Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

[sthabig]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

An old thread, but I'll put in a man of which I am descended:

Aaron T. Kinslow

I wish I knew more about him.

Thanks,

Tyler

[Mark Britton]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Not sure I'd call these men my heroes in the strictest sense of the word, but they were men that I admire for certain ..

1) Men of the 14th Tennessee (mostly a locally raised unit) that left their families to go serve with the ANV.
2) John S. Mosby
3) Nathan B. Forrest

Mark Britton

[Possum]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

1. My ancestors.

Warren Kilpatrick 29th Alabama Infantry Co. K
J.J. Kilpatrick Clanton's Alabama Battery
John A. Ross 59th Alabama Infantry Co. B
J.W. Hynes Alabama Homeguard- KIA at Selma, Alabama


2.Patrick R. Cleburne- His idea of enlisting slaves as soldiers could have saved the Confederacy, plus he's an Irishman

3. William Lowndes Yancey- Alabama's own Fire Eater and probably the reason that the great state of Alabama Seceded from the Union.

4. Nathan Bedford Forrest- Enough said

5. Confederate Homeguard and Militia- Old men and young boys protecting their homes from the Yankee invaders

[FloridaConscript]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Earl Van Dorn

[Gallinipper]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Col. Isaac E. Avery, 6th NCST. WIA Gettysburg, PA 7/2/63, died 7/3/63.
"Major, tell my father I died with my face to the enemy".

2Lt. Charles Croxton, 4th VA Cav. KIA Dinwiddie Court House, VA 3/31/65.
1Lt. Romulus L. Cox, 52nd NCT. WIA Globe Tavern, VA 8/21/64.

Rich Croxton

[J. Donaldson]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

I have two. The first person I admire, besides all volunteers who left home to serve, is my GGG Uncle James Donaldson. He was born in New York State in 1835, came to Iowa with his family in 1839 and farmed within five miles of where I grew up. He joined the 2nd Iowa Infantry, Company C, in 1861, and despite suffering two wounds at Corinth (one in the right side of his chest) reenlisted and served the length of the war. He went home and hopscotched west, eventually becoming a justice of the peace and dabbled in legal work, having given up farming due to his lingering chest wound. According to his pension papers he could only walk about 100 yards or so at a time as he got older due to his wound.

The second is William Vanzant, a North Carolinian by birth who moved with his brother to Wapello County, Iowa in 1848. Somewhat of a ne'er do well, William joined the 1st Iowa Battery and served as a gun sergeant until his death to disease at Benton Barracks in February of 1864. His letters and diaries are incredible to read, and opened a new window for me into the life of a Federal soldier. Attached you will find his image, possibly taken in 1863.

[Dale Beasley]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

My GGGrandfather:

PVT Dallas Crabtree, 28th NC INF.
He turned 17 years old during the Battle of Gettysburg, what a birthday.

Came home and rebuilt his families 800 acre plantation. Lost his Wife and Son at an early age. His daughter became a concert pianist. Later, he became known as a "Ladies Man".

My other GGGrandfather:
PVT James Edward Walker Grace, 28th Miss Cav.

Later became a Federal Judge. Was a known horseman, I once met a Elderly Lady who remembers as a child "The Judge" riding his Trotter Horse to Church every Sunday.

(does anyone read these post?)

[swankgreg]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

I would say that the war created about 620,000 heroes during those bloody years. As i've heard many veterans say before, the true heroes are the ones who never came home.

[Auld Pelty]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Major Sam Hildebrand, 1st Missouri Yankee Killers.

[Pat.Lewis]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Oh Lord, there's so many hyper-Romantic heroic figures that I indulge myself with too much. Probably Ben Hardin Helm's cavalier locks take the cake along with those epic dying words. Scott don't write no better. Then again, Kentuckians usually make the best dashing cavaliers. :D

But really, one of the men I most admire is Albion Tourgee, 105th OH. Wounded in action, is 1/3 of perhaps the best photograph of AoC officers on campaign, spends the Reconstruction years opposing the Kuklux in North Carolina, becomes a bestselling author in (amazingly historically accurate) novels about the same topic, and argues Homer Plessy's case before the supreme court. The man was a century ahead of his time.

