Otis O. Roberts

A Fierce Struggle for the Colors at Rappahannock

Otis O. Roberts was a Union Army sergeant and recipient of the United States Medal of Honor whose courage during the American Civil War earned him recognition for capturing a Confederate regimental flag in hand-to-hand combat. Serving in Company H of the 6th Maine Volunteer Infantry, he distinguished himself at the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station, Virginia, on November 7, 1863. During a fierce Union assault against Confederate fortifications, Roberts confronted the color bearer of the 8th Louisiana Infantry and seized the regiment's flag. His remarkable battlefield achievement earned him the Medal of Honor on December 28, 1863.

Roberts was born on March 20, 1842, in Sangerville, Piscataquis County, Maine. Biographical records identify his parents as Amos Roberts and Christiana Ryerson Roberts. He grew up in Maine during the years preceding the Civil War, although reliable information about his education, childhood activities, and early occupation remains limited.

When the American Civil War began in April 1861, Roberts was nineteen years old. He entered Union military service from Dexter, Maine, and became a member of Company H of the 6th Maine Volunteer Infantry.

The 6th Maine Infantry was organized during the summer of 1861 and entered federal service as one of the volunteer regiments raised by Maine to support the Union war effort. Its soldiers were assigned to the eastern theater, where the regiment became part of the Army of the Potomac.

Throughout its Civil War service, the 6th Maine participated in campaigns involving some of the most heavily contested areas of Virginia and Maryland.

The regiment's documented history included the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, the fighting around Fredericksburg, and operations associated with the Army of the Potomac's VI Corps. These experiences formed the military background of the unit in which Roberts served.

Although the regiment participated in numerous engagements, the surviving individual records do not establish Roberts' personal involvement in every operation. His presence at Rappahannock Station on November 7, 1863, is directly confirmed by his official Medal of Honor citation.

By the autumn of 1863, Roberts held the rank of sergeant in Company H.

The Army of the Potomac, commanded by Major General George G. Meade, had resumed operations against General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia following the Gettysburg Campaign.

During October, Confederate forces had attempted to maneuver against the Union army in northern Virginia. After a series of engagements, Lee withdrew toward the Rappahannock River and established defensive positions intended to prevent another Union advance.

One of the principal Confederate positions stood near Rappahannock Station, where troops guarded an important crossing over the river.

The Confederates constructed earthworks on the northern bank and maintained a pontoon bridge connecting their forward position with the main army to the south.

These defenses allowed Confederate troops to threaten Union movements while maintaining a protected route across the river.

Among the Confederate units assigned to defend the bridgehead were the Louisiana regiments of Brigadier General Harry T. Hays's brigade, commonly known as the Louisiana Tigers.

The brigade included the 8th Louisiana Infantry, whose regimental colors would become the objective of Roberts' Medal of Honor action.

On November 7, 1863, Meade launched an offensive against the Confederate positions along the Rappahannock.

The operation involved two principal attacks. Major General William H. French's troops advanced toward Kelly's Ford, while Major General John Sedgwick directed Union forces against the Confederate bridgehead at Rappahannock Station.

The 6th Maine Infantry was assigned to the attacking force under Brigadier General David A. Russell.

During the afternoon, Union artillery opened fire against the Confederate earthworks as Federal infantry prepared to advance.

The Confederate defenders remained in their fortified positions, expecting to resist the Union attack with musketry and artillery.

As evening approached, the Union commanders prepared a determined infantry assault.

The 6th Maine, commanded by Major George Fuller, occupied a leading position in the attack. The 5th Wisconsin Infantry advanced in support.

At approximately dusk, the Union infantry moved forward against the Confederate defenses.

As the soldiers approached the earthworks, Confederate troops opened a heavy fire. The attacking regiments suffered casualties as they crossed the exposed ground.

Despite the resistance, the Maine soldiers continued toward the Confederate position.

