At the age of 32, he enlisted in a company organized in Vergennes, Vermont. It elected him a first lieutenant. The unit was assigned to the Second Regiment, Vermont Volunteer Infantry. He was mustered into the US Army on June 20, 1861. He immediately left with his regiment for Washington, D. C. In July his regiment was brigaded with the third, fourth and fifth Maine regiments under command of Colonel O. O. Howard. Tracy was appointed provost marshal on Colonel Howard's staff. The first battle in which he participated was that of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. After the battle, his regiment ultimately became a part of the Vermont Brigade. In February, 1862, Tracy was promoted to captain of Company H. On April 21, 1864, he was commissioned major of the regiment, and in the same year was commissioned lieutenant colonel. He commanded the regiment until the end of the war. Tracy was breveted colonel of volunteers for gallantry in the final attack on the rebel line at Petersburg, Virginia, April 2, 1865. He commanded the old Vermont Brigade at the battle of Cedar Creek in the Shenandoah valley. He was the first officer to greet General Sheridan on his arrival from Winchester. General Sheridan's line of battle was re-formed on Tracy's brigade at Cedar Creek. Tracy was awarded a medal of honor for his service in that engagement. He was severely wounded in the charge on Marye's Heights, May 3, 1863, and at Cedar Creek October 19, 1864. Tracy fought in the following battles: Young's Mills, Bull Run, Lee's Mills, Williamsburg, Golding's Farm, Savage Station, White Oak Swamp, Crampton's Gap, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Marye's Heights, Charleston, Opequan, Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Mount Jackson, Cedar Creek, Petersburg, March 25, 1865, and Petersburg, April 2, 1865, and Sayler's Creek. He served in the Civil war a little over four years.
Postwar
Upon his return from the war Tracy owned a store in Middlebury, Vermont. He was postmaster for twelve years. For the following six years he manufactured carriages. He then became a US customs agent in Burlington, Windmill Point, Alburg, Richford, St. Albans and North Troy, Vermont. He lived in North Troy for at least six years as a deputy collector of customs.
Family
He married Helen Sarah Dow in February, 1849, and they resided in her father's house in Leicester, Vermont. His wife died in August of the same year. Tracy moved to Massachusetts. Six years later he moved to Middlebury, Vermont. There he married Sarah M. Crane, daughter of Horace Crane, in March, 1858. Six children were born. Four of them survived to adulthood : Horace C., Lena F., Lillian S. and Charles A. Tracy. Tracy died in Middlebury, Vermont and is buried in West Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 2d Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Cedar Creek, Va., 19 October 1864. Entered service at: Middlebury, Vt. Birth: Maine. Date of issue: 24 June 1892.
