William H. Carney, a former slave, was bought out of slavery as a boy and sent north. When the 54^th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment formed for Black soldiers in 1863, he joined. In the Battle of Fort Wagner, Carney took decisive action to save the flag, for which he received the Medal of Honor.

Most medals awarded to Civil War veterans were not given until long after the war. William Carney received his medal in 1900. He lived another eight years.

The attack on Fort Wagner is depicted in the film, Glory.

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Early Life

William H. Carney, Jr. (1840-1908) was born into slavery in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1840. It is believed that his father escaped from slavery through the Underground Railroad. The group helped William Carney, Sr., arrive safely in in New Bedford, Massachusetts—an area that was deemed safe for former slaves.

Carney was dedicated to bringing his wife and son north. He found a job and was eventually able to buy them out of slavery and bring them to New Bedford.

Little is known about William H. Carney, Jr’s childhood. At some point he learned to read and write. There were laws against slaves going to any type of school, so whether Carney gained the knowledge while still a slave, or afterward when he and his mother moved north, is not known.

In New Bedford, Carney was inspired by the church and intended to become a minister.

The Emancipation Proclamation

In September of 1862, President Abraham Lincoln laid out what he hoped would become an important document that would influence the war. The Emancipation Proclamation, finalized on January 1, 1863, pronounced Southern slaves should henceforth be “forever free.” (It did not provide for a change of status for northern slaves.) It also proclaimed that Black men could enlist or be recruited for the Federal Army.

The announcement deeply affected William Carney. He saw that his desire to go into the ministry needed to be set aside. The first task to be accomplish collectively was the fight for freedom.

About the 54th Massachusetts Regiment

The 54^th Massachusetts was one of the first all-Black volunteer regiments to be formed. Carney’s location in New Bedford was fortuitous, and he signed up quickly.

The man selected to recruit and train local men was an upper-class Bostonian, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. Shaw was seeing a lot of action with the 2^nd Massachusetts, so he was disappointed to step away from the fighting. But he was a man who obeyed orders and stepped in immediately. Within a few months, he pulled together and trained a regiment for the 54^th.  Among those who joined were two sons of Frederick Douglass.  

By early July, the 54^th was assigned to James Island in South Carolina.

Here is what was happening nearby

The War At That Time

Two years into the Civil War, Fort Sumter, located in the central portion of the harbor in Charleston, was still in the hands of the Confederates. The Union Army wanted to gain footing in the area. If they could capture Fort Wagner, the Union would be in good position to fire on Sumter and eventually take Charleston.

The first Union attack on the Charleston area began that summer on July 11, 1863. Brigadier General Quincy Gillmore was assigned to seize Morris Island. This would allow the Union to capture Fort Wagner and Fort Gregg. They could then mount rifled guns to neutralize Fort Sumter, permitting the North to take Charleston.

Gillmore’s effort was partially successful. His unit claimed a portion of Morris Island but the Confederates kept beating them back. They had to give up on Fort Wagner.

When military leaders looked around for what regiment could go in for another attack, they didn’t have to wait long. Colonel Shaw volunteered the 54^th Massachusetts. Shaw wanted to get back into the fighting and was determined to demonstrate the strength and valor of his men. (Black troops were largely untested at this time in the war. There was skepticism and controversy over it.)

Despite this, the location of the men in South Carolina and Shaw’s willingness to take them into battle meant the assignment was soon theirs.

In the meantime, the Confederate Army knew the Union would attack again. They called  for reinforcements. Though the fort was nothing more than a hastily plastered-together structure made of sand, earth and palmetto logs, it was proving tough enough to withstand the onslaught of attacks. 

The Attack of the 54th Regiment

At 7:45 p.m. on July 18, the 54th used the cover of night to make their way up the beach. Between cliffs and water’s edge, there was not much space. The regiment had to proceed slowly, sometimes going single file.

Despite the darkness, the Confederate guards spied their progress. The rebels began firing shot after shot blindly because of the dark. Many of the 54th were killed or injured. Those that were unharmed kept going.

Once they reached the fort, members of the 54^th climbed the embankment and then waded through the moat. After that, they faced how to get over sharp wooden sticks that were in place to dissuade intruders.

Once in Fort Wagner there were other obstacles. The layout of the fort involved passageways in an “X” formation. This meant that if a Union soldier entered the fort and aspired to run down a passageway, he would be a prime target for a rebel. The Confederates could keep a gun trained on the place where passages crossed.

As expected, Colonel Shaw and his color bearer took the lead to move the unit forward.

The Importance of the Flag

Union regiments generally carried two flags, often referred to as the colors. One was the American flag; the other was the regimental flag. Both were items of great pride and importance.

Color bearers served several purposes. Because they marched in the front with flags held high, they set the pace for marching. They also provided orientation for where the action was going. Battlefields were almost always smoky and confusing. If the soldiers could keep an eye on the flags, this let them follow the action.

As a result of their front-and-center position, color guards were in high-risk locations. The flags were heavy and awkward, so the men didn’t carry weapons. This increased the likelihood of being killed or wounded.

If a color bearer was shot down, a member of his guard would immediately pick up the colors to avoid the disgrace of a captured flag.

During the Attack

As Colonel Shaw and the color bearer led the way forward, they were both targeted and killed. When William Carney saw both men fall, Carney tossed aside his musket to save the flag.

Despite continual gunfire, he ascended the parapet of Fort Wagner and held the flag in place so that others in the 54^th could follow. The regiment had been told they were also backed up by reinforcements from New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut, and Ohio.

But as smoke surrounded the fort and the Confederacy continued to blast at the sand surrounding Fort Wagner, a new plan was needed.

Mounting Losses

The Union soldiers needed to fall back to regroup. Fortunately, William Carney saw that the others had turned back. He waited for a reduction in the fighting so that he could follow.  When the path cleared somewhat, he wrapped the flag around the staff and bolted for the embankment.

While fleeing, Carney was shot in the chest. Another bullet hit his right arm and his right leg. Carney held on to the flag and kept going until he reached the remaining

men from his unit. As he ran, soldiers saw that he was injured and offered help. But Carney was not relinquishing his responsibility.

He personally delivered the flag to where the remaining regiment waited. Later he said: “Boys, I only did my duty; the old flag never touched the ground.”

Serious Casualties

Federal casualties for that battle totaled more than fifteen hundred men. The 54th lost 42 percent of their men–250 of them were killed, wounded, or captured.  Confederate losses numbered only 174.

When daylight broke, a Southern officer described the scene: “In front of the fort the scene of carnage is indescribable. I have never seen so many dead in the same space.”

The 97^th Pennsylvania was assigned by the Union leaders to work rescue. It was said that the 97^th was ordered to give priority to the Black soldiers as the military knew that they would be tortured and killed if captured. But acceptance of Blacks in the Army still had far to go. This directive would have been counter intuitive to white soldiers, However, for leaders trying to consciously of maintaining higher numbers of men to fight, the order would have been wise.

Regrouping

Because of the massive losses, the Union troops were unable to mount a new assault right away. The Confederates had called for reinforcements. Then the rank-and-file threaded their way through the fallen men. They took souvenirs and stripped the soldiers of footwear or usable parts of their uniforms. The bodies were then dump into mass graves.

