American Civil War - From Cabin Boys to Generals Quiz

Answer: No

It was not until 1977 that the Sons of Confederate Veterans created the Confederate Medal of Honor. In 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis signed a law authorizing medals for courage on the battlefield. However, none was issued because General Robert E. Lee refused to award individual citations for valor and instead mentioned noteworthy performances.

Answer: near Murfreesboro, Tennessee

The Battle of Stone's River was fought near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Chaplain John Whitehead wrote in his diary that virtually half of his regiment had been killed or wounded that day. Chaplain Whitehead disregarded the shot and shells flying all about and worked to evacuate the wounded and dying to the rear.

The U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School presents the John M. Whitehead Award to the student earning the top score on the Army Physical Fitness Test and demonstrating mental and physical toughness throughout the course.

Answer: Washington, DC

General Howard founded Howard University on 3 acres of land in Washington, DC in 1867. It educated 150,000 freed slaves. But he later led a massacre of women and children belonging to the Nez Perce tribe because they wouldn't move to a reservation. General Howard was certainly an enigma. He was extremely pious but followed orders to the letter.

Howard today produces more black doctorates than any other university. Alumni include Toni Morrison, Andrew Young, Kamala Harris and Thurgood Marshall.

Answer: Petersburg Campaign

Lt. Appleton's citation reads, "The first man of the Eighteenth Corps to enter the enemy's works at Petersburg, Va., 15 June 1864. Valiant service in a desperate assault at New Market Heights, Va., inspiring the Union troops by his example of steady courage". The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and the Battle of New Market Heights were part of the Petersburg Campaign.

Answer: Wilmington, North Carolina

One of the cabin boy's duties was to carry gunpowder to the gun deck. Although his citation is ambiguous, he most likely received the award for carrying out this duty while under fire at such a ripe young age.

Wilmington was a major port for the South. Fort Fisher is located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River.

Answer: Mary Edwards Walker

Mary Edwards Walker was not initially allowed to serve as a medical officer because she was a woman. At the time, the army had no female surgeons, so Walker was only allowed to practice as a nurse.

In 1863, the Army finally allowed her to practice as a surgeon. Walker often crossed battle lines to care for soldiers and civilians. In April 1864, Walker had just finished helping a Confederate doctor with a surgery when she was captured by Confederate troops as a spy. She was held as a prisoner of war for four months. While imprisoned, she refused to wear the women's clothes provided to her. She wore men's clothes her entire life because they were more comfortable and hygienic.

After the war, Walker was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Andrew Johnson.

In 1916, the Medal of Honor was taken away from Walker and many others after the government reviewed their eligibility. Although she was given the award by the president, she did not meet the requirements to qualify for the award because she was a civilian. However, this did not stop Walker from wearing her award until her death in 1919.

In 1977, President Jimmy Carter legally restored the Medal of Honor to Walker's name.

Answer: saving the regimental/battle flag(s)

The regimental/battle flags were of utmost importance as they acted as the rallying point for troops scattered across a battlefield. When a flagbearer went down, it was seen as an act of bravery for another soldier to pick it up and rally the troops around it.

Answer: Thirteen

Thirteen stars, representing each seceded state and the secession government of Kentucky and Missouri. The original Confederate flag had only one star on a blue background and was called the Bonnie Blue Flag.

Answer: 54th Massachusetts Infantry

Born into slavery, Carney, at the age of 14, attended a secret school where he learned to read and write. Emancipated when his owner died, he moved to Bedford, Massachusetts.

Carney voluntarily joined the 54th Massachusetts Infantry which was an all-black unit commanded by white officers.

The assault on Fort Wagner, South Carolina, would be the first real test of these young black, Union soldiers. When the soldier carrying the colors fell, Sergeant Carney threw his rifle aside and grasped the colors before they touched the ground.

Amid the cheers of his battered comrades, Sergeant Carney finally reached safety. Before collapsing among them from his many wounds his only words were, "Boys, I only did my duty. The flag never touched the ground."

Answer: The Great Locomotive Chase

Robertson and his comrades commandeered a train in Big Shanty, Georgia, nearly 200 miles into enemy territory and took it northward toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, doing as much damage as possible to the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad (W&A) line from Atlanta to Chattanooga as they went. They were pursued by Confederate forces at first on foot, and later on a succession of locomotives.

Because the raiders had cut the telegraph wires, the Confederates could not send warnings ahead to forces along the railway.

All of the raiders were enlisted men. Of the raiders, 6 were hanged as spies, 7 escaped, and 6 were exchanged. Two others enlisted in Confederate units. Robertson was one of those hanged.

A feature film entitled "The Great Locomotive Chase" (1956) starring Fess Parker was also based on these exploits.