Uncommon Courage
Uncommon Courage
Color Bearers During the War Between the States
Color Bearers During the War Between the States
Embedded Files
Sara Christian - Lady Driver; Thursday, Sep 11, 7pm @ Community House
Del Thomasson and wife, Brenda; editor in chief.
My name is Del Thomasson, and I live in Ringgold, Georgia. I am one of the directors of the Catoosa County Historical Society. I am a retired Law Enforcement officer working and training officers for approximately 47 years. After retiring as a Special Agent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, I was hired as a state coordinator for the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force. While there, I began my dream of writing a book on a subject dealing with the War Between the States which I was able to complete.
After retirement, I started writing articles about the color-bearers and color-guard in various regiments during that war, both north and south. If you are interested in receiving these articles for free, please request them directly by using this link.
All my articles are listed below, the latest one first. Click the link on the article number to read it.
I hope you have a great day that is blessed by our God above. Thank you for your time.
Del Thomasson
Military organizations have long upheld the tradition of bearing colors, flags, or standards—symbols that serve both practical and ceremonial roles. This practice, believed to have originated in Ancient Egypt more than 5,000 years ago, provided a visual rallying point and signaled the position of commanding officers.
The Roman Empire famously carried the SPQR standard, a powerful emblem of state authority and military unity. By the Middle Ages, standards had evolved to display the formal heraldry of commanders, embedding personal and political identity into the fabric of warfare.
Amid the turmoil of battle, regimental colors played a vital role—guiding soldiers to their unit’s position, preserving formation, and enabling coordinated maneuvers that could turn the tide toward victory. As such, color guards were experienced soldiers that protected their colors and capturing your enemy's colors was considered a great feat of valor.
The Minnesota Historical Society says it best when they say the flag and the color bearer is:
The symbol of Pride -The regimental or national flag was a symbol of home, state, and nation, and carrying it was a position of great honor and pride.
A Communication Tool - On the battlefield, the colors provided a central rallying point and crucial communication device of officers to direct troops.
A High-Risk Position - Color Bearers were often targeted by the enemy, and if they fell, other soldiers would quickly seize the flag and hold it high to maintain morale and unit cohesion.
The uncommon courage displayed by these soldiers during the American Civil War forms the heart of the stories presented here.
2025 Articles
2025 Articles
25-16 The 8th Kansas Veteran Volunteer Infantry - "Kansas Greyhounds."
25-15 The 14th North Carolina; Company C - "The Anson Guards."
25-14 The 12th West Virginia Infantry.
25-13 The 1st Regiment Rhode Island Cavalry.
25-12 The 1st South Carolina Infantry Regiment.
25-11 The 9th New Hampshire Infantry.
25-10 The 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion.
25-09 The 15th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers.
25-08 The 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 2nd Regiment - "Douglas Brigade."
25-07 The 7th Tennessee Cavalry.
25-06 The 19th Iowa and the 20th Wisconsin Infantry.
25-05 The 15th Virginia Cavalry.
25-04 The 37th Tennessee Infantry.
25-03 The 52nd Ohio Volunteer.
25-02 The 36th Alabama Infantry.
25-01 The 13th Illinois Volunteer Infantry
2024 Articles
2024 Articles
24-08 The 46th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
24-07 The 9th Texas Cavalry - "The Pride of Texas."
24-06 The 7th Tennesse Infantry
24-05 The 61st Georgia Infantry, Army of Northern Georgia
24-04 The 2nd Iowa Infantry
24-03 The 4th Kentucky Infantry - "Orphan Brigade."
24-02 The 7th Delaware Infantry; Treasures Left Behind.
24-01 The 45th Pennsylvania Infantry
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