Legends are built on fact. And so it is with one such military legend born in New Orleans and known today as the Washington Artillery. Created by need, strengthened by duty, and perpetuated by pride, it boasts a tradition of fighting men, and now women, gallantly revered throughout the nation and abroad. This honor lay not on some mythical legend, but one whose battle honors read like a synopsis of American military history. Its humble trail of heritage originated around the same time as the city for which it serves and has evolved into a renowned military organization of citizen-soldiers.