Charles H. Seston

Charles H. Seston was born in 1840 in New Albany, Indiana. He grew up in the Ohio River community of New Albany and later entered the United States Army from that same city during the American Civil War. His military career would ultimately place him among the most honored soldiers of Indiana, although he would not live to receive the decoration that recognized his courage. Congressional Medal of Honor Society records him as a Sergeant in Company I, 11th Indiana Infantry. Congressional Medal of Honor Society The 11th Indiana Infantry was one of Indiana's best-known Civil War regiments. Originally organized in 1861 under Colonel Lew Wallace, it developed from an early-war Zouave regiment into a veteran infantry organization. During the course of the war, the regiment served in major western campaigns, including operations associated with Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Vicksburg, before eventually being transferred east to the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. National Park Service By 1864, Seston had risen to the rank of Sergeant and held one of the most dangerous and symbolically important battlefield responsibilities in an infantry regiment: he served as a color bearer / color sergeant. The regimental colors provided soldiers with a visible rallying point amid smoke, confusion, noise, and broken formations. Because the flags were conspicuous, the men carrying them were also exceptionally exposed to enemy fire. In the summer of 1864, the 11th Indiana was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley, where Major General Philip Sheridan was conducting an aggressive campaign against Confederate forces under Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early. By September, the Union Army was preparing for a major offensive intended to break Confederate control of the Valley. Indiana National Guard historical material places the 11th Indiana within Sheridan's XIX Corps during this campaign. Indiana Government The decisive moment came on September 19, 1864, during the Battle of Opequon, more commonly known as the Third Battle of Winchester. The battle developed into one of the largest and bloodiest engagements ever fought in the Shenandoah Valley. Union forces advanced against Early's army near Winchester, Virginia, but the attack initially encountered serious difficulties. Restricted terrain disrupted the Federal advance, Confederate resistance was strong, and artillery fire struck the Union formations from exposed angles. The 11th Indiana was among the regiments heavily engaged. According to Indiana's official military lineage history, the regiment's initial attack faltered under Confederate resistance and enfilading artillery fire. Federal troops fell back to reorganize, and Confederate soldiers counterattacked. For a time, the battle line shifted violently back and forth as both sides struggled for control. Indiana Government At this critical moment, the 11th Indiana surged forward again. At the front was Sergeant Charles H. Seston carrying the regimental colors. The Indiana military history preserves a vivid account of his conduct, describing Seston as moving ahead of the regiment with the flag held high, disregarding the danger surrounding him. His visible determination helped provide the soldiers behind him with a rallying point as the regiment pressed forward in the counterattack. Indiana Government Seston's official Medal of Honor citation later summarized his conduct in deliberately concise language: “Gallant and meritorious service in carrying the regimental colors.” U.S. Army The simplicity of the citation does not fully convey the danger of his role. A Civil War color bearer could rarely conceal himself or take full advantage of cover. His job required keeping the flag visible so that soldiers could orient themselves around it. During an advance, that often meant moving upright and exposed while rifle and artillery fire swept the battlefield. At Winchester, Seston did exactly that. The 11th Indiana's counterattack formed part of the broader Union recovery that eventually broke Early's position. Sheridan's army pushed Confederate forces from Winchester and gained an important victory in the Valley. Indiana military records state that the 11th Indiana suffered 81 casualties in the battle, illustrating the severity of the fighting through which Seston carried the colors. Indiana Government Seston did not survive the victory. He was killed at Winchester on September 19, 1864, the same day as his Medal of Honor action. Contemporary reporting from his hometown later mourned the death of the young New Albany soldier and emphasized that he had fallen while performing his duty. Congressional Medal of Honor Society records likewise confirm Winchester as both the location and date of his death. Genealogy Trails His death made the eventual Medal of Honor recognition posthumous. More than six months after the battle, on April 6, 1865, Charles H. Seston was formally awarded the Medal of Honor. The official U.S. Army record identifies him as: Sergeant, Company I, 11th Indiana Infantry and records the action at Winchester, Virginia, September 19, 1864. U.S. Army His Medal of Honor belonged to the early Army period and is correctly represented in this project as: Medal of Honor 1862–1895 Army — No device No V device, clasp, service star, or other attachment should be added to Seston's Medal of Honor. Seston was not the only member of the 11th Indiana recognized for extraordinary courage at Winchester. Two other soldiers of the regiment—Private Peter J. Ryan and Private John T. Sterling—also received the Medal of Honor for their actions in the same battle. Their awards underscore how heavily the 11th Indiana was engaged during the struggle and how significant the regiment's role became in the Union victory. Indiana Government Following his death, Seston's remains were returned to his home community. He was buried in Fairview Cemetery in New Albany, Indiana, where his grave preserves the memory of a local soldier who left the city for the Union Army and never returned alive. Congressional Medal of Honor Society Charles H. Seston's life was brief, and surviving authoritative records provide little information about civilian achievements outside his military service. Yet his battlefield legacy is unusually clear. On September 19, 1864, during one of the decisive battles of the Shenandoah Valley campaign, Seston carried the colors of the 11th Indiana Infantry through intense combat. When the regiment needed a visible point around which to rally and advance, he remained at the front with the flag raised. He continued performing that duty despite the dangers of concentrated infantry and artillery fire. He was killed before the day ended. The Medal of Honor awarded after his death recognized exactly what his comrades had witnessed: a Sergeant who placed himself in one of the most exposed positions on the battlefield and carried his regiment's colors with gallantry until the final battle of his life.