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More on the Recognition due the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry for their Civil War Bravery!

8/16/2017

Last Sunday's blog briefly described the suicide mission the regiment was ordered to take in the dreadful Gettysburg battle of 2 July 1863. The men were forced to charge downhill into an enemy five times their numbers. All this in order to gain a few minutes time until more reinforcements could arrive to save the day.

Well folks, the First Minnesota not only saved the battle, but in the eyes of many, they actually saved the Union Army and the nation.

None other than President Calvin Coolidge said in 1928 that... "So far as human judgement can determine, Colonel Colvill and the eight companies of the First Minnesota are entitled to rank as saviors of their country."

It is difficult to imagine these 262 heroes getting a higher praise from any authority. The 262 marched, then ran and then charged into the valley of death, taking fire from three sides. Cannons on the left, cannons on the right, cannons in front of them... you probably remember the poem, from another day many decades earlier. 262 went into Gettysburg's valley of death. Only 47 came out.

On Sunday I mentioned that in this battle, not one of the 262 men was awarded a Medal of Honor for his bravery. Not One! Two would get the medal for the famous charge on the third. But those actions are not the subject of this blog.

After Fredericksburg, Canadian born George Morgan, who had risen in ranks with the unit from Private to Lt. Colonel, was promoted to Colonel of the Regiment. When he was further promoted to Brig, General, Lt Col. Colville was promoted to Colonel and commander of the regiment. He would lead the 262 men into the battle of 2 July at Gettysburg.

Wounded and knocked off his horse, he struggled to get to a ditch and role into it to get out of the hale of bullets whizzing through the air. He passed out and was later discovered by a soldier looking for his wounded brother. That man, with aid of yet others carried Colonel Colvill away to safety.

Any student of the Medal of Honor story will know that dozens, if not hundreds of officers were awarded Medals of Honor while leading or rallying their men into battle, and even doing so while wounded. Dozens if not hundreds of others were also awarded a Medal for rescuing their commander from certain death at the hands of the enemy.

But not a Medal for this officer, nor his rescuers. Same thing for the Lt. Colonel of the unit in the same battle, when he was shot down. Same for the Major, also a Canadian, and another captain, and the adjutant and a handful of other captains and Lieutenants. In not one case was the rescued or the rescuer awarded a Medal of Honor. Yet at the same time and throughout the history of the medal may others were for doing basically the same thing, and so awarded.

On 3 July The First Minnesota were front and center during the famous General George Pickett's charge. Not far off was the very high water point of that battle. The place where the Southerners advanced the most before being driven back. And the point were Alonzo Cushing gave his life manning the cannons, and about a year ago finally getting his due recognition with the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor. It took over 150 years!

Cpl, later Sergeant Irvine of the First, is shown after that battle of the 3rd, with his unit's colours. He carried them bravely near the end of the battle, though wounded that day, and until mustered out about 8 months later.

But he only got the colours after Corporal Henry O'Brien was wounded in the hand. A shot that also broke the very shaft that held the colours.

And O'Brien got them when John Dehn was wounded, and before Dehn came Stevens, and Nason and Densmore and Ellet. Five of these falling with in a 15 minute period on 2 July.

Clearly you can see now how important the colours are when the enemy had made them a priority target.

O'Brien would be awarded the Medal of Honor, as would another soldier by the name of Sherman, for the capture of an enemy flag, both actions on 3 July. But that said all the rest of these heroes risking their lives and being shot down, All have been ignored as candidates for nomination for the Medal, one created, in part, for just such occasions.

In Irvine's image above, note that the bottom of the flag shaft has been broken away and thus not the normal 9 feet high. Note also that the soldier, whilst wearing a sword, would be very challenged to use it as he needed both hands to manipulate the flag when sending directions to the rest of the regiment. Note further how battle ridden and tattered the flag is from numerous bullet or shrapnel hits.

Before leaving this blog I want to give honourable mention to Sergeant John Densmore who was born at Maguadavic New Brunswick and served with the First and its Colour Guard. As noted he was one of those wounded at his job.

First he was wounded in the knee but he kept going. Over the nest 50 yards he would get wounded 4 more times before dropping. A bullet tore his thumb off. Then he'd take a chest wound that would go right through his body. Then a shot to the right thigh, then a face wound that entered from the left, exited through the right and took most of his jaw en-route. Five wounds, an advance of 50 yards and no Medal!

A year earlier another unit colour bearer was shot and killed. And another colour bearer was shot so bad his leg had to be amputated. He died soon after. Neither got a Medal.

