The Civil War generation may, arguably, claim its right to be known as “the Greatest Generation” because it was their actions and sacrifice that made the United States what it is today.  Without those mid-19th Century patriots…North and South…who struggled to ultimately define the future of this country, their descendants may not have been able to turn back the tide of fascism 80 years later.  Many of the modern-day First Defenders can trace their ancestry to those who answered the call from 1861-65.  These are their stories: they should be heard and they deserve to be remembered.

Private Joseph Moyer- Dale Kratzer

Private Ferdinand “Fritz” Rohm- Nancy Melcher

Private Joseph Stephen- Errol Steffy