When the Confederate men found Colonel Shaw, the Union man whom they viewed as having the audacity to mount an assault using Black men, they wanted a fitting way to disgrace him. Normally, the bodies of white officers would have been set aside. Sometimes they were embalmed and sent home. But for Shaw, the Confederates could nothing more appropriate than dumping his body into the mass grave with his Black soldiers. His sword however was saved, as were most valuables on the dead and wounded on both sides. To read about how and where Colonel Shaw’s sword was found, click here: A Treasure Rediscovered: The Civil War Sword of Robert Gould Shaw, 54th Regiment.

Waiting for the Next Step

Though the numbers of the 54^th regiment were greatly diminished, their new leaders saw that their wisest move would be to remain on Morris Island to keep up the pressure. Though the Federal Army launched no more frontal attacks, they steadfastly continued shelling from land and sea.

By September 7, 1863, the Union finally wore down the Confederates. The rebel army abandoned Fort Wagner on that date.  

Both the military brass and journalists in the area took note of the 54^th. General George Strong, who was part of the attack noted: …”in all these severe tests, which would have tried even veteran troops, they fully met my expectations.”

The New York Tribune wrote: “It is absurd to say these men did not fight and were not exposed to perhaps the most deadly fire of the war when so many officers and so many of the rank and file were killed.”

Carney’s Injuries

Carney suffered multiple bullet wounds, and his recovery took many months.

Before he was discharged from the military for his disabilities, he was promoted to sergeant for his heroism. When he was well enough to leave the hospital, he returned to his home in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Sometime later, he got a job with the town of New Bedford, maintaining city lights. He married and started a family.

He went on to be a letter carrier and was one of the founders of the New Bedford Branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers. Later he worked as a messenger for the Massachusetts State House.

As his accomplishments became known, he was often invited to be a guest speaker for community groups in the area.

Medal of Honor

More than half the Medal of Honor awards to soldiers from the Civil War were presented twenty or more years after the fighting ended. This was the case with William H. Carney. On May 23, 1900, he was presented with the Medal of Honor, the country’s highest honor for military valor.

The citation reads:
“When the color sergeant was shot down, this soldier grasped the flag, led the way to the parapet, and planted the colors thereon. When the troops fell back he brought off the flag, under fierce fire in which he was twice severely wounded.”

What It All Meant

Though the 54^th Regiment did not defeat the Confederates at Fort Wagner, their bravery and success was noted across the country. Ultimately, they were an inspiration to other Black men who signed up to fight in the war.

In a National Park Service article about the 54^th, the writer quotes a correspondent for the New York Post of the day: “No man can pass among these sufferers…and not be inspired with the deepest abhorrence of slavery and an unquenchable desire for the freedom of their race.” 

For another story about a Civil War battle where Black soldiers played a decisive role, read Last Battles of the Civil War: Forks Road.

Comanche was a U.S. cavalry horse who participated in many battles in the West including the Battle of Little Bighorn. He achieved fame because he was the only survivor—human or animal–when reinforcements arrived at Little Bighorn.

All 200 of George Custer’s men were killed by the Native Americans. A few other horses are thought to have survived, but the animals in decent condition were taken by the Indians.

During the battle, Comanche was hit by at least seven bullets and was not doing well.  One of the soldiers who found him insisted they take him back to Fort Abraham Lincoln. He was well taken care of and lived to be a favorite among the men.

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Comanche’s Story

In the 1850s, the United States military had only a small cavalry, but it was obvious that horses were going to be needed in the West. As more settlers moved across the country, some of the tribes of Native Americans were formidable foes. Their horses were fast and agile, and their riders very skilled at shooting from a running mount.

As the Army assessed the situation, the leaders saw that they needed to add horses when they could. Most of the good steeds came from an area of Texas that was known as the Great Horse Desert. 

On occasion, men would round up some of the wild horses from there and bring them to a town to sell.  Farmers, ranchers, and the government were the main customers. A typical price on an unbroken horse in good condition was about $90.

Comanche came from the Great Horse Desert, according to Deanne Stillman’s excellent book, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West. The author speculates that Comanche was probably born in the early 1860s. Based on his markings—his bay coloring and a black dorsal stripe down his back, she identifies him as having descended from Spanish horses. (Stillman devotes a chapter to Comanche in her book, and her in-depth research on this little-known story was key to my having important material for this article.)

The Seventh Cavalry

In 1868, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer’s 7^th Cavalry was stationed in Kansas. The cavalry had suffered the loss of many horses in recent battles with Native Americans. Custer sent his brother, First Lieutenant Tom W. Custer to buy horses in St. Louis. Tom Custer purchased 41 horses, including the horse now known as Comanche. 

The horses were loaded on to a train and shipped to Hays City near Ellis, Kansas. Custer’s group was encamped nearby. 

The government horses bore special brands. A “U.S.” brand was burned into the left shoulder; their regiment number and the letter “C” for cavalry was marked on the left thigh. (Horses were not usually named. They were referred to by their number.)

Once the new horses were added, the cavalry moved on to Fort Hays, about 100 miles west of Salina, Kansas. At that time, their assignment was to help white settlers move further into Kansas.

Captain Notices Horse

In the United States cavalry, it was customary to permit riders to purchase a horse if they wanted to be assured that they would ride a certain mount. Well-respected horseman Captain Myles Keogh spotted the horse now called Comanche and decided he wanted that horse as his own. He paid the government the $90 fee.

Comanche was small, only 925 pounds and 15 hands high, but he was smart, reliable, and fast. 

Comanche Acquires Name

As cavalry leader, Captain Keogh met up with the Comanche tribe in battle in 1868. As the fight raged near the Salina River, Keogh’s horse was hit by an arrow in the right leg.  The animal was lame for several weeks. Over the course of his convalescence, the horse came to be called Comanche.

When Captain Keogh was reassigned to Kentucky, Comanche had recovered enough to go with him.

Treaty of Fort Laramie

In April of 1868, the Treaty of Fort Laramie granted the Sioux nation ownership of the Black Hills via the creation of the Great Sioux Reservation in that area. This was sacred ground for the Sioux (also known as the Lakota) and Cheyenne Indians.   

A few years later (1874), General Custer and his cavalry received orders to travel through the Black Hills to choose a new location for a military fort and to evaluate the natural resources. Captain Keogh and Comanche were sent to join Custer before this departure date. 

Exploratory Trip

George Custer was then based at Fort Abraham Lincoln. With his new assignment, he mounted a huge traveling party. He took 1000 cavalry soldiers, 110 wagons, 70 Indian scouts, four news reporters, and two gold miners to check the territory for riches.

Three hundred miles into the trip, they could see the lush landscape of the Black Hills. Custer wrote to his wife (Libby Custer):

“We have discovered a rich and beautiful country.”

As they fanned out to explore the area, the miners confirmed there was gold in the region. The news soon leaked out… By August 10, The New York Tribune ran a headline: “New Gold Country.”

Thousands of Americans traveled to the area to make their fortune.

Shortly thereafter, Custer traveled back to Fort Abraham Lincoln. For the next two years, Americans travel to the Black Hills to stake gold claims. However, because the Treaty of Fort Laramie gave the land to Native Americans, the Army was supposed to attempt to keep them away. 

