Charles H. Marsh

The Cavalryman Who Captured an Enemy Flag and Its Bearer

Charles H. Marsh was an American Union Army cavalryman who received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary bravery during the American Civil War. Serving as a private in Company D of the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, Marsh distinguished himself during a military engagement at Back Creek Valley, near North Mountain, West Virginia, on July 31, 1864. During the fighting, he captured a Confederate flag and its bearer from the command of Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early. His actions earned him the nation's highest military decoration on January 23, 1865.

Born around 1840 in Milford, Connecticut, Marsh grew up in the Lanesville district of New Milford. Little verified information survives concerning his childhood, education, family background, or activities before entering military service. His documented military history began during the first year of the American Civil War.

On October 21, 1861, Marsh enlisted in the Union Army from New Milford, Connecticut. He entered service as a private in Company D of the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, a mounted regiment that participated in military operations against Confederate forces.

The 1st Connecticut Cavalry served in the eastern theater of the war, conducting mounted operations that included reconnaissance, raids, and engagements with Confederate troops. Marsh's service with the regiment brought him into areas of Virginia where Union and Confederate cavalry forces frequently operated.

In October 1862, approximately one year after his enlistment, Marsh was captured by Confederate forces near Haymarket, Virginia. The circumstances of his arrest became complicated when Confederate authorities discovered a letter in his possession that raised suspicions about his activities.

Marsh was suspected of being a spy and imprisoned at Castle Thunder in Richmond, Virginia. The prison was used by Confederate authorities to hold civilians, suspected spies, and other prisoners.

While imprisoned, Marsh protested his treatment to Confederate Secretary of War James A. Seddon. He maintained that he had been captured in territory held by Union forces and should therefore be treated as a prisoner of war rather than as a spy.

His argument did not secure an immediate change in his status. Nevertheless, he was released through a prisoner exchange in December 1862, ending his confinement in Richmond.

Following his release, Marsh returned to Union military service with the 1st Connecticut Cavalry. His return allowed him to continue serving despite the difficulties of his earlier capture and imprisonment.

During 1864, the regiment participated in operations connected with the Union campaigns in Virginia. Marsh's military history also records his participation in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in May 1864, one of the major engagements of Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign.

His most significant documented action occurred on July 31, 1864, during a cavalry operation in Back Creek Valley, near North Mountain, West Virginia.

At that time, Confederate forces under Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early were conducting military operations in the Shenandoah Valley region. Union cavalry units sought to challenge Confederate movements and engage enemy detachments operating in the area.

During a raid against Confederate forces, Marsh encountered an opportunity to capture an enemy flag and the soldier carrying it.

The official Medal of Honor citation identifies his achievement as the capture of a Black Flag and its bearer from Early's Confederate command.

Capturing an enemy flag was a notable accomplishment during the American Civil War. Military colors served as symbols of unit identity and provided visible reference points during combat. The seizure of a flag, together with its bearer, represented a direct and identifiable battlefield achievement.

Marsh's action at Back Creek Valley was distinguished by the capture of both the flag and the individual responsible for carrying it. The surviving citation establishes the event but does not provide a detailed description of the movements, weapons, or immediate circumstances involved.

His courage during the engagement brought him formal recognition while the Civil War was still underway.

On January 23, 1865, Charles H. Marsh received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 31, 1864. The award came less than six months after the engagement and recognized his individual bravery as a private in Company D of the 1st Connecticut Cavalry.

Marsh continued serving during the final months of the war. His military records indicate that he eventually attained the rank of corporal, the highest rank documented in his service.

He remained associated with the regiment until his discharge in August 1865, several months after the surrender of General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Court House.

Following his departure from the Union Army, Marsh returned to civilian life. His postwar years were brief, and relatively little reliable information survives concerning his occupation, family circumstances, or personal activities after military service.

Marsh developed tuberculosis, which historical accounts associate with his wartime service. His health declined, and he died on January 25, 1867, at approximately 26 or 27 years of age, less than two years after the conclusion of the Civil War.

He was buried at the Quaker Burying Grounds in New Milford, Connecticut, preserving his connection to the community from which he had entered military service.

Marsh's bravery has also been commemorated in New Milford, where a bridge spanning the Housatonic River bears his name. The memorial recognizes his connection to the town and his distinction as a Medal of Honor recipient.

Charles H. Marsh's military legacy is defined by his service in the 1st Connecticut Cavalry, his experience as a Confederate prisoner, and his remarkable action at Back Creek Valley.

From his enlistment in October 1861 to his discharge in August 1865, Marsh served through several demanding years of the American Civil War. His capture of an enemy flag and its bearer on July 31, 1864, earned him the Medal of Honor and established his place among the Union soldiers recognized for exceptional bravery.

Although his life ended in 1867, his Medal of Honor and the memorial bearing his name preserve the memory of a Connecticut cavalryman whose courage during the Civil War received national recognition.