He was acclaimed by his contemporaries as an outstanding Civil War military leader, and his troops possibly saved the nation's capital from capture. Often confused with another Reno, who was part of the Little Big Horn expedition, Major General Jesse Lee Reno was, in fact, a true hero of two of America's wars. After his death, the cities of Reno, Nevada and El Reno, Oklahoma were named in his honor. He led two future presidents in battle and threatened to place one of them in irons.

He was a friend of West Point classmate Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, but later fought him in two battles. Whether friend's or foe's bullet caused his death in 1862 has long been a matter of controversy among historians. He was buried with a famous Barbara Fritchie flag. These, and his many other achievements would seem to be the attributes for lasting fame, but it was not to be. Jesse Lee Reno is now nearly forgotten except for a few scholars and researchers.

This biography is an attempt to illuminate the often overlooked accomplishments of this American hero. "Remember Reno" was shouted by his soldiers at the Battle of Antietam as they stormed across Burnside Bridge.