“There was no better or braver soldier than... John Dougherty.” At the Battle of South Mountain in September 1862, a Pottsville railroad worker turned US Army officer fell leading his men into battle. I recently visited the grave of this Irish-born Civil War hero in Pottsville, PA. Read the full story.
Ten days after Antietam, a young soldier from Wiconisco Township, PA sat down to put it into words for his father back home. Private Joseph Workman of the 96th Pennsylvania had just walked the battlefield days earlier. "I saw an awful sight," he wrote. "We had to move away from there on account of the stink." His letter, recently digitized by the Library of Congress, provides insights into what he witnessed at the Battle of South Mountain as well. Read the full story.
Major Joseph Anthony, an Irish immigrant and revered Civil War veteran, survived grievous wounds at Chancellorsville only to succumb to their effects in 1885. After the war, he helped shape anthracite mining in Williamstown, Pennsylvania, earning lasting admiration for his bravery and leadership. Read the full story and a moving obituary for this Civil War veteran.
A newly digitized Library of Congress portrait brings Captain Jacob Haas of Company G, 96th Pennsylvania into stunning focus. Taken by Pottsville photographer A.M. Allen, this Civil War image captures the resolve of a Coal Region officer. Discover Haas’s story and his regiment’s legacy in our latest post. Read the full story.
Step back to June 21, 1888, when over 200 veterans of the 96th Pennsylvania returned to Gettysburg to unveil their regimental monument. Hear veteran Henry Royer’s stirring keynote about sacrifice, brotherhood, and the war’s true cause - slavery. His speech was a moving tribute to comrades both living and fallen. Read the full story.
On the anniversary of Joseph Workman's death during the Civil War, I'm remembering the Wiconisco native who joined the 96th Pennsylvania in 1861. Wounded at South Mountain and captured at Spotsylvania, he succumbed to his wounds in Confederate-controlled Richmond. His weathered monument in Calvary United Methodist Cemetery is a reminder to remember the young man who died for his country. Read the full story.
Step into May 1864 through the eyes of Henry Keiser, a Pennsylvania corporal facing brutal combat during the Civil War. This short student documentary brings his vivid diary to life, revealing the raw realities of the Civil War in a way you won’t forget. Read the full story and watch the video.
On April 9, 1865, Sergeant Henry Keiser of Wiconisco Township, PA, recorded in his diary the moment he and his fellow soldiers learned of General Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, marking the end of their service in the Civil War. After surviving brutal battles from Gettysburg to Cedar Creek, Keiser returned home to Pennsylvania, where he lived until 1933, remembered as a dedicated soldier and community member. Read the full story.
Josiah and Franklin Workman were killed at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 10, 1864.
Major Joseph Anthony was severely wounded during his Civil War service, but later took up a job leading mining operations in Dauphin County, PA.