Four years after the American Revolution, in 1787, Colonel Jacob Davis became the first to clear land in the new settlement that had been chartered as Montpelier. The name honored France for its support of the American patriots. Disasters, industries and larger-than-life personalities helped shape the city's identity. And it didn't take long for Montpelier to make a name for itself--its location created a prime manufacturing hub, and the Vermont Central Railroad made travel convenient. The city also became the scene of the fire of 1875 and the Gould-Caswell murder. Join local historian Paul Heller as he compiles significant moments of Montpelier's past.

Four years after the American Revolution, in 1787, Colonel Jacob Davis became the first to clear land in the new settlement that had been chartered as Montpelier. The name honored France for its support of the American patriots. Disasters, industries and larger-than-life personalities helped shape the city's identity. And it didn't take long for Montpelier to make a name for itself--its location created a prime manufacturing hub, and the Vermont Central Railroad made travel convenient. The city also became the scene of the fire of 1875 and the Gould-Caswell murder. Join local historian Paul Heller as he compiles significant moments of Montpelier's past.

This fascinating narrative tells the story of a remarkable regiment at the center of Civil War history. The real-life adventure emerges from accounts of scores of soldiers who served in the 4th Michigan Infantry, gleaned from their diaries, letters, and memoirs; the reports of their officers and commanders; the stories by journalists who covered them; and the recollections of the Confederates who fought against them. The book includes tales of life in camp, portraying the Michigan soldiers as everyday people—recounting their practical jokes, illnesses, political views, personality conflicts, comradeship, and courage. The book also tells the true story of what happened to Colonel Harrison Jeffords and the 4th Michigan when the regiment marched into John Rose's wheat field on a sweltering early July evening at Gettysburg. Beyond the myths and romanticized newspaper stories, this account presents the historical evidence of Jeffords's heroic, yet tragic, hand-to-hand struggle for his regiment's U.S. flag.