“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
Category: The Honored Few
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,
Calmness and Carbines
Observers of a Confederate charge against Union troops during the early morning of Oct. 7, 1864, were in for a surprise. The rebels had just driven them from a position
Planting the Colors on Fort Harrison
Participants in the successful assault by Union forces at Fort Harrison, Va., on Sept. 29, 1864, witnessed a thrilling event. In the moment of victory as a blue wave of
The Capture of Jubal Early’s Headquarters Flag
The procession of cavalry officers and enlisted men that marched into the War Department one morning in March 1865 drew immediate attention. The sunburnt troopers, carrying 17 rebel flags they
The Youngest Recipient
Torrents of rain turned the Virginia countryside outside Richmond into a formless swamp following the Battle of Malvern Hill on July 1, 1862. But the Union soldiers, exhausted from days
Alas, Poor Yorick!
At Cold Harbor near dawn on June 1, 1864, a Confederate corps changed position along its main line before another day of brutal combat. Union forces spotted their movements through
The Talisman
Keepsake mementos and other trinkets dangled from the ends of pocket watch chains worn by veterans long after the Civil War. The object that hung from Sam Wright’s chain never
A “Burr Under the Saddle of the Horse Artillery”
Artillery Capt. Hubert Dilger enjoyed a sterling reputation in the Army of the Potomac. One senior commander recalled long after the war, “In campaign and battle he displayed extraordinary energy;