At the Sacking of Lawrence, 21 May 1856, SGT Robert H. Williams of the Mounted Rangers, Atchison’s Border Ruffians, rode into the Free-State town of Lawrence during a time that is known as Bleeding Kansas. The Pro-Slavery Ruffians assembled in response to the Pro-Slavery Sherrif being shot in the town. These men were tasked with making several arrests of known Free-Staters, but also to destroy the Free State Hotel and the printing presses that supported Free-State efforts within the Kansas Territory.

Sources used for this episode:

Williams, Robert H. With the Border Ruffians: Memoirs of the Far West, 1852-1868. John Murray, 1908. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015010551615&seq=11.

May, Andy. Blood & Honor: The People of Bleeding Kansas. American Freedom Publications LLC, 2019.

An Unknown Soldier from Company A, 19th Iowa kept a diary of his time in the Union Army from September to December 1862. It was discovered after the Battle of Prairie Grove, 7 December 1862, somewhere along the advance or retreat of the 19th Iowa as they faced a Brigade of Arkansans. The Unknown Soldier of the 19th Iowa is unique in that all we have of him is his diary, which was found missing its cover and the first few pages. With no other mention of a name, we may never know who he truly was, but the diary still has a story to tell.

Sources for this episode:

Unknown. The Diary of an Unknown Soldier: September 5, 1862 to December 7, 1862. Found on a Battlefield. Edited by Elia Vaught. Press-Argus Printing Company, 1959. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858046452367&seq=1.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 22, pt. 1: Reports. Government Printing Office, 1888. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077699704&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Atlanta, 22 July 1864, CPT Charles W. Wills and the 103rd Illinois occupied recently vacated Confederate trenches, and believed the way was open to seize the city. As they got to work “turning the trenches” the Illinoisans heard tremendous firing on the left flank and rear of the Army of the Tennessee. As CPT Wills listened, he spotted a line of grey troops emerge from the woodline behind them.

Sources used for this episode:

Kellogg, Mary E. Army Life of an Illinois Soldier, Including a Day by Day Record of Sherman's March to the Sea; Letters and Diary of the Late Charles W. Wills. Globe Printing Company, 1906. https://archive.org/details/armylifeofillino00willilli/page/n4/mode/1up.

Davis, George B., Perry, Leslie J., and Kirkely, Joseph W. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 38, pt. 3: Reports. Government Printing Office, 1891. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077722993&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Cross Keys, 8 June 1862, PVT William A. McClendon and the 15th Alabama posted in front of the Confederate left flank and narrowly escaped being cut off from the rest of the Army. After marching at the double quick across the battlefield, the Alabamians rejoined their brigade on the right flank and assisted in repulsing the first Union advance. The 15th Alabama then turned to the attack.

Sources used for this episode:

McClendon, William A. Recollections of War Times, By An old Veteran While under Stonewall Jackson and Lieutenant General James Longstreet. How I Got In, and How I Got Out. The Paragon Press, 1909. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=loc.ark:/13960/t1sf30q64&seq=9.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Ser. 1, vol. 12, pt: 1: Reports. Government Printing Press, 1885. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077725921&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Malvern Hill, 1 July 1862, the Union V Corps, reinforced by formations from across the Army of the Potomac, used massed artillery and infantry support against successive waves of Confederate assaults upon their line. Held in reserve and sustaining casualties from Confederate artillery, SGT Bennett and the 22nd Massachusetts relieved the 62nd Pennsylvania’s position in line after expending all of its ammunition. The men from Massachusetts would now face the final assault of the Army of Northern Virginia during the Seven Days Battles.

Sources used for this episode:

Bennett, Edwin C. Musket and Sword, or The Camp, March, and Firing Line in the Army of the Potomac. Coburn Publishing Co., 1900. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.32044019374651&seq=15.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 11, pt. 2: Reports. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077730152&view=1up&seq=3.

While at Andersonville Prison Camp, Father Henry Clavreul, a Catholic Priest, ministered to the Union Soldiers captured on battlefields across the south. From 15 July to 20 August 1864, Father Clavreul and one other Priest, were the only religious men with authorization to enter the overcrowded camp to render aid. He lasted only 36 days among the sick and dying before he came down with an illness that forced him to depart the camp for Savannah.

Sources for this episode:

Clavreul, Henry. Diary of Rev. H. Clavreul. With Names of the Dying Federal Soldiers to Whom he Ministered at Andersonville, Ga., During July and August 1864, edited by George Robbins. The Connecticut Association of Ex-Prisoners of War, 1910. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu54239966&seq=5.

Ainsworth Fred C. and Kirkley, Joseph W. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 2, vol. 7. Government Printing Office, 1899. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079575266&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Mill Springs, 19 January 1862, SGT McMurray and the 20th Tennessee marched through the night in a persistent rain to attack a Union Division encamped approximately 10 miles to the north. Armed with flintlock muskets, SGT McMurray and the Tennesseans formed on the right flank of the Confederate battle line and were soon flanked by a brigade with men from their own state: the 1st and 2nd Tennessee (Union) Regiments.

McMurray, William J. History of the Twentieth Tennessee Regiment Volunteer Infantry, C.S.A. The Publication Committee, 1904. https://archive.org/details/histtwenttennreg00mcmurich/page/n6/mode/1up?view=theater.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 7. Government Printing Office, 1882. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079609545&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Antietam, beginning at approximately 5:30a.m. on 17 September 1862, a Cornfield owned by the Miller Family became the scene of intense fighting. By about 9a.m., after a series of attacks and counterattacks the mangled Cornfield was in possession of the Union and greatly contributed to the single bloodiest day in United States History.

Elements of the Union I and XII Corps which advanced from the north:

MAJ Rufus R. Dawes, 6th Wisconsin

CPT John B. Callis, 7th Wisconsin

BG Marsena R. Patrick, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps

CPL Edmund R. Brown, Co. C, 27th Indiana

Vied for possession of the Cornfield against elements of Jackson’s and Longstreet’s Wings:

LTC Phillip A. Work, 1st Texas

LTC Hamilton A Brown, 1st North Carolina

COL Alfred H. Colquit, Commander of Rains’ Brigade

Dawes, Rufus R. Service with the 6th Wisconsin Volunteers. E. R. Alderman & Sons, 1890. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/fk87h1f59q&seq=11.

Work, Phillip A. “No. 253. Report of Lieut. Col. P. A. Work, First Texas Infantry, of the battle of Sharpsburg.” In The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 19, pt. 1: Reports, edited by Rover N. Scott and Henry M. Lazelle. Government Printing Office, 1887. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079609610&view=1up&seq=3.

Callis, John A. “No. 26. Reports of Capt. John B. Callis, Seventh Wisconsin Infantry, of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.” In The War of the Rebellion.

Patrick, Marsena R. “No. 19. Reports of Brig. Gen. Marsena R. Patrick, U.S. Army, commanding Third Brigade, of the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.” In The War of the Rebellion.

Brown, Hamilton A. “First Regiment.” In Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina, In the Great War 1861-’65. E. M. Uzzell, Printer And Binder, 1901. https://digital.ncdcr.gov/Documents/Detail/histories-of-the-several-regiments-and-battalions-from-north-carolina-in-the-great-war-1861-65-v.1/3931258?item=3931271.

Colquit, Alfred H. “No. 304. Reports of Col. A. H. Colquit, Sixth Georgia Infantry, commanding brigade, of the battles of Boonsborough and Sharpsburg.” In The War of the Rebellion.

Brown, Edmund R. The Twenty-Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 – 1865. First Division 12th and 20th Corps. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t57d33f2n&seq=7.