Clearly all of this suggests that the methods used to award these medals had many a flaw. Many have been robbed of their rightful place on these honour roles and someone in the Medal of Honor world should identify this issue and take steps to have it thoroughly investigated with the hopes that some of these heroes can finally received their just rewards.

It is never to late to correct wrongs.

Lets see who will take action on this!

Note:

I will be doing some further research next week and will not be doing a blog on Sunday. I shall return on the 27th.

cheers,
Bart

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262 men proclaimed "saviors of the nation" yet 154 years later, not one has received the Medal of Honor for those deeds!

8/13/2017

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I continue today with more details about the famous First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry. The very unit, that was first of about 2 dozen in the state... and the North... to answer President Lincoln's call for volunteers in 1861.

Of about 1,000 men when the war started, it's massive losses saw only 262 stepping forth on day 2 of the 3 day slaughter known as the Battle of Gettysburg. At day's end that number would be reduced by almost 85% to an incredible 47 left still on their feet.

As mentioned in an earlier blog, when Union Major General Hancock found a 1/2 mile or larger gap in the line of his troops near Cemetery Ridge, shown above, he had to act ... and fast.

If the approaching Southerners from the west could breach that gap and turn either left or right they would instantly gain the advantage and could mow down the Union men just as if they were back home at the bowling alley. They'd first get the first two, then the next two and on and on and on.

While reinforcements were en-route to aid the general, he needed ten or more minutes to hold the ground till they arrived. He therefore gave his famous command to the First Minnesota.

He ordered the Regiment's Colonel to immediately charge down the slopping grade at the Southerners. He well knew, as did the Colonel..and every man... that the order was nothing short of a suicide mission. Few were expected to survive. But the sacrifice had to be made to hold the line.

At the top of the sketch above you can see the small village of Gettysburg. If you follow the main route called the Tanneytown Road south bound, you can see it runs almost parallel to the Cemetery Ridge. The sketch shows the First Mn. at the top of three dots, early in the morning. By mid day the regiment was further south, and by late afternoon it was at the bottom dot when the order to charge was issued.

The men formed up in two files and started moving, then doubling...without first firing... but just moving on to their target as quickly as possible. Soon they would be in full charge and firing as they went.

The slaughter was horrific. The 262 man regiment was advancing on well over 1000 men from several units. The men and officers of the First dropped like flies some moaning from wounds, others having taken the last breath of life, as their brothers just charged on with no time to stop and try to give any aid.

The Colonel would drop from wounds, then the Lt. Colonel, then the command was taken over by Major Mark Downie, a Canadian, but within 50 steps or so, he too would be knocked off his feet from two wounds to the arm, a bullet through his foot, and a wound to the chest. The adjutant fell and was joined by several other captains and Lieutenants and most of the men.

It was no doubt when the unit fixed bayonets for the final charge that those left standing terrified the Southerners who soon went into retreat. The First, or should I say what was left of them, then moved back to regroup and prepare for an expected counter-charge, but it did not come that night.

I believe this is one of the paintings hanging in the state capitol building and was commissioned by the state National Guard. It depicts the First Minnesota in the July 2 charge. Note the men having to step over their comrades and the colours front and center and being carried by a Colour Guard Sgt, Cpl or Private member, who is unarmed as he needs both hands to handle the 9 foot mast carrying the flag of his unit, state, or nation.

As noted in past blogs, the carrying of the colours is a very high honour awarded to any member of the guard. The job is to use this as an identifier in an otherwise perhaps very crowned battlefield. It tells all where THEIR regiment is if and men get separated. It is also used to give various directions or signals and is a cherished possession of the unit. It is a great morale booster to capture the enemy's and most destructive if your own is lost.

And it is a very dangerous job. The carrier is front and center and is a major target for the enemy. If a flag is downed, this could confuse the men about the where they are and where they are supposed to be. It could cause delays and confusion that could well result in the enemy catching the men stumbling about, off guard and thus easier targets.

To kill the carrier, or to capture his flag is usually awarded with a Medal of Honor. About 700 I do believe where so awarded over the entire 150 plus years of the medal's existence.

From the various sources consulted, I have calculated that there were 64 Medals of Honor awarded for actions during the 3 day Battle of Gettysburg. Of these, 29 were for the saving of the soldier's own unit flag, retrieving one captured earlier by the enemy, or planting it on enemy territory. defending the flag.

On 2 July, 12 medals where awarded for capturing an enemy flag. Two for retrieving the unit's own flag and only 1 for defending the unit's own flag.

Looking closer at these numbers, NOT ONE OF THE FIRST MINNESOTTA soldