Charles W. Anderson

The Cavalryman Who Captured a Flag Under an Assumed Name

Charles W. Anderson, originally named George Pforr, was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for bravery during the American Civil War. Born on March 15, 1844, in Baltimore, Maryland, he served in the Union Army under the assumed name Charles W. Anderson. As a Private in Company K of the 1st New York Cavalry, also known as the Lincoln Cavalry, he captured a Confederate flag during the Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia, on March 2, 1865. His action earned him the Medal of Honor on March 26, 1865.

The unusual circumstances of Anderson's military career began before he joined the Union Army. His original name was George Pforr, and his early military experience included service in the Confederate Army. Historical accounts identify him as a member of an artillery battery commanded by Captain Jonathan H. McClanahan, associated with Confederate cavalry operations under Brigadier General John D. Imboden.

In February 1864, Pforr deserted the Confederate Army. His departure marked a significant turning point in his life and military service. He subsequently joined Union forces operating in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley.

To enter Union service, he adopted the name Charles W. Anderson. Accounts of his enlistment indicate that he also gave New Orleans, Louisiana, as his birthplace, although his actual birthplace was Baltimore, Maryland.

Under his new identity, Anderson enlisted in the 1st New York Cavalry, widely known as the Lincoln Cavalry. He was assigned to Company K, commanded by Captain Edwin F. Savacool.

The regiment served in the Union Army's cavalry operations in Virginia. Its duties included reconnaissance, patrols, raids, and mounted engagements against Confederate forces.

By early 1865, the Confederate military position in the Shenandoah Valley had weakened considerably. Union cavalry formations continued operations against Confederate troops attempting to maintain control of important roads and communities in the region.

On March 2, 1865, Union cavalry under Major General Philip H. Sheridan confronted Confederate forces commanded by Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early near Waynesboro, Virginia.

The Battle of Waynesboro became a decisive engagement in Sheridan's campaign against the remaining Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley.

Union troops advanced against Early's positions as Confederate resistance began to collapse. The engagement resulted in the defeat and capture of a substantial portion of the Confederate force.

Anderson participated in the battle as a Private in Company K of the 1st New York Cavalry.

During the fighting, he captured a Confederate flag.

His official Medal of Honor citation identifies his accomplishment as the capture of an unidentified Confederate flag at Waynesboro on March 2, 1865.

Regimental flags held considerable importance during the American Civil War. They represented the identity of military units and served as visible reference points for soldiers during engagements. Capturing an enemy flag was regarded as a notable battlefield achievement and frequently received special recognition.

Anderson's capture of the Confederate colors distinguished him during the Union victory at Waynesboro.

Although the official citation does not identify the Confederate unit to which the captured flag belonged or describe the precise circumstances of its seizure, it establishes Anderson's individual act of bravery.

The Union victory at Waynesboro effectively ended Early's organized military resistance in the Shenandoah Valley. The defeat further weakened Confederate forces in Virginia during the final weeks of the war.

Anderson's action was recognized shortly after the battle.

On March 26, 1865, he received the Medal of Honor for his conduct at Waynesboro. The award was officially recorded under the name Charles W. Anderson, the identity he had adopted when entering Union military service.

This distinction became an important part of his life story. Although George Pforr was his original name, his recognized Union Army service and Medal of Honor were documented under Charles W. Anderson.

Following the end of the Civil War, Anderson was mustered out of volunteer service in June 1865.

His military career continued after the conflict.

On January 11, 1866, he enlisted in the regular United States Army, joining Company M of the 3rd United States Cavalry.

His new assignment took him into military operations across the American West during the period commonly known as the Indian Wars.

Anderson remained in the regular Army for approximately twelve years. His service with the 3rd Cavalry represented a separate phase of his career from the Union volunteer cavalry service for which he had received the Medal of Honor.

On April 4, 1878, he received a hardship discharge from the Army, ending his long period of military service.

After leaving the regular Army, Anderson returned to Virginia and settled near Staunton, where members of his family lived.

During this period, he resumed using his original name, George Pforr.

On September 18, 1878, he married Sallie Smith Garber. The couple established their family in Virginia and raised eleven children.

His return to his original name reflected the conclusion of the military chapter during which he had been known as Charles W. Anderson.

Although he resumed civilian life as George Pforr, his military records continued to identify him by the name under which he had served in the Union Army.

In 1905, Pforr applied for a federal military pension based on his service. His application addressed the unusual circumstances of his military history, including his earlier Confederate service and his subsequent enlistment in the Union Army under an assumed name.

His account received support from men familiar with his wartime circumstances. The pension was approved in 1906, providing formal recognition of his qualifying federal military service despite the difference between his original name and his Army identity.

Pforr spent his later years in the Staunton area of Virginia.

He died on February 25, 1916, at the age of 71 and was buried at Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton.

His life reflected an unusual military journey during one of the most divided periods in American history. Born George Pforr, he initially served in the Confederate Army before leaving that service and joining the Union cavalry as Charles W. Anderson.

It was under this adopted name that he performed the action for which he became a Medal of Honor recipient.

His capture of a Confederate flag at Waynesboro on March 2, 1865, secured his place among the Union soldiers recognized for battlefield bravery.

After the Civil War, his additional twelve years in the regular United States Army and subsequent return to civilian life as George Pforr completed a military and personal history marked by changes in identity and allegiance.

Charles W. Anderson remains the name recorded on his Medal of Honor, while George Pforr preserves the identity of the man behind that recognition. Together, these names tell the documented story of a Civil War cavalryman whose bravery at Waynesboro earned him the nation's highest military decoration.