“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
Tag: John
A Capitol Policeman Inside the Dome
Policeman John Patterson Gulick sits in the infrastructure of the U.S. Capitol dome with an open book on his knee and an arm resting on a worktable. On and around
Case Number 16
By Patrick Naughton During heavy fighting along one sector of the Petersburg front on a February day in 1865, a Union lieutenant aided a wounded brother officer. The lieutenant later
A Portrait Promised to a Sister?
Compared to most of the Union’s noted Civil War generals, John Fulton Reynolds rates high for skill and ability. West Point educated and a seasoned campaigner in Mexico and the
Brutal Assault
John William Fenton brutally assaulted Tony Fisher inside a New Bern, N.C., saloon owned by Fisher, a free black man, on Dec, 15, 1864. According to witnesses, Fenton, a captain
Memento of a Senseless Death: The portrait of a surgeon recalls a wartime murder
By Daniel R. Glenn A loud knock jolted Henry McCarthy from sleep at his home in a black community in New Bern, N.C., on the night of April 20, 1864.
The Norman Brothers Meet Up in New Orleans: Photo sleuthing a Civil War journey
By Ron Field Over the century-and-a-half since Civil War photographers produced portraits, it was not unusual for names and faces to become separated, leaving only scant clues to make an
A “Red Burial Blent” at Nashville
On Dec. 16, 1864, the second day of the Battle of Nashville, Maj. Gen. George H. “Pap” Thomas’s Union army readied for a bloody assault. His men marched amidst a
Heydey of Hope
Much has been written about John Pelham’s courage on the battlefield of Fredericksburg and his mortal wounding in the cavalry fight at Kelly’s Ford. Far less has been recorded about
Crashing Into Gordon’s Line at Appomattox
The flag of the 46th Virginia Infantry figured prominently on three occasions during the life of the regiment. Yankee fire shattered the staff in two and 18 bullet holes were