Leading From the Front
The Battle of Piedmont, fought in the Shenandoah Valley on June 5, 1864, is noted for the death of Confederate commander William E. “Grumble” Jones and the rout of his
Category: The Honored Few
Lookout Mountain Gallantry
Colonel Henry Alanson Barnum was in no condition to fight at Lookout Mountain. Suffering from an unhealed abdominal wound received more than a year earlier at Malvern Hill and scarcely
Big Bluff by a Man of Faith in Blue
Forage parties in hostile territory always ran the risk of crossing paths with the enemy. Such was the case for 1st Lt. James Hill on May 16, 1863. On that
“Hurrah for Col. Smith!”
The 1st Maine Cavalry faced annihilation near St. Mary’s Church, Va., on June 24, 1864. About 3 p.m. that afternoon, an overwhelming force of Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton’s rebel troopers
Match His Record!
Almost a half century after the Civil War, an aged veteran wrote, “I will say to the whole world, match my old commander’s record if you can!” The writer, a
Precarious Position at Brooks’ Ford
On April 27, 1863, the Clark brothers of Sangerville, Maine, strode into Brady’s studio and posed for this portrait. The timing of the impromptu family reunion is noteworthy. A week
He Saved a Comrade Blown Out of an Entrenchment
The Army of the James’ 10th Corps arrived at the Petersburg front on Aug. 26, 1864, to man entrenchments between the Appomattox River and a point near Cemetery Hill. One
“Hold Straight On” at Salem Church
On the battlefield of Salem Church, the 16th New York Infantry held its ground against a larger force of Confederates. But as the fire intensified and the full weight of
The Courage of a Trooper at Trevilian Station
The 10th New York Cavalry found itself in a precarious position along the Virginia Central Railroad near Trevilian Station on June 11, 1864. In the immediate aftermath of a successful
“I Heard a Faint Call That Sounded Thick and Muddy”
Fort Lamar, a roughly M-shaped earthwork bordered by swamps on each side, was a key strategic point for Confederate forces on James Island, S.C. If it fell into enemy hands,