Major General David Hunter, newly appointed commander of Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, began an offensive movement into the Valley in early June 1864. On June 5, he encountered Confederate forces at the town of Piedmont under the command of Brigadier General William E. (Grumble) Jones. Fierce fighting ensued and when the Union troops turned the Confederate’s right flank, the Southerners retreated. In his effort to reorganize his troops, Jones was killed, and the retreat, not particularly organized in the first instance, turned into a chaotic, every-man-for-himself, pull back. In the process the Federal troops captured three rebel guns and took more than 1,000 prisoners, including some 60 officers. Hunter’s troops rested the next day as they awaited reinforcements under Brigadier General George Crook. The conjoined troops then advanced against Lynchburg, which served as a major rail connection and hospital center. Along the way they destroyed significant supply stores and property, creating additional problems for the Confederate army.

Private Thomas Evans, 54^th Pennsylvania Infantry

By James Gindlesperger, historical author

It had been a rainy night in the Virginia countryside, that night of June 4-5, 1864. Not a night for sleeping outside, not that many of the Union soldiers of Major General David Hunter had been able to sleep. It would be a safe bet to say that few of them were in a good mood as they ate a breakfast of hardtack and poor-quality coffee. Not far away the Confederate forces under Brigadier General William E. (Grumble) Jones had spent a similar night. Now cold, wet, and hungry, they were no more likely to be in a good mood than were their Federal counterparts. The rebel general’s demeanor was normally irritable, even on his good days (hence the nickname ‘Grumble’). He had little reason to feel any differently that morning.

Hunter had just taken command a few weeks earlier, replacing Franz Sigel. Sigel had been relieved of his command by Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant after his defeat at New Market. Now Hunter, a West Point graduate, and his troops were moving toward Staunton, an important railroad center for the Confederacy. Jones, also an alum of West Point, was determined to stop him. The two would meet near the village of Piedmont.

Among the Union troops that day was Private Thomas Evans. Evans had been born in Wales in 1824. He and his family had emigrated to the United States, settling near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. In February 1864, he had joined the Union army as part of the 54^th Pennsylvania Infantry and assigned to Company D.

The two armies, with Hunter holding a decided advantage in troop numbers, clashed around noon on June 5, 1864. The fighting became heated very quickly, and the 54^th Pennsylvania was ordered to fix bayonets and move to the top of a ridge line. Once there, they fired into a group of Virginians, throwing them into chaos. Before the rebels could regroup, the 54^th mounted a charge.

Suddenly, Evans confronted the flag bearer for the 45^th Virginia Infantry, who was desperately trying to rally his men. Evans described him as being “…the biggest rebel I ever saw, … about the size of a grizzly bear.” Evans had not yet had time to reload his rifle, and he claimed that he had never used his bayonet before except as a candle holder or to hold a piece of meat over a campfire.

Using his rifle as a club, Evans hit the Confederate’s flag staff, causing the man to lower his colors. Evans later said, “I didn’t know what else to do except grab the cloth with my left hand and pull. ‘Let go Reb,’ I shouted. ‘Let go yourself,’ says he.” The two pulled back and forth, circling one another, with the Southerner having a slight advantage due to holding on with two hands, while Evans was using only one. The other hand, however, held his gun, and in the struggle he was able to raise it enough that he could point it at his adversary. Evans recollected that he yelled at the man, “Drop that there flag or I will pin you to a tree.”

Surprisingly, the flag bearer gave up and surrendered to Evans. Evans sent the Virginian to the rear and turned the captured flag over to his lieutenant, then returned to the fighting. When the battle was over, the Union army had prevailed, inflicting an estimated 1,500 casualties, including 1,000 captured, on the rebels.  Among the 1,000 prisoners was the Virginia flag bearer, and among the dead was General Jones.

Spying the man he had engaged in hand-to-hand combat, Evans noticed that, after the adrenaline rush of battle had worn off, the man wasn’t really as big as a grizzly bear at all. In fact, he and Evans were nearly the same size. Reflecting the honor code of the time, Evans showed no hard feelings and gave the man some food and a bit of money to help him in the prisoner of war camp.

On November 24, 1864, Thomas Evans was awarded the Medal of Honor for his role in capturing the flag of the 45^th Virginia at Piedmont.

Evans died in 1866 and is buried in the Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery outside Ebensburg, Pennsylvania.