The items featured in this section are pieces from John Ockerbloom's collection.

James Woodworth was 22 years old when he enlisted, and was appointed Sergeant of Co. H in the 25th Mass Infantry on 16 September 1861. Later, he was made 1st Sergeant (13 June 1862), then 2nd Lieutenant (5 November 1862). The sword presented here dates to his period as a 2nd Lieutenant, from late 1862 to early 1864. He was field-appointed 1st Lieutenant on 10th May 1864. On 3 June 1864, he was wounded in the arm with a musket ball at Cold Harbor, mustering out of service on 20 October 1864.

During the almost daily fighting in May 1864, the 25th Mass was either under direct fire or on the move for nearly six weeks. During the evening of the 15th (the engagement at Palmer's Creek, Virginia) and morning of the 16th of May, several companies of the 25th, including Companies C and D, were found to be without ammunition. A detail of eight men from company C and D were ordered to the rear and placed in charge of Lt. Woodworth, with the goal to secure ammunition for the regiment. Exiting the woods to the rear of the regiment, they encountered General Smith, who delivered them to the ordnance train, ordering supplies to be issued and brought forward to the 25th. Upon returning to the original location of the regiment, the now 15-man crew discovered the stragglers from the regiment where the morning battle had just finished with the 23rd, 24th, and 25th regiments being routed by a Confederate charge in the early morning fog. Upon wandering through the woods with the regimental ammunition, the group fought off several groups of Confederate soldiers before finding the remnants of the regiment at "White House." The 25th's battle line had just been overrun with significant losses, including the capture of General Heckman. The 25th's Colonel Pickett assumed command of the brigade, with Lieutenant-Colonel Moulton commanding the regiment.