Pittsburgh's Forgotten War Heroes

Pittsburgh may not have been a battlefield, but it was the Union’s war machine—where women and girls fueled the fight by manufacturing millions of rounds at the Allegheny Arsenal. Then, on September 17, 1862, disaster struck: a catastrophic explosion killed 78 workers, leaving a scar on the city’s history. The cause remains a mystery, but the arsenal rose again. Meanwhile, a teenage spy named Archibald Rowand Jr., just 16, risked everything as a Confederate impersonator for Union generals, later earning two Congressional Medals of Honor—one he refused to trade. His legacy, now honored at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, reminds us that courage came from all corners of the war effort. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/be2771c281dfdc42