He fought the whole Rebel Army by himself at Second Bull Run

If you asked in the old Iron Brigade regiments for the soldier “who fought the whole rebel army all by himself at Second Bull Run,” the Big Hats would smile, and point to Pvt. James Sullivan of the 6th Wisconsin. “Mickey, of Company K,” was on the skirmish line in the woods in the early fighting. When the line was pulled back, Sullivan was left “pegging away” at the rebels. Finally stopping to pull more cartridges from the lower portion of his box he discovered that he was all alone facing the Confederate line. He dodged back through the woods to find his regiment where he angrily “doggoned” Sgt. John Ticknor for leaving him behind. Ticknor said simply, “Get down Mickey or you will get yourself killed.” Afterwards, Col. Edward Bragg always liked to single out Sullivan to others as “the soldier who held back the Confederate advance all by himself at Second Bull Run.”