Mackenzie's Fight

Mackenzie's Fight. . As the Confederate infantry under General John Gordon and cavalry led by General Fitzhugh Lee pushed back Colonel Charles Smith's Federal Cavalry brigade from the road to the east, Federal General Ranald Mackenzie's troopers of the 5th Pennsylvania, 1st District of Columbia and 1st Maryland Cavalry dismounted and took position near the Coleman house. They had the support of two cannon of Battery M, 1st U.S. Artillery. Confederate General Richard Beale's Brigade with the 9th, 10th, 13th, and 14th Virginia Cavalry charged Mackenzie's position forcing the Federals to give ground., Among the Confederate casualties were the wounded General Beale and James Wilson, Color (flag) Bearer of the 14th Virginia Cavalry, who sustained a mortal wound. Being tended to by Federal surgeons, Wilson said to a comrade before passing, "it is hard to die now just as the war is over.", Nineteen-year-old William H. Myers of the 1st Maryland Cavalry received the Medal of Honor in this action. His citation read that it was for "gallantry in action; was 5 times wounded." According to his pension file, Myers suffered wounds to the left knee and head, as well as a bullet that entered the back of his left shoulder and passed up his neck before being removed from behind his left ear. He received the Medal in 1871., General Mackenzie's Color Bearer, 23-year-old Philadelphian Private Joseph McNamara of the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry, received a gunshot wound to his right shoulder. , McNamara died September 8, 1906 with the bullet still lodged under his scapula. , The entrance wound can be seen in this pension file drawing and photo of McNamara.