Colonel James Martinus Schoonmaker (1842-1927) of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, won the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at the Third Battle of Winchester (aka Battle of Opequon) on September 19, 1864, during Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley campaign. He was the only commissioned officer awarded the Medal of Honor for action during this historic battle. The Third Battle of Winchester was arguably the most significant battle in the Shenandoah Valley and led to subsequent Union victories and control of the region. By securing the Shenandoah Valley, the Union forces were also able to deny the Confederate troops access to an important agricultural region and concentrate Union forces in order to ultimately capture Richmond and end the Confederacy. It was also the largest battle in the region with approximately 54,440 men involved in the battle and around 8,630 casualties. The Union victory in this important battle is also credited with helping President Abraham Lincoln retain the White House. Schoonmaker originally enlisted in the 1st Maryland Cavalry and rose to the rank of lieutenant before he was personally authorized by Secretary of War Edwin Stanton to recruit a battalion of five companies of cavalry which became the 14th Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Cavalry (159th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers) in August 1862. They mustered into service between August 21 and November 4, 1862, for three years. As a commanding officer at the age of 20, Schoonmaker was among the youngest men to command a regiment, according to some sources. Schoonmakers 14th saw heavy action during the war and lost two officers and 97 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and another 296 enlisted men by disease for a total loss of 395 men. Some of the engagements from their lengthy service history are: Martinsburg, White Sulphur Springs (lost 80 men either killed, wounded, or missing), Mill Point, Droop Mountain, Averell's Raids, Cove Mountain (lost 12 men killed and 37 wounded), New Market, Piedmont (carried an earthwork and capture prisoners which won them praise for gallantry), Lynchburg, Liberty, Salem, Winchester, Moorefield (10 killed and 25 wounded), and the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. At war's end, they were stationed in Washington, D.C. and then Leavenworth, Kansas. Of note was an event in 1864. On an approach to Lexington, Virginia, Schoonmaker was ordered to shell the town. He refused, saying the innocent would suffer. He directed cannon fire on Virginia Military Institute, the Confederate military college instead to preserve innocent life. Ordered to burn the school, Schoonmaker refused as he considered it "unnecessary and unwarranted." For his refusal to do so, he lost his command. Although VMI was burned later that day, Schoonmaker's commander later apologized for his hasty judgment, and restored Schoonmaker's command. His Medal of Honor now resides at VMI, being donated in later years by his descendants. Opequon or Third Winchester, fought 19 September 1864, was the largest and most desperately contested battle of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, resulting in more than 9,000 casualties. The battle raged furiously at several points along the battle lines for an entire day. During the height of the battle in the late afternoon, Colonel James M. Schoonmaker now commanding a full brigade, detected weakness to the left of the Confederate lines where an earthen fort anchored the enemy on the highest ground that protected Confederate escape routes. Seizing the initiative as Custer and other young Cavalry commanders had done throughout the previous year, Schoonmaker ordered his troops to prepare to launch an attack that had never been attempted during the war. Under a hail of gunfire, musketry and deadly canister, the entire brigade consisting of Schoonmakers 14th Pennsylvania, the 8th Ohio, and the 22nd Pennsylvania began an assault on the earthen compound known as Fort Alabama or "Star Fort". Schoonmaker later wrote that he told his friend, Captain Ashbell Duncan, “Duncan, we must take those guns or get out of range, they are knocking holes in us as big as barn doors”. After a failed first assault on the enemy’s front, Schoonmaker, commanding the First Brigade, First Cavalry Division of the Army of the Shenadoah moved against the fort's left as it appeared to be weakening. With Schoonmaker on his white charger at the lead and almost certainly raising this very sword above his head, he led the first charge ever attempted over such a fort with his entire brigade. With their blades glistening in the sun and colors running across the entire front of their line, Schoonmaker's brigade of Averell's division repeatedly attacked the fortified Confederate Infantry armed with 8 big guns and outlying rifle trenchers who lied in wait and were supported by Munford's Cavalry. On the final charge, Schoonmaker led his troopers over the walls, overrunning the works where the CS infantry began to break. This next successful charge through massive amounts of shot and shell has been preserved by an enormous and spectacular painting 'Calvary Charge of Colonel Schoonmaker' by Thor Thulstrup, that is proudly displayed in The Soldier's and Sailor's Memorial Hall and Museum in Pittsburgh PA. It shows Schoonmaker aboard his white charger riding next to the valiant Duncan the instant he was mortally wounded during the attack. Thus, began the largest Cavalry Charge of the Civil War as Schoonmaker was joined by 3 other brigades totaling over 8,000 mounted trooper. A copy of an April 1917 dated Medal of Honor Certificate to Schoonmaker is included in the large document file included with the sword. The citation for the award which was given on May 19, 1899, by General Philip Sheridan stated "During the Battle of Star Fort, Virginia, at a critical period, gallantly led a cavalry charge against the left of the enemies line of battle, drove the enemy out of his works, and captured many prisoners." Schoonmaker was discharged by special order on July 31, 1865. He was not only successful as a Civil War Officer, he in fact became one of the most succesful CW Veterans in private life via business adventures in the coal and coke, banking and railroad industries. His post-war accolades are almost too numerous to mention. Inheriting and building over 1500 coke ovens throughout Southeastern, Pa. and supplying the bulk of product to Andrew Carnegie’s steel mills, Schoonmaker sold his business to H. C. Frick in the 1880’s. He helped organize the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company and realizing its potential, built the line to run iron ore from Lake Erie to Youngstown, Ohio and on to Pittsburgh. In 1877, he was elected as a member of the board of directors and served in that position for fifty years culminating in being elected chairman of the board in 1918, a position he held up until his death. He was instrumental in helping to fund and was on the board of managers of the magnificent Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh that is home to the Thor Thulstrup painting of his charge. He became so prominent within the steel related industries that the largest bulk carrier of the times was named after him. The Col. James M. Schoonmaker served as the flagship of the Shenango Furnace Company. One of his greatest accomplishments was being appointed the chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission and he led the planning of the "Great Reunion of 1913" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and officially opened the ceremonies personally. This magnificent and unusual saber is of the rarest of patterns with a French inspired "Cente Guard" face to the gold gilded hilt. It consists of a massive, spread-winged Patriotic U. S. Federal Eagle on a German silver sunburst shield that is set into a medallion bordered with laurel. The custom grip is fabricated of sheet silver. The scabbard is etched in fabulous fashion with arabesque scrolls, patriotic and martial patterns on the facing side for nearly its entire length and the rarity of such embellishment cannot be over-stated. Its mounts and gilded brass fittings are primarily decorated in floral and geometric patterns, with the upper mount bearing the inscription, "Col. Jas. M. Schoonmaker/from/a friend" in excellently executed jeweler script above the ring and a "US" marking on the star below the ring.The sword measures approximately 35 3/4 inches along the spine of the blade and 41 inches from pommel to tip. The blade has detailed floral scroll, patriotic, and martial etching motifs that includes a Columbian shield with "US" above a banner marked "Union for Ever [sic]" on the right and "US" twice on the left. The left ricasso is stamped "HORSTMANN/& SONS/PHILADELPHIA." A gold sword knot is fitted to the knuckle guard. Along with the sword is a full box of primary and secondary research material relating to Schoonmaker, the units in which he served, the battles he fought, and his illustrious life after the war. This impressive research file provides much of the information noted above as well as many photos.