[Secesh]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Jerome Marcellus Clark, AKA Sue Mundy, 4th Kentucky Infantry, Morgan's Command, Confederate guerrilla.

[ajroscoe]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

For me, my Civil War Heroes have all been artillerymen or units led by them. Someone earlier mentioned John Gibbon, and he has always struck me as one of the bravest and ablest soldiers in the Union army. He created the Iron Brigade, the best combat unit in the Army of the Potomac, broke Jackson's lines with Meade at Fredericksburg, commanded the II Corps for most of Gettysburg, stopping two Confederate advances from taking the Union center on two different days, and ended the war as a corps commander. He fought against his brothers, his home, his friends and stayed loyal to his oath, unlike so many others.

James Stewart, company B, 4th United States Artillery is another one. He was the last officer to leave Seminary Ridge on July 1st, 1863, and his battery was the last unit to leave. He was wounded, stayed in command of his battery, and helped repulse Early's attacks on the 2nd. He was a skilled artilleryman and able leader.

Finally, Hubert Dilger of Battery I, 1st Ohio Light Artillery comes to mind. I think his actions were some of the very bravest I have ever heard of, period. When Jackson's assault broke the XI Corps lines on May 2nd, 1863, Dilger, with one of his guns, fought, withdrew, fought, withdrew, delayed, fought, and so on for over two miles, significantly slowing Jackson down, and giving the rest of the army much needed time to recover. He was bestowed with the Medal of Honor for this act.

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

Lizzie Aiken

http://civilwarwomen.blogspot.com/2006/09/lizzie-aiken-part-1.html

Adah Issacs Menken

http://books.google.com/books?id=NmGBqAEC2C8C&dq=performing+menken+review&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=zl_KSaPoF42jtgfbt_CiAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPP1,M1

[Philo]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

One would be:

My ggg uncle, William Van Fossen

http://www.shelbycountyhistory.org/schs/archives/people/vanfossenpeoa.htm

Another:


Sgt. Asa Blanchard, 19th Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry,Co. B



Asa Blanchard fell at Gettysburg July 1, 1863.

The following is from the a letter written by Henry Marsh,
Hospital Stewerd of the 19th: Dated August 3, 1914

....when the regiment was ordered to fall back, someone said to
Capt. W.W. Macy "The flag is down " he answered "go and get it!"
The reply, with an oath, was "I won't do it" Capt. Macy then ran
back and pulled a man from it [the flag] and caught up with the
regiment. He was being assisted by 2nd Lt. Crockett East of
Company K in putting the flag in the shuck when Lt. East was
shot dead, bearing the flag to the earth.

Capt. Macy was carrying the flag from the field when Sgt. Major
Asa Blancchard came up and demanded it. Macy, thinking that
Blanchard would act rashly said "No, Theres been men enough shot
with it" Blanchard appealed to the colonel who said to Macy,
let him have it.

As soon as Blanchard received it he tied the shuck around his
body, unfurled the flag and began waving it at the rebels,
crying out "Rally , boys!" At once he was shot in the groin, an
artery being cut. W.W. Jackson, who was next to him, said the
blood came out in a gush. Blanchard said, "Don't stop for me.
Tell mother that I never faltered.

His body was returned to Richmond Indiana for burial, wrapped in
the flag he so gallantly bore.

[Sherman Necktie]

Re: Who is your WBTS Hero or Heroine?

For me the men who always amazed me were the men who carried the colors. The fact that carrying the flag made you an obvious target and many men died protecting and defending the colors. I'd have to agree with Mr. Swank, the men who gave their lives for what they believed in. It's amazing to me what the soldiers went through from the mundane routines of camp life to the sheer terror of battle and everything in between. Knowing we'll never get the full experience, but at the same time having those moments whether on the march or sitting by the fire with your pards it's an awesome experience having a connection with the past.

As for a specific hero, on the Southern side I've always been impressed with Cleburne. He was definitely a man before his time, and even with his differences with upper command he always gave his all.