They reached the earthworks and entered a fierce struggle with the defenders.

The fighting quickly developed into close combat, with Union and Confederate soldiers struggling for control of the fortified line.

It was during this intense engagement that Sergeant Otis O. Roberts performed the act for which he received the Medal of Honor.

Roberts encountered the color bearer of the Confederate 8th Louisiana Infantry.

Rather than capturing an abandoned standard, Roberts seized the flag during a direct hand-to-hand struggle with the soldier carrying it.

The official Medal of Honor citation specifically identifies the Confederate regiment and confirms that the flag was captured through personal combat with its bearer.

The surviving citation does not describe the weapons used during the struggle, identify the Confederate soldier, or establish whether either man suffered an injury. Those details remain undocumented.

The regimental colors were among the most important symbols carried by Civil War military units.

Flags helped soldiers identify their formations and locate their commanders amid battlefield smoke, confusion, and rapidly changing positions.

Because regimental colors represented the identity and honor of a military unit, soldiers frequently risked their lives to protect them.

The capture of an enemy flag was consequently regarded as a significant military achievement, particularly when accomplished during close combat.

Roberts' success demonstrated exceptional courage during one of the most dangerous moments of the assault.

As the fighting continued, the Union attackers overwhelmed the Confederate position.

The 6th Maine and supporting regiments forced their way through the defensive works, capturing Confederate soldiers, artillery, and military equipment.

Major Fuller's report credited the 6th Maine with taking approximately 350 prisoners, a stand of colors, and four pieces of artillery during the engagement.

Roberts' capture of the 8th Louisiana Infantry's flag formed part of this larger Union success.

The victory came at a considerable cost.

The 6th Maine suffered 139 casualties during the battle, the highest total of any Union regiment engaged at Rappahannock Station.

The severity of these losses reflected the determination of the attackers and the dangers involved in advancing against fortified Confederate positions.

Across the battlefield, Union forces captured more than 1,600 Confederate soldiers, together with artillery and other military equipment.

The loss of the bridgehead forced General Lee to abandon his position along the Rappahannock and withdraw his army toward the Rapidan River.

The engagement was an important Union victory during the closing phase of the Bristoe Campaign.

For Roberts, the battle became the defining event of his documented military career.

His capture of the Confederate flag received official recognition less than two months after the fighting.

On December 28, 1863, Sergeant Otis O. Roberts was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Rappahannock Station.

His citation recognized the capture of the 8th Louisiana Infantry's colors during a hand-to-hand struggle with the Confederate color bearer.

Unlike many Civil War Medal of Honor recipients who received their decorations decades after the conflict, Roberts was recognized while the war was still in progress.

His achievement was recorded in the official military history of the United States Army and subsequently preserved in the historical registers of Medal of Honor recipients.

The 6th Maine Infantry continued its military service during the remaining period of the war. The regiment's history included additional fighting during the Overland Campaign of 1864.

However, the available Medal of Honor records do not establish Roberts' exact discharge date or confirm his participation in every subsequent engagement of the regiment.

After his military service, Roberts returned to civilian life in Maine.

Biographical and family records indicate that he married and raised children. His life remained associated with the Dexter area, although reliable details concerning his civilian occupation and activities during the decades after the war are limited.

Roberts lived long enough to witness the passing of many Civil War veterans and the continuing recognition of their military service.

Otis O. Roberts died on February 8, 1930, in Dexter, Maine, at the age of eighty-seven.

He was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Dexter, where his grave preserves his connection with the community from which he entered military service.

His Medal of Honor remains a lasting record of his courage during the Second Battle of Rappahannock Station.

As a sergeant in the 6th Maine Infantry, Roberts participated in a dangerous assault against Confederate fortifications and captured the colors of the 8th Louisiana Infantry through direct hand-to-hand combat.

His achievement on November 7, 1863, secured his place among the distinguished soldiers of the Union Army and preserved his name in the history of the Medal of Honor.