Oneida County's 117th New York-- Part 4: The Race to the Parapet

So noteworthy was the 117th's actions at Fort Fisher that it actually raced a Pennsylvania regiment to plant their flag on the fort's parapets.  "When one man was shot another would pick up the flag."  Remnants of this flag today are housed in the Oneida County History Center.

Historian Peter Leonard says that the soldiers in the 117th did not enlist because of the issues of slavery or states rights, saying,: "For the average person in Oneida County, I believe it was more of a sense of duty to enlist and serve.  Many had fathers and grandfathers in the Revolution and War of 1812, including the battles of Fort Stanwix and Oriskany."

--Old B-Runner