In what many people consider his finest film; Buster Keaton portrays a Southern railroad engineer who's as devoted to his train, The General, almost as much as he is to his girlfriend, Annabelle Lee (Marion Mack). After being refused enlistment due to his value as a train engineer, Johnnie (Buster Keaton) must support the Southern cause on the railroad while trying to convince his girlfriend he is not a coward for not fighting in the Civil War. When his train is stolen by Northern spies and Annabelle along with it, Johnnie tries everything to save his train and his girlfriend.