Frenzy Mounts

President Ulysses Grant realized the error that was made in 1851 by agreeing to the Fort Laramie Treaty. President Grant felt the reasonable course was to offer to purchase the land back. He offered Sitting Bull $6 million for it.

Sitting Bull turned down the offer immediately.

Shortly thereafter, President Grant responded by announcing that the Army would no longer protect the Black Hills. The government also set an arbitrary deadline stating that the Sioux could no longer live throughout the Black Hills. They needed to settle on the reservation.

This set off the Great Sioux War (also known as the Black Hills War) and led to the battle now known as Custer’s Last Stand.

June 1876

When Custer returned to the Black Hills in June of 1876, he arrived with about 700 cavalry men. The assignment was to locate Native Americans that were not on their reservation and force them to return to the land assigned them.

In whatever reconnaissance they did of the area, Custer remained unaware that some 2500-4000 Native Americans from several tribes (the Sioux, the Northern Cheyenne, and the Arapaho) were arriving on the west side of the Little Bighorn River for their summer gathering.

Custer thought the group he would face would be small and that the Native Americans would flee as his cavalry approached. 

Despite this confidence, he put together a plan. He divided the men into three groups so that they could attack from different directions. Captain Frederick Benteen took three companies and was to come from the southwest.  Major Marcus Reno also took three companies. Reno was to lead his men across the river and strike the encampment.

Custer’s Group

General Custer on his horse, Vic, led the largest cavalry—five companies and two hundred men. Captain Keogh and Comanche rode closely behind Custer. The cavalrymen were well-supplied. Each horse carried a rider plus 80-90 pounds of equipment, including 100 rounds of ammunition.

The equipment followed. Four horses dragged Gatling guns. A team of six mules pulled a wagon loaded with government supplies. Two smaller wagons carried other necessary items.

Battle Goes Wrong

As Custer received more information, he decided to speed up the attack. But Major Reno and Captain Benteen never received the new information. They had no idea the plan had changed, and Custer did not know they were not coming.

Custer’s entire plan revolved around ambushing the tribes from three sides. Instead, Custer’s men faced slaughter. Within 30 minutes, all the men traveling with Custer were wounded or killed. 

Some of the horses survived. Those that were in decent condition were quickly picked up by the tribes. 

Though there is interesting evidence of one unplanned event that resulted in a survivor of sorts. One of the horses traveling with Custer bolted and ran straight through what became the battlefield. He and the desperate rider—who had been readjusting the girth (cinch) when the other horses started out– finally slowed down when they met up with Major Reno’s men. The horse was wounded but the private on him—Gustave Korn—survived. Korn eventually became one of the key men assigned to look after the wounded Cherokee.  (A professor at Brigham Young University did extensive research on this topic. See the source material for more information.)

Battle Continues

The Native Americans continue the battle with Reno and Benteen’s battalions, fighting where they found them. 

Finally, General Alfred Terry, military commander of the Dakota Territory at that time, and his men arrived at the scene of Custer’s battle. With the arrival of more troops, the Native Americans saw that they now were outnumbered. They fled to regroup.

The Aftermath

When the battlefield quieted, mule packer Private William White was one of the first on the scene.  He saw the battlefield strewn with scalped soldiers, and 39 dead horses were circled around the area where Custer died. They had tried to use the horses to protect themselves. 

As Private White surveyed the battle scene, he saw movement in a ravine by the Little Bighorn River. White approached the area and found Comanche. He had multiple wounds where he was shot, and his saddle had twisted so that the seat of it hung down from Comanche’s belly.

Some of the men felt the kind thing to do was to put him out of his misery, but one fellow said, “Don’t shoot him.” That sentiment prevailed—a slim bright spot in the midst of blood and gore. The soldiers examined his wounds and bandaged the horse for the trip back to the riverboat. He was also given water and liquor to help him withstand the pain.

The riverboat, the Far West was docked at the confluence of the Little Horn and Big Horn Rivers—about 16 miles away. A caravan of wounded men along with the wounded horse made their way to the steamer.

Comanche On Board

Once on board the steamer, the challenge for the men with Comanche was finding a place where an unsteady, ailing horse would be comfortable. Men brought in prairie grass and fitted a stall between the stern and the rudders. The men took great pride in taking care of him.

The Captain of the Far West understood the distance was far and time was of the essence for all his wounded passengers. They traveled quickly down the Yellowstone River to the Missouri River and to Bismarck. The 950 miles were covered in 54 hours.

Later, Captain Luce wrote in his log book: “The badly wounded animal was tenderly conveyed by wagon to Fort Lincoln, the same garrison which it had left only eight weeks before.”

Overcoming the Bad News

The news about Custer and his men saddened everyone. But as July 4, 1876, neared, people at the fort became busy with how to celebrate the country’s centennial.

The fort rallied around Comanche’s survival, and news stories about the horse spread across the nation. 

Comanche’s Medical Care

At Fort Lincoln, Comanche was placed in a belly band that could be elevated so that it kept weight off his legs. Three men were also assigned to his care: Dr. C.A. Stein, the veterinarian of Fort Lincoln, Gustave Korn, the resident blacksmith, (and the fellow who may have stormed through the Indian gathering just before the battle got underway), as well as the orderly who had always taken care of all of Custer’s mounts—John Burkman.

With loving care and special mash sometimes laced with liquor, Comanche continued to improve.  By 1878, he was permitted out of his stall, and slowly he gained privileges to roam the entire fort.

Special Ceremony for Retirement

Colonel Samuel D. Sturgis decided that with Comanche’s return to better health, he deserved to be officially placed in retirement.

On April 10, 1878, a ceremony took place. The following orders were issued from headquarters:

(1.) The horse known as ‘Comanche,’ being the only living representative of the bloody tragedy of the Little Big Horn, June 25th, 1876, his kind treatment and comfort shall be a matter of special pride and solicitude on the part of every member of the Seventh Cavalry to the end that his life be preserved to the utmost limit. Wounded and scarred as he is, his very existence speaks in terms more eloquent than words, of the desperate struggle against overwhelming numbers of the hopeless conflict and the heroic manner in which all went down on that fatal day.

(2.) The commanding officer of Company I will see that a special and comfortable stable is fitted up for him, and he will not be ridden by any person whatsoever, under any circumstances, nor will he be put to any kind of work.

(3.) Hereafter, upon all occasions of ceremony of mounted regimental formation, ‘Comanche,’ saddled, bridled, and draped in mourning, and led by a mounted trooper of Company I, will be paraded with the regiment.

The order was signed by Col. Sturgis, first lieutenant and adjutant of the Seventh Cavalry.

Reporter’s Story

When a reporter from The Bismarck Tribune came to do a story about Comanche and his retirement, he spoke to John Rivers, the farrier of Company I, Keogh’s old troop. (Bismarck Tribune, May 10, 1878):

Rivers noted that Comanche had seven scars from as many bullet wounds. Four wounds were in the back of his front shoulder; another struck a hoof, and Comanche suffered one bullet wound in his hind leg. Once back at Fort Lincoln, three of the balls were extracted from his body. The final one was not removed for another year when they could do it safely.

In Retirement

Comanche found things to do on his own, but when he heard a bugle call, he always lined up with the other horses.  

