Sergeant William Sturgis, Defender of Harpers Ferry and Harrisburg
New for March 2026
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12m
William S. Sturgis Jr. served just four months in the Civil War, yet his two emergency militia activations came at critical moments. A sergeant in New York’s 22nd State Militia, he guarded Baltimore and Harper's Ferry in 1862 and rushed to Pennsylvania during Lee’s 1863 invasion, standing ready for battle near Harrisburg. Here's his story.
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