Nicholas Filbeck of Company E

Many people in both the North and the South believed that the Civil War would be over in a matter of months. Little did they realize that the war would last four terribly long years. Some of those caught up in the romanticizing were young boys who weren’t even shaving yet. Take, for example, Nicholas Filbeck of Terre Haute, Ind.

In 1861, Nicholas fudged about his age in order to serve in the 32nd Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment. During the war Nicholas was wounded and captured. He was finally returned to Terre Haute. At some point, Nicholas was presented with the medal shown at right.

This medal and a portrait of Nicholas are part of the collection of the Vigo County Historical Society.

These artifacts are part of the Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project. See more artifacts and images from this project.