Perhaps because liquor was used to help get him through his illness, or perhaps because the men didn’t mind sharing some of their drink with Comanche, he took quite a liking to alcoholic beverages. He was often found wherever men were drinking.

Even when he drifted off in search of liquor, he always came back to find his friend Gustave Korn, the blacksmith. One story goes that when Korn had a day off and went out to visit a girlfriend, Comanche followed along.  When Korn went inside, Comanche grew impatient and neighed regularly for his friend to come back out. Eventually Korn came out and led Comanche back to his stall where he then was secured for that night.

On to Fort Riley

The Seventh Cavalry, along with Comanche, moved a few times. They were sent to Fort Meade in 1878. In 1887, they were sent on to Fort Riley. 

And every January 25, the regiment remembered Little Bighorn. Comanche, draped in a mourning blanket, led Troop I. His saddle was empty but there were riding boots, reversed as is the custom to denote fallen troopers.

Fighting at Wounded Knee

The Seventh Cavalry was based at Fort Riley when they were called to the Pine Ridge Reservation.  The battle that occurred is now known as the Battle of Wounded Knee (1890). Though most of the damage was done to the Lakota tribe, some cavalrymen were wounded or killed. Gustave Korn was among them.

When Korn did not return to the base, soldiers reported that Comanche seemed to lose interest in life. Men would sometimes find him at the canteen, hoping for a drink, but he was listless about most things.

Death of Comanche

On November 7, 1891, Comanche died of colic, a digestive disorder not uncommon in elderly horses. He was 29 years old. Having led nearly every parade at the fort during his time there, he had been an important part of fort life for many years.

The farrier in charge of him at Riley, Samuel J. Winchester, wrote:

“Fort Riley, Kansas, November 7, 1891—in memory of the old veteran horse who died 1:30 o’clock with the colic in his stall while I had my hand on his pulse and looking him in the eye—the night to long be remembered.”

He was given a funeral with full military honors. He is one of only four horses to be given that honor. One of the others is Sgt. Reckless. You can read his story here: Reckless: The Horse That Was a Marine.

The Story Continues

But Comanche’s story doesn’t end there.

Because he had been such an important part of the Seventh Cavalry, the Fort Riley administrators sent Comanche’s body off to a taxidermist at the University of Kansas so that he could be preserved. When Comanche’s form was stuffed and mounted, the administration at Fort Riley was notified.

But no one from the fort was ever sent to pick up the horse or pay the $400 bill.

Since the work was performed by the University of Kansas taxidermist, the decision was made to keep Comanche for display in their natural history museum.  Initially, Comanche was displayed in a glass case on the main floor of the museum.

He was also among the items the museum shipped to Chicago for the World’s Fair in 1933. When the collection came back to Kansas, the museum was undergoing a renovation. Comanche was stored in the basement for several years. When he was retrieved, he had become moldy and had to be repaired.

Ownership Disputed

When he was put back on display, the news headlines brought out the protests. Fort Riley and other organizations laid claim to the fact that they should have possession of Comanche.

But the University maintained that he now belonged to the museum. 

Today Comanche lives on the fourth floor of the museum near the North American mammals department. He has his own room, and many, many visitors still come to see him.

***

Deanne Stillman’s book, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West, was published by Houghton Mifflin in 2008. It launched an important conversation about wild horses in the West and the battles against them.

Battlefield communication has always been difficult. Before technology, armies relied on bugles, trumpets, drums and regiment flags to signal to the soldiers what was to come next. But as men spread out in fighting, it made these forms of communication very difficult to use.

During the Civil War, these methods continued to be used, but a new type communication system was introduced as well. The new method used flags (and at night, flaming torches) to communicate across distances.

The process wasn’t simple. The Army created the Signal Corps to handle this process. The men needed to carry flags, staffs, and torches. And in each location, they needed a high piece of ground or a lookout tower from which to signal. Because soldiers from both the Union and the Confederacy learned forms of the flag system, the messages needed to be sent in code. To establish the cipher, men carried a disc “dial” system that could change the cipher as needed so that the code could not be hacked.

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The Signal Corps

The flag system for sending signals was created by Albert James Myer (1828-1880). Myer worked in telegraph offices growing up. He was aware that both the Army and the Navy had been looking for improved communication methods. However, the methods attempted had been complex or involved cumbersome equipment. In the early 1850s, there was no agreed-upon system. 

Albert Myer went on to medical school but was still captivated by nonverbal ways to communicate. When he wrote his thesis for medical school, he created a sign language that he felt would be useful for the deaf. From this work, he began to develop a system for the military.

Because Myer’s system was created in the 1850s before the country had splintered apart politically, Myer made no effort to hide his work. In order to test it, he also required volunteers to help out. Though he ultimately fought for the Union, the flag system he worked on was first used by Confederates in the South. Some of those who assisted him retuned to their home states in the South, taking Myer’s ideas with them.

Use of Flags

The concept of a flag being used to signal troop movement sounds simple enough, but the method Myer developed was actually quite complex, partly because every message needed to be encrypted.

In general, there were three basic flag signals used. A wave to the left signaled “one,” a wave to the right signaled “two,” and a wave forward signaled a break between words or messages. Certain flag waves were determined for each letter of the alphabet so that words could be spelled out. For example:
A is one, two, or 1, 2.
B is one, two, two, one, or 1221.
C is two, one, two 212, and so forth.

When spelled out, the messages ranged from “Enemy approaching from the South” to complex messages concerning future strategy.

Signal Corpsmen often sent several messages, one right after the other.  A gun fired once indicated a first message; two shots indicated the start of a second message, etc.

Any very important messages were to be verified. The receiving station was to send back the same message. This process assured the sender that everyone agreed on what the instructions had been. 

Signal Corps Equipment

Signal Corps members carried with them a staff and two flags. During the day, the men knew that the flag color that was most visible was a white flag with a red square. However, if there was snow on the ground, a black flag was used.

The corpsmen also carried a torch to use for nighttime signaling. When using a torch, the operator placed a second torch at his feet as a reference point to clarify the signals. To better receive messages, members of the signal corps all carried high-powered telescopes.

Since both sides based their system on Myer’s idea, they realized that if the enemy could see the signals, they could probably interpret the conversation. One of the tools signal corps members carried was a two-disc device that permitted them to “dial” different codes. By signaling to the recipient what cipher the corpsmen were using, those who needed to would be able to decipher the messages.

How to Attract Attention

The Signal Corps faced some interesting challenges. How does a corpsman attract the attention of someone to whom they want to signal?

Signaling for attention ranged from running back and forth to flag waving. (from “A Manual of Signals: For the Use of Signal Officers in the Field,” 1864.

A government instruction booklet from 1864 explains that attempts to attract attention “should never be abandoned, until every device has been exhausted; and they should be renewed and continued at different hours of the day and night…”

These men often worked in isolated observation towers built for them by the military. By putting the signal corpsmen up high, they were more visible. In areas where the fighting had been going on for a prolonged time, the towers were spaced so that each tower could be seen by the next one. That way messages could travel by relay from tower to tower. If there was no time for building a tower, the men clambered up rocks or climbed trees. In desperate circumstances, signal corpsmen sometimes moves out in front of the troops so more people could see them. Mortality was high.

