At the Battle of South Mountain, on the evening of 14 September 1862, PVT Phillip Cheek and the 6th Wisconsin advanced upon Turner’s Gap, one of three passes at South Mountain. Alongside the 19th Indiana, 2nd and 7th Wisconsin Infantries, the men of BG John Gibbon’s 4th Brigade met heavy resistance from COL Alfred H. Colquitt’s Brigade of Georgians and Alabamians but steadily advanced up the slope to within a close range where both sides poured volleys into each other. Despite running low on ammunition, PVT Cheek and the rest of his Brigade held their ground until the Confederates retreated that night.

Observing the advance upon Turner’s Gap from his headquarters, MG McClellan, commander of the Army of the Potomac remarked to MG Hooker, the I Corps commander, about the fighting spirit of the men that, “They must be made of iron.” From that day, PVT Phillip Cheek and the men assigned to BG Gibbon became known as the Iron Brigade.

Sources used for this episode:

Cheek, Philip and Pointon, Mair. History of the Sauk County Riflemen, Known as Company “A,” Sixth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry, 1861 – 1865. Democrat Printing Company, 1909. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nnc1.cu01504851&seq=11.

Scott, Robert N. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 19, pt: 1 Reports. Government Printing Office, 1887. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079609610&view=1up&seq=3.

Wisconsin Historical Society. “The Origin of the Famous Iron Brigade’s Name.” Accessed 18 March 2026. https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS3518.

At the Battle of Cedar Mountain, 9 August 1862, PVT Worsham and the 21st Virginia formed the right flank of Garnett’s brigade in a wooded area along the Orange and Culpeper Road. Perfectly position for flanking fire upon advancing Union Regiments to the south and east, Garnett’s Brigade was itself flanked, and PVT Worsham witnessed what he called a “Hell Spot” as his Brigade was overrun and the woods became scene to intense hand to hand fighting.

Sources used for this episode:

Worsham, John H. One of Jackson’s Foot Cavalry; His Experience and What He Saw During the War 1861-1865. Including a History of “Company F,” Richmond, Va., 21st Regiment Virginia Infantry, Second Brigade, Jackson’s Division, Second Corps, A. N. VA. Neale Publishing Company, 1912. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nc01.ark:/13960/t32240t06&seq=11&view=1up.

King, Horatio C. Cedar Mountain. 1902. https://archive.org/details/cedarmountain00king/mode/1up.

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. 2: Reports. Government Printing Office, 1885. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924077728222&view=1up&seq=3.

At the Battle of Five Forks, 1 April 1865, PVT Joseph J. Sutton and the 2nd West Virginia Cavalry, advanced through the battlefield of the day before at Dinwiddie Courthouse only to find the Confederate Cavalry and Infantry have retreated to their fortified positions at Five Forks. After several hours of preparation and waiting for the V Corps to march into position, the Union Cavalry and Infantry began their attack. Though initially dismounted, the 2nd West Virginia remounted and rode further west, where they faced Confederate Cavalry belonging to MG Fitz Hugh Lee, after the skirmishing died down, both sides drew sabers.

Sources used for this episode:

Sutton, Joseph J. History of the Second Regiment West Virginia Cavalry Volunteers, During the war of the Rebellion. Portsmouth, 1892. https://archive.org/details/historyofsecondr00sutt/page/n8/mode/1up.

Davis, George B., Perry, Leslie J., Kirkley, Joseph W. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 46, pt. 1: Reports, sec 1. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079575332&view=1up&seq=3.

Davis, George B., Perry, Leslie J., Kirkley, Joseph W. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. ser. 1, vol. 46, pt. 1: Reports, sec. 2. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924079575340&view=1up&seq=7.

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.