#keith rocco

Many of the flotillamen were black, as the navy had no restrictions barring their service, unlike the army and militia. Among them was Charles Ball, who, after escaping from slavery in Georgia and returning to his native Maryland, had joined the flotilla in the Patuxent, working as a seaman and cook. Madison asked Barney if the blacks “would not run on the approach of the British?” After four months on the river and in the woods with his men, Barney gave a sure reply. “No sir,” the commodore said. “They don’t know how to run; they will die by their guns first.”

— Steve Vogel, Through the Perilous Fight: Six Weeks That Saved the Nation

In late June 1863, Major General John Reynolds led the Left Wing of the Army of the Potomac (First, Third, and Eleventh Corps) as it advanced north towards Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. On the morning of July 1, 1863 Brigadier General John Buford and his cavalry held defensive positions on the northwest side of Gettysburg. The dismounted cavalrymen fought briefly with Confederate Major General Henry Heth‘s forces as they advanced toward the town, and then waited for the rest of the army to arrive.

Buford sent word of the skirmish to Reynolds, and the two generals met at the Lutheran Seminary. Buford informed Reynolds that his men were fighting a delaying action but were being pushed back. It was Reynolds’ decision whether the Federals would continue to fight at that location or withdraw. Reynolds decided to fight. He ordered Buford to hold his posiiton until the Left Wing’s three corps arrived.

Reynolds recognized the importance of holding the Confederates at bay until the bulk of the army came and occupied the high ground to the east and south of town. Reynolds directed the deployment of his Union regiments as they arrived. The two brigades of the First Division of the First Corps came first. The First Brigade of the division consisted of the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin Infantry Regiments, the 19th Indiana Infantry, and the 24th Michigan Infantry: the Iron Brigade. These regiments hurried forward toward the Herbst Woods on McPherson’s Ridge where they clashed with the Tennessee and Alabama troops of CSA General James J. Archer’s brigade.

Reynolds rode back and forth on his horse as he issued orders, just east of the Woods. As the 2nd Wisconsin rushed past him, Reynolds shouted “Forward men, forward, for God’s sake, and drive those fellows out of the woods.” As the two sides fought on with devastating effect, Reynolds, in his hazardous forward position, was hit in the neck by a bullet and killed instantly.

"Save the Colors" by Keith Rocco, depicting the color guard of the 5th New York Infantry (”Duryee’s Zouaves”) during their desperate stand at 2nd Bull Run.

“As the line disintegrated, a knot of desperate men clustered around the regimental colors, determined that the precious banners should not fall into Rebel hands. Color Sergeant Andrew Allison, a British army veteran who carried the Stars and Stripes, was shot in the wrist. He passed the flag to another man and started for safety, but then turned back, retook the flag and was immediately shot dead. The banner was raised, shot down, and raised again. Ultimately Corporal Lucien B. Swain bore its bloody folds and splintered staff to safety.

“The guardian of the blue regimental colors, 22-year-old Irish-born Sergeant Francis Spelman, was shot in the left arm and fell to the ground. Two soldiers tried to get him off the field, but he spurned their aid and stood again, flag in hand. Moments later, a bullet ripped the length of his right arm to the shoulder and another shot tore through his neck. A group of Southern soldiers made a run for the stricken sergeant, yelling at him to surrender the trophy. In desperate agony, Spelman cried out to Sergeant William Chambers, like the fallen Allison a veteran of the British army, ‘For God’s sake don’t let them take my flag!’ Chambers responded, ‘I won’t if I can help it!’ and seized the flag from the stricken bearer. At that moment another bullet slammed into Spelman’s head, nearly severing his lower jaw from his face. All but one of the regimental color guard lay dead or dying, but the banners were saved.”

Napoleon at Lodi by Keith Rocco