Other Ways of Communicating

Anyone who has read the Civil War novel, Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, may remember the opening chapter. A lone rider was assigned to scout the military movements of the other side. Because these “spies” rode alone, they were less likely to draw attention of the other army. This way they could report back as to troop movements. 

The spies (or scouts if they were in uniform) rode through potential battlefield areas. They noted the topography, observed troop movement, and talked to townspeople to pick up any information the locals had gleaned as to the plans of the enemy.

Military orders were sometimes sent by courier. These written notes sometimes went from brigade to nearby brigade, but often they were sent over much longer distances. These missives generally also were sent in an agreed-upon code in case they were intercepted.

Telegraphs Used in Some Places

The telegraph was introduced in this country in 1835-36. By 1861, a private telegraph company, Western Union, had wired the U.S. from coast to coast.

The system used wires that could carry Morse code signals. The telegraph was so popular that the Signal Corps attempted to arrive in an area and string telegraph wires in advance of any fighting. This permitted them to communicate with the nearest headquarters.

Balloon Surveillance

The military was also beginning to look to the air. Thaddeus Lowe, a self-made aeronautics expert, was experimenting with big hot air balloons before the war. In July of 1861, Abraham Lincoln appointed Lowe Chief Aeronaut of the Union Army Balloon Corps.

These hot air balloons were primarily used for general surveillance of an area. Lowe or one of his men rode in the basket with a telescope and report back on the enemy. Balloons were also used occasionally during battles. However, they were difficult to transport, so they often couldn’t reach the location in time.

In a unique combination of two innovative services, Thaddeus Lowe convinced Union Major General George B. McClellan to permit him to attempt to relay information via telegraph—from a balloon. In 1862, the Army of the Potomac led by McClellan pushed south to the outskirts of Richmond. Working behind Union lines, Lowe guided a tethered balloon up about 2,000 feet in the air from which he observed the actions and movement of the Confederates. The balloon carried a telegraph with wires that were strung to the ground, so the telegraph operator traveling with Lowe relayed in signals everything Lowe saw.

Very Different Today

Today our military has access to many ways to observe the enemy. From unmanned drones that fly reconnaissance missions to satellite imagery and infrared sensors that detect enemy presence, modern technology permits battles to be plotted by GPS and tracked and fought via computer in ways that earlier military units could not even imagine.

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For m ore on military communications, see Bugle Calls and the Origin of Taps.

For more about the Civil War, see Elizabeth Thorn: Burying the Dead While Pregnant. Or read about some of the mascots that accompanied the soldiers: Dog Jack, Mascot and Volunteer for the Union Army.

The Battle of Forks Road in Wilmington, North Carolina, in February 1865, was one of the closing armed engagements bringing the Civil War to an end.

By late 1864 almost all the Confederate supply lines from the Atlantic Ocean had been cut by Union forces. Wilmington was the South’s last major open port. Blockade runners could still make it into the Cape Fear River. Once supplies were off-loaded in Wilmington, there were three railroad lines from where they could be sent to wherever the Confederate Army needed them.

In the summer of 1864, General Lee had said: “If Wilmington falls, I cannot maintain my army.”

But there are two little-known aspects to what happened around Wilmington in early 1865. 

The first concerns the U.S. Colored Troops who played a dominant role in this final stage of the battle. Three received the Medal of Honor. Yet as a group, they have never been recognized for their contributions.

The second is that few knew about the Battle of Forks Road. It was an important part of the mop-up as the Union moved up the peninsula to take control of Wilmington. But the story remained untold.

The Battle of Forks Road was first uncovered in the 1980s. Two friends who lived locally walked the land together, and it became clear that something big had happened in the area.  (More about the discovery later.)

Backing Up: Here’s What Happened

By late 1864, Union General William T. Sherman’s 285-mile March to the Sea reached Savannah, Georgia. The Federal troops saw they might be getting closer to victory. But there was still work to be done. As long as Robert E. Lee received supplies regularly through Wilmington, he could keep on fighting.

The Cape Fear River traveled up to Wilmington and was a fully navigable river. Once blockade runners got through supplies could be sent anywhere.

In December, Union forces began advancing on Wilmington, hoping to shut it down. The upper inlet to the Cape Fear River was protected by a well-built fortification known as Fort Fisher.

Fort Fisher

Fort Fisher featured formidable earthworks all around it. The walls were built with dirt and sand and were so thick that the Confederates intended them to be impenetrable.  But if the war was to be won by the Union, Fort Fisher needed to be sacked.

In December 1864, the Union Navy bombarded the thick earthwork walls. Union troops waited on land for word that they should attack. That word never came. After hours of bombardment and little success, the Union Navy gave up. The infantry backed away. 

As the new year dawned, the Confederacy was grateful that it still had its supply line through Wilmington. They hoped they might offer enough resistance to hold on.

Union Returns

But the Union was not going away. By mid-January, naval leader David D. Porter and expeditionary forces commander General Alfred H. Terry, joined forces and worked well together. They carried out a joint attack involving the army, navy, and the marines.

The Second Battle of Fort Fisher—as it became known–began on January 15. This time Porter’s Navy arrived with 60 gunboats and was able to silence most of the fort’s cannons and guns.

With that accomplished, Terry’s men moved in to attack from the land. The grueling battle lasted for hours. As dark descended, it seemed clear the Union would prevail.

As the Union soldiers entered the fort, many Confederates slipped away to take positions across the river at Fort Anderson and in the entrenchments they had built along the Federal Point Road that led to Wilmington.

Fighting for Wilmington

In addition to Fort Fisher, there were several other Confederate-held forts along the river. The Army also made well-built entrenchments that offered soldiers cover if the Union were to venture up the peninsula toward Wilmington. Once the Confederates were in place, it would be difficult for the Union to dislodge them.

Both sides knew that the stakes were high. If the Confederates could hold Wilmington, they might continue to get supplies to Lee. If the Union won the battle, then Federal troops could re-supply Sherman’s men. This would tip the balance of the war.

But before a Union victory, there was the Battle of Forks Road.

The Strong Presence of Colored Troops

After Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, former slaves and free men from Confederate states could enlist in the Union Army. For those who slipped out of slavery, the opportunity to fight for their own freedom was enticing. By war’s end, the Union had 179,000 Black soldiers in the infantry. Another 19,000 joined the Navy.

In the Wilmington area, many of the men who were part of the U.S. Colored Troops brigades were from the region. They knew the terrain, and many knew each other as well. Ultimately, the U.S. Colored Troops had two brigades of 9 regiments fighting in and around Wilmington. 

Moving Toward Wilmington

As the Union fought its way up the peninsula, other forts were abandoned by the Confederates, but there was still fierce fighting from the entrenchments along Federal Point Road at what is now known as Forks Road.

General Terry who was in command of the Union troops in the area, consulted with Brigadier General Charles Paine. Paine was a white general who led a division of colored troops. The decision was made to push forward on February 20 to try to overrun the Confederates. Ultimately, there were 1600 musket bearers representing the 1st, 5th, 10th, 27^th, and 37^th regiments of the U.S. Colored Troops.

This was the beginning of the Battle of Forks Road.

Battle of Forks Road

Terry’s plan sent the U.S. Colored Troops, led by the 5^th regiment, straight up into the Confederate defenses. Swamps flanked both sides of the road, so the men had no choice but to try to fight their way through. The troops fought hard but the Confederates were well protected and had plenty of ammunition. Union losses on that first day were high.

