HENRY A. DUPONT, grandson of the DuPont industries founder, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for gallantry at the battle of Cedar Creek in October 1864. Captain DuPont, who had graduated from West Point at the head of his class in 1861, went on to serve as United States Senator from Delaware.
ELIAS HOWE presented each field and staff officer of the 5th Massachusetts Regiment with a stallion fully equipped for service. Later, he volunteered as a private, and when the State failed to pay his unit, he met the regimental payroll with his own money.
At the age of 15 GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE ran away from home and joined the Union Army. Neither he nor Elias Howe rose to officer rank, but both are today in the Hall of Fame for their achievements—the air brake and the sewing machine.
In 1861 CORNELIUS VANDERBILT presented a high-speed side-wheel steamer to the United States Navy. At the time, there were less than 50 ships in active naval service. The cruiser, named the Vanderbilt, captured three blockade-runners during the war and in 1865 participated in the bombardment and amphibious assault on Fort Fisher. The Federal Navy at that time had grown to a fleet of more than 550 steam-powered ships.
Admiral GEORGE DEWEY, of Manila Bay fame, served as a young lieutenant under Admiral Farragut during the attack on Port Hudson in 1863. His ship was the only one lost in the engagement.
Colonel CHRISTOPHER C. ("Kit") CARSON commanded the 1st New Mexico Volunteers (Union), and campaigned against the Comanche, Navajo, and Apache Indians during the Civil War. In 1866 he was promoted to brigadier general.
In his mid-teens JESSE JAMES joined the Confederate raiders led by William Quantrill. The famous "Dead or alive" reward for Jesse in 1882 was issued by an ex-Confederate officer, Governor Thomas T. Crittenden of Missouri.
