When one thinks of great military units in American history, one of the first that comes to mind is the Iron Brigade. The Defensive Tactical Information Center defines brigade as "a unit usually smaller than a division to which are attached groups and/or battalions and smaller units tailored to meet anticipated requirements." The DTI Center defines unit as "any military element whose structure is prescribed by competent authority, such as a table of organization and equipment; specifically, part of an organization." The Iron Brigade was both of these, and it was also part of the Army of the Potomac. These are the tactical definitions, but that they are much more than that. The men who served in this brigade were largely responsible for keeping our nation together. They were more than just a "military element."

The Civil War was the culmination of many deep-rooted feelings that the...