On February 21, the Union probed for a weak spot.  Skirmishes continued. But something in the atmosphere changed. Word got out that the Confederates had abandoned Charleston.

Terry’s men saw black smoke coming from Wilmington. This was a normal maneuver before troops retreated. The Union men suspected that the Confederates were burning supplies and moving back.

But through February 21, the Confederates fought on at Forks Road.

On February 22, the USCT remained in place, ready for a third day of battle. But when dawn came, the Confederate Army was gone.

Losses for the Union men were serious, but those who could, marched victoriously to Wilmington. Since many of the soldiers were local, both Black and white residents of Wilmington were overjoyed. There was great pride that the US Colored Troops played an instrumental role in the Battle of Wilmington. 

Forgotten No More

How could a battle that paved the way for victory be forgotten?

Perhaps it was that it was “almost the end.” Men on both sides were totally worn out. Once Fort Fisher fell it was becoming very clear that the Confederacy could not last without its supply line.

By this stage, the record-keeping may have been neglected as the Union fought their way north to Wilmington.

Battleground Discovered

The late Robert E. Treadwell, a U.S. veteran, a veterinarian, and a local history buff, explored the area on his own. He was impressed by some of the relics he found, and invited his friend, historian Dr. Chris E. Fonvielle Jr., to come investigate. It was the spring of 1980.

Though a housing development had been built in 1955 and bordered one side of the area, much of the sandy ridge was untouched. Parts of what was known as Federal Point Road, which connected Wilmington with the southern portions of the peninsula were still there. There were also still Union breastworks. 

Reports Were Scant

In preparation for another visit, Chris Fonvielle, a Civil War historian, professor emeritus (Department of History), University of North Carolina in Wilmington. and author of several books (including his latest, Glory at Wilmington: The Battle of Forks Road, was intrigued and thought he should research what happened before they returned.

He began with record books and regimental histories but found little information about what might have happened.

When he turned to archaeological surveys, however, he began to see a story. The archaeological documentation revealed hundreds of fired and dropped Minié balls (hollow bullets that expand on impact), cannonball fragments, lead canisters, and iron case balls.

Treadwell and Fonvielle investigated the land, and Dr. Fonvielle dug into records and maps and manuscripts to piece together what happened. Dr. Fonvielle soon saw that what they were looking at were the remains of a hotly fought battle that no one ever talked about.

Given the battle’s location, he took to referring to it by the name of its road: the Battle Forks Road. As he studied what must have happened, he saw that the Confederates were so well-entrenched that they wanted to hold on. But the Union—embodied by about 1600 U.S. Colored Troops—matched the Confederate grit and stubbornly fought to win.

Development Threatens

In 1981, a builder came in with plans for putting up more houses around Forks Road. The Forks Road Preservation Movement quickly came into being with Fonvielle and others in the community fighting to preserve the land. If the land was not preserved, the story could all too easily be lost again. 

The community group won their fight, but they knew it was only a matter of time before they faced another possible threat. 

Enter a Hero: Bruce Cameron

Businessman Bruce Barclay Cameron (1918-2013) and his wife Louise Wells Cameron owned the land where the battle had taken place, and they loved living in Wilmington area. When Bruce’s wife, Louise, passed away, Cameron wanted to do something in her honor.

Wilmington had a small art museum in town but the collection was outgrowing the space. Cameron saw that an art center in memory of his wife would be meaningful to the community. In 1997, he donated the land where Forks Road lay, and he gave a substantial sum for an art museum to be built and named for his wife, Louise Wells Cameron.

But he had a stipulation: The fieldworks that remained on the land should be preserved and the history of the battle interpreted. 

Louise Wells Cameron Art Center Born

The museum was completed in 2001. It features local and regional artwork as well as pieces by world-renowned artist like Joan Miró, Mary Cassatt, Robert Rauschenberg, Philip Guston, and Marc Chagall. Before the pandemic, school children frequently toured the site, seeing the art and hearing the story of the battle.

“I believe we are the only art museum that also stewards a battlefield,” says deputy director Heather Wilson. “We take that role very seriously.”

Reenactors Help Tell the Story

Telling a story of something that happened 150 years ago is always challenging, but it is less so if you have reenactors.  A group led by Malcolm Beech Sr., president of the African American Museum and Cultural Center and past president of the United States Colored Troops Living History Association, made it part of their regular schedule to be in Wilmington to tell the story of what happened on the land. As Beech said: “The North was fighting to save the Union. The South was fighting for state’s rights. We were fighting for our freedom.”

Many descendants of those who fought in the battle settled in the area. This makes it even more meaningful.

How Else to Tell About the Battle?

“But we began to think about what else we could do,” explains Heather Wilson in a telephone interview. “In North Carolina, there are 140 monuments to the Confederacy on public ground. There is only one memorial in the state commemorating the U.S. Colored Troops. We felt we could do more.”

Meetings were held. Arts center leaders, community members, historians, descendants, educators, and U.S. Colored Troop reenactors met to discuss what would be appropriate. The U.S. Colored Troops had never received the recognition due them for their part in one of the final battles in the War.

The group thought a full-scale monument in front of the museum seemed like the right thing. Wilson noted that they knew the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation offered grants for “inclusive art projects.” They thought they might have a shot at that.

Sculptor Stephen Hayes Begins Project

Early in the process, they selected Stephen Hayes, an up-and-coming Black sculptor who teaches at Duke University, to work with them. Soon plans were formulated for a bronze monument featuring nine members of the U.S. Colored Troops marching into battle. Hayes’s work has been featured in many prominent museums and universities, and he recently was awarded the prestigious 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.

Ultimately, the Museum received a $50,000 grant to begin the project, though donations are still needed.

Hayes has been at work, inviting local people to be a part of the project by letting their faces be used to create the mold. (To see how this is done, see this clip from UNCTV.)

Faces with No Names?

The final part of the project is underway: gathering the names so there can be a plaque that honors those who fought. This effort is led by public historian Devin Kelly at the request of the Art Center.

Since the record-keeping was poor in 1865, it has not been an easy task. Heather Wilson from the museum and Devin Kelly have put together a group of local volunteers to go through hundreds of online records to identify the men who fought at Forks Road. Where possible, they are also keeping track of personal details to help fill in the story. The plaque may be an ongoing project, but it will be part of the dedication.

Monument Dedication

The dedication of the monument was delayed by the pandemic, but it is now anticipated to be unveiled in November 2021. Given the community involvement in the project, this will be a wonderful celebration. For more information, see the Cameron Art Center website.

The Cameron Art Center has produced a 24-minute documentary about the battlefield. Click here to view The Battle of Forks Road Documentary.

The three men who received the Medal of Honor for their participation at the Battle of Forks Road are Powhaten Beaty, Milton M. Holland, and Robert Pinn.

For more information on the Civil War, visit the American Battlefield Trust: battlefields.org.

Corporal Joseph H. De Castro, 20, distinguished himself at Gettysburg during Pickett’s Charge. He was the first Latino to earn the country’s highest military decoration for valor in combat, the Medal of Honor. De Castro was a member of Company I, 19^th Massachusetts Infantry.

Early Life

Joseph De Castro was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1844. By age 18, he worked as a waiter helping his family. In July of 1861 he heard the military was asking men to enlist, so he signed up to be part of the all-volunteer 19^th Massachusetts Infantry. The regiment trained at Camp Schouler in Lynnfield, Massachusetts under Colonel Edward W. Hinks.

On August 28, 1861, the unit was ordered to Washington and assigned to picket duty along the Potomac River. Six months later, the 19th joined the Army of the Potomac in time for the Union movement toward the Confederate capital at Richmond, Virginia, known as the Peninsula Campaign. The unit took part in the Seven Days Battles for Richmond and lost 145 men on Day Six at the Battle of Glendale. 

At Antietam, the 19th suffered heavy losses in the West Woods, and their commander, Colonel Hinks was badly wounded.

The regiment continued on to fight at Fredericksburg. In the assault on Marye’s Heights, the 19^th Massachusetts sustained heavy losses. Eight of the color bearers were killed or badly wounded. This is likely the point at which Private Joseph De Castro was promoted to be a flag bearer.

Color Bearer

Serving as color bearer was both prestigious and dangerous. The color bearers carried no weapons, and the flags the men carried provided the pace and the direction for their regiment. The din of a battle meant that no drumming or bugle call could be heard by the soldiers, so the flag gave the men guidance as to where their unit was going and how quickly. 

But the flag also placed a mark on the color bearer—these men were highly visible to the enemy. The color bearers knew the enormity of their charge. Dropping or losing the flag was a disgrace, so they did all they could to hold on to their colors throughout the battle. 

New Commander

With the loss of Colonel Hinks, the 19th Massachusetts Infantry was put under the command of Colonel Arthur Devereux in early 1863. Devereaux was Harvard-educated and a former business partner of Elmer Ellsworth. Ellsworth was the first Union martyr of the War, but he is also well-remembered for his Zouave marching unit and his love of precision drilling. Devereaux brought with him to the 19^th the disciplinary attitude he practiced with Ellsworth.

  In May of 1863, the 19^th joined the Army of the Potomac to march North. Though they didn’t know it at the time, they were on what would become a 150-mile march to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. One Union general observed how well ordered the 19^th were under Devereaux. After two very hard weeks of marching, they reached Uniontown, Maryland. They stopped to rest and await further orders.

Tension Builds Near Gettysburg

In the meantime, Confederate soldiers in Cashtown, Pennsylvania, spotted Union troops arriving in Gettysburg on June 30. Confederate General A.P. Hill was not too concerned as he believed there were not many Union soldiers nearby, but on July 1, he sent men on reconnaissance to be sure.

Union cavalry officer John Buford feared this would occur. He needed a way to slow the Confederate forces while more of the Union Army arrived. Though he had a relatively small number of soldiers at that time, Buford placed his men in defensive positions on three ridges west of town in a show of strength.

Skirmishes began at 7:30 a.m. on July 1. The Union commanders sent word to regiments in the area to get to Gettysburg quickly. Devereaux started out with the 19^th Massachusetts at 4 a.m. The men still had 20 miles to march, arriving in Gettysburg about 9 pm that evening.  They were dismayed to be met by wounded and discouraged men going the other way in retreat. It had been a bad day for the Union, and the 19^th Massachusetts must have feared what awaited them.

Day Two

On the second day of battle, the 19th Massachusetts regiment held its position along Cemetery Ridge near a soon to be famous clump of trees. The men encountered limited fighting that day but they had a clear view of the horror in nearby, blood-soaked ground around a peach orchard. Union General Sickles moved his men out of his position on Cemetery Ridge without permission. Their presence in the Peach Orchard was a massive mistake, and the Union suffered badly.

Devereaux—commanding both the 19^th Massachusetts and the 42nd New York at this time—received orders to move positions to support the Third Corps fighting in the Peach Orchard.

Devereaux saw the disaster awaiting them, but he wasn’t a man to ignore an order. He maneuvered his men to a knoll between Cemetery Ridge and Emmitsburg Road and waited while more Union men retreated. 

When the way was clear for his men, Devereaux ordered one volley from the New York unit followed by another from 19^th Massachusetts. Soldiers from the 1^st Minnesota provided more firepower. Devereaux followed orders without sacrificing his men.

Finally the Confederate men rested.

Night Before Day 3

That night Devereaux’s men remained in position. They did their best to scrounge for food and sleep as they could, all the while fearing what the next day would hold.

By this time, General Lee was calculating his next step in what became known as Pickett’s Charge. He planned to launch a thunderous volley of artillery on the Union men along Cemetery Ridge early in the day. Lee still held the edge on numbers, so planned an all-out assault by his men on the Union men who remained.

July 3

On the morning of July 3, the Confederate artillery was having difficulty. The barrage did not start until after 1 p.m. This delayed Lee’s plan for the assault. By the time the Confederates began crossing the field for their attack, the temperature was 87 degrees and humid. Each step was a struggle.

From the Union viewpoint, the men did their best to withstand the artillery fire. Then they saw the next plan…the Confederates started across the undulating field, calling and firing. Many of the Confederates were shot as they ran, but some reached the low stone wall and clambered over it. Those who ventured that far engaged in bayonet- and hand-to-hand combat with the Union soldiers.

Union General Hancock rode behind his troops, encouraging them all: “Now, men, forward! Now’s your chance! Go at them!”

De Castro Shines

During this time, Corporal De Castro was out in front of the regiment carrying the Massachusetts state colors. When a Virginia color bearer neared, De Castro met him face-to-face and used his own flag to attack. In hand-to-hand combat, he victoriously wrested the flag away from the Confederate color bearer. Now carrying both flags, he turned to find his nearest general.

General Alexander S. Webb described what happened next: “At the instant a man broke through my line and thrust a rebel battle flag into my hands. He never said a word and darted back. It was Corporal Joseph H. De Castro, one of my color bearers. He knocked down a color bearer in the enemy’s line with the staff of the Massachusetts state colors, seized the falling flag, and dashed it to me.”

De Castro Continues in the War

DeCastro then went right back into the fighting at Gettysburg, returning to his position as regimental flag bearer.

Despite the fact that the Union men were greatly outnumbered by the Confederates, the misguided Confederate plan of storming through the center of the Union line proved disastrous for the Confederacy. They lost roughly half of the 12,000 men in the attack. The Union suffered far fewer casualties.

General Robert E. Lee began a long slow retreat, some of it in pouring rain. Lee’s men would never come back to Pennsylvania in force.

Medal of Honor

De Castro was one of seven men from the 19^th Massachusetts Infantry to be awarded the Medal of Honor for their valorous fighting at Gettysburg.

19th Massachusetts Continues

DeCastro continued on with the 19^th Massachusetts regiment. When his tour of duty was up, he re-enlisted on December 20, 1863.

During the autumn of 1863, the 19^th Massachusetts went on to see action at Bristoe Station, Robertson’s Tavern and the Wilderness.

The following spring they were in action at the Bloody Angle, North Anna, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. In June of 1864 near Petersburg, the 19^th lost all but 40 of its officers and men in the fighting along Jerusalem Plank Road. In July they went on to Deep Bottom and Reams’ Station, only to be brought back to Petersburg for more fighting.

War Concludes

In April of 1865, the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered thereby bringing the Civil War to a close. At that time, the 19^th Massachusetts marched back to Washington City. On June 30, the men mustered out. Much of the regiment then marched on to Massachusetts. At Readville, they were officially paid and discharged.

Joseph H. De Castro served through the entire length of the war. He had been promoted to be a Sergeant of Company I, 19^th Massachusetts.

De Castro After War

Joseph De Castro likely enjoyed some time in the Boston area with friends and family, but he clearly missed the military life. In 1870, he enlisted with the 6^th U.S. Cavalry, Regular Army. They were primarily assigned to the West. After four years of service with the cavalry unit, he returned East. 

De Castro married, and in 1882, he and his wife moved to New York City where he worked for an unspecified barge company.

He continued the military tradition as an active member of the Phil Kearny Post in New York City. De Castro also enjoyed attending Grand Army of the Republic reunions to help keep the memory of the war alive for the next generation.

On May 8, 1892, he died at home at 244 W. 22^nd Street. His funeral was held at the 18^th Street Methodist Church, and he was buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Newark, New Jersey. His grave is marked with a U.S. Medal of Honor bronze marker.

And for more information on Latinos during the Civil War, visit the American Battlefield Trust website: Hispanic Americans in the Civil War.

To read more about the Civil War, read about The Signal Corps and the importance of veterinary medicine during this time.

Most of us love going to the movies. Whether we are there to be entertained, enlightened, or to be exposed to other worlds, we love sitting in the darkened theater to “be told a new story.”

One hundred and fifty years ago people had the same desire to see, to think about, and to be entertained by stories. But of course, there were no films then, not even silent movies.

There were, however, cycloramas.

Cycloramas

Cycloramas were huge panoramic paintings that generally depicted major historic events. Many were 40-50 feet high and 300-400 feet long. They were intended to be shown in a specially-built cylindrical room.

The first cyclorama was painted by an Irishman, Robert Barker. Barker who was said to have climbed to the top of a hill near Edinburgh and was so awed by the view that he determined to create a way to depict a similar view artistically.  Other painters followed and perfected the art.

The audiences that came stood on a central platform and could examine the enormous painting encircling them. To add meaning to the experience, a guide would narrate the story of what was happening in the painting. Many of the cyclorama companies also employed a piano player so there was a musical accompaniment.

The overall effect was to make audiences feel they were in the midst of the action.

Teams of Painters

As the art of creating cycloramas became more widely practiced, their creation proved to be quite complex.

Teams of specialized workers were necessary. Some workers prepared the huge canvas. Others erected the scaffolds. Next, a team of artists arrived to work. Landscape painters worked on the backgrounds. Then additional artists came in to paint humans, horses, and artillery. They moved from section to section of the painting, adding in the art they did best.

To provide visitors with a “you are there” feeling, the artist/designer needed to make some sophisticated adjustments in perspective.

Special Buildings and Dioramas

Special buildings were created to display these paintings. Some locations hired additional craftsmen to create scale-model dioramas that depicted action from the painting. This gave the audience an even richer experience.

As more buildings were erected for the display of these paintings, the cycloramas began to be designed so that they could be taken down, rolled up, and transported to a new location. Just as reels of film used to be sent from theater to theater, the same type of trading went on with the cyclorama paintings.

Cycloramas became so popular that communities that did not have special buildings for their display came up with a method to show them. Standing at the front of a regular auditorium, men were hired to unroll the painting scene, says Pulitzer-Prize winning Civil War historian James M. McPherson. A narrator described the action.

Leading Painter

As battlefield cycloramas grew in popularity, Paul Philippoteaux (1846-1923) became the best known artist for designing and painting these immense works.  After he produced several of them depicting European battle scenes, an American merchant commissioned Philippoteaux to paint the “greatest battle of the Rebellion,” Pickett’s Charge.

Pickett’s Charge was an attempt by the Confederacy to penetrate the Union line at Gettysburg. The attempt failed, causing Robert E. Lee to call for a retreat by the Confederates. This brought the Battle of Gettysburg to a close.

Visit to Gettysburg

In the early 1880s, Philippoteaux traveled to the United States to visit Gettysburg and interview some of the soldiers who were still living. In addition to sketching what he saw, he hired local photographer William H. Tipton to shoot a series of photographs that would provide more detail.

When he returned to his salon in Paris, Philippoteaux pasted the photographs together in sequence. This gave him a blueprint for the background for the cyclorama.

Philippoteaux had a team of craftsmen working with him. The painting took a year and a half to complete. When finished, it was about 100 yards long and weighed nearly 6 tons.

First Opening in Chicago

Philippotoeaux’s first showing of “Pickett’s Charge” was in Chicago where a theater had been built for it. Audiences were enthralled. During that first year, over a half million people visited.

As a result of this success, Philippoteaux was commissioned to paint a second one. It was sold to a company that placed it in Boston. Eventually, four versions of this work were created.

Guides at the time were generally military men who had been in the battle. Their narrations were subjective and may not have been fully accurate, but the stories likely thrilled audiences.

One fellow who saw the Boston cyclorama in 1885 wrote: [It’s as if…] you can see for 15 miles all-around. Thousands and thousands of soldiers–horses–cannon–everything in a battle–about 40 feet on every side of you …” according to The Battle of Gettysburg Cyclorama by Sue Boardman and Kathryn Porch.

The Town of Gettysburg

Because the buildings necessary for displaying a cyclorama were so specialized and expensive, Gettysburg did not have a way to show the painting for a long time.

Then in June 1912, the Gettysburg Battle Picture Association received a charter from the Pennsylvania legislature to erect a specialized building. The building was completed by 1913, and “Pickett’s Charge” was finally displayed in its rightful place.

The Gettysburg cyclorama was a gift from department store magnate Albert Hahne. He first displayed the panoramic painting in the Grand Court of his Newark department store, Hahne & Company. While there, Hahne also arranged for it to be photographed section by section. (These photos later proved to be an invaluable resource for restoration of the painting.)

Displayed Until 1962

From 1913-1962, Pickett’s Charge was displayed at Gettysburg in the building that had been intended only as a “temporary home.” A leaky roof and no climate control led to deterioration of the painting, but at the time there was no money for a solution.

In 1948, some emergency repairs were undertaken, but because the painting remained in the same decrepit building, more damage occurred. The cyclorama endured more indignities in 1959 when restoration crew came in and caused more damage.

Saving the Cyclorama

Finally, in 1999 park superintendent John Latschar put together a plan to preserve the painting. As Latschar worked on an overall plan for the tourism site, he included a new building.

The painting was sent out for multiple cleanings and extensive restoration. Battlefield Foundation president Robert Wilburn pulled together contractor Robert Kinsley, conservator David Olin, and a team of historians and artists worked to bring the painting back from ruin.

Today anyone who sees it is in awe. The painting is in beautiful condition, and the new building safely shows it off well.

Though about 30 cycloramas still exist, very few are displayed. In Atlanta, the Atlanta History Center displays “Battle of Atlanta.”

Visit Gettysburg and the Cyclorama

Come experience it for yourself: http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/

As President Abraham Lincoln concluded in the Gettysburg Address, the Civil War was a “new birth of freedom” so that “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.”

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For more stories of the Civil War, see “When Heroes Had Hooves” and “The Little-Known Story of the Gettysburg Address.”