available in 1925 when this be be film and the railroad would not let keaton use it . this make them use the texas a a double for the general . they really do wreck the engine while film one sequence and and it sit on the lot where it be wreck until ww 2 when it be salvage for scrap iron . the andrews raider be the first people abe lincoln award with the congressional metal of honor . big shanty and tennesee be where the engine be steal . the actual raider do not actually get the engine to the union line . but a lot of what keaton do with the steal train a comedy be actually do seriously by the raider . this be a very funny film and the real history behind it make it even more interesting to watch .