Capehart, Charles E., LTC

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Served in the Civil War as Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry. He was awarded the CMOH while Major of the regiment for his bravery at Monterey Mountain, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1863. His citation reads "While commanding the regiment, charged down the mountain side at midnight, in a heavy rain, upon the enemy's fleeing wagon train. Many wagons were captured and destroyed and many prisoners taken". This charge was made on a column of retreating Confederate forces after they had been defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg the day before. During that Battle he assumed command of his regiment when its Colonel, Nathan P. Richmond was elevated to brigade command. His Medal was issued on April 7, 1898. His older brother, Henry Capehart, served as Colonel and commander of the regiment. He was one of fourteen 1st West Virginia Cavalry soldiers to be awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the Civil War (the others being Private James F. Adams, Corporal Thomas Anderson, Lieutenant Wilmon W. Blackmar, Captain Hugh P. Boon, Sergeant Richard Boury, Colonel Henry Capehart, 1st Sergeant Francis M. Cunningham, Commissary Sergeant William Houlton, Private Archibald Rowand, Chief Bugler Charles Schorn, Corporal Emisire Shahan, Sergeant Levi Shoemaker, and Private Daniel A. Woods). Today in the Gettysburg National Military Park a monument stands for the 1st West Virginia Cavalry on Taneytown Road, North of Pleasonton Avenue.

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