Civil War Heroes by Avi Heiligman

Forgotten Her es Civil War Heroes

By Avi Heiligman

Assistant Surgeon Joseph Corson

A sketch by Charles Wellington Reed of Peach Orchard, July 2, 1863

Prior to the Civil War, servicemen who displayed acts of bravery were often given certificates or told by superior officers that they had done a good job. Except for three known soldiers who received the Badge of Merit during the Revolutionary War, medals or awards were not awarded until the creation of the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. In December 1861, Iowa senator James Grimes introduced a bill that would award deserving members of the navy and marines the Medal of Honor. Soon the medal was expanded to all branches of the military. One-thousand-five-hundred-twenty-two medals were awarded for acts of bravery during the Civil War. Since it was the only medal awarded, the standard for receiving it wasn’t too difficult to attain. Many soldiers even received the medal for reenlisting, although their medals were later rescinded. Here are some Civil War Medal of Honor recipients who rightfully earned their medals for actions in battle. Born in the Charlestown neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, Charles Wellington Reed was an aspiring artist when he enlisted in the army in 1862. He became a bugler in the 9th Massachusetts Light Artillery Battery. The unit saw action in many battles including the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor and Appomattox. They were also present at the Battle of Gettysburg. On the second day of the battle, on July 2, 1863, the commanding officer of the battery, Captain John Bigelow, had been shot and wounded and was trapped behind enemy lines. Reed was mounted on a horse and took another horse through enemy fire and retrieved his captain. Thirty-two years later, Reed was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions that saved the life of Captain Bigelow. Reed was wounded in the hand during the Siege of Petersburg and later in the war worked as a topographical engineer. He became known for his war sketches that included intricate detail and brought out the humanity in warfare. Reed wasn’t the only soldier to receive the Medal of Honor for actions on the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Heavy fighting took place around a boulder-strewn ridge called Devil’s Den. Confederate sharpshooters were placed between the rocks and were responsible for taking out many Union soldiers including Brigadier General Stephen Weed who was commanding a brigade. His men were helping an artillery battery move into position when Weed and the artillery commander were killed by sharpshooters. Volunteers were needed to flush out the sharpshooters, and six men from the 6th Pennsylvania division answered the call. The 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment was attached to Brigadier General J.H. Hobart Ward’s 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Sergeant George W. Mears, Corporal Chester S. Furman, Sergeant John W. Hart, Corporal J. Levi Roush, Corporal Thaddeus S. Smith and Sergeant Wallace W. Johnson charged at a log house that the confederates were using as shelter. Dodging bullets, they entered the house, capturing many enemy soldiers. This allowed the rest of the brigade to advance. The six soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. Later in 1863, another member of the 6th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment was awarded the Medal of Honor. Assistant Surgeon Joseph Corson was a medical student when the war broke out and had been involved in many battles including Gettysburg. At the Battle of Bristoe Station in Virginia, heavy Confederate fire had compelled the Union troops to pull back a bit, but a severely wounded soldier was left behind. Together with a hospital attendant, Corson braved enemy artillery and rescued the soldier, bringing him to the safety of the Union lines. As is often the case, many of the details known to the public of the actions deserving of the award come from the citation itself. Recordkeeping back then in the 20th century was not as good as it is now. The Medal of Honor citation received by Sergeant William Sickles (not to be confused with Major General Dan Sickles, who also received the award) reads: “With a comrade, attempted capture of a stand of Confederate colors and detachment of 9 Confederates, actually taking prisoner 3 members of the detachment, dispersing the remainder, and recapturing a Union officer who was a prisoner in hands of the detachment.” He was part of Company A, 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and the comrade was Sergeant Albert O’Connor, who was also given the Medal of Honor for the same action. Their actions to capture the enemy colors (flag) was repeated by many soldiers as it was used as a rallying point for each regiment, and it was carefully guarded to avoid capture.

These are just some of the stories of the men who received the Medal of Honor during the Civil War. Their bravery in battle is history to be remembered. In future articles, we will be discussing more military heroes who have earned the highest military decoration in the United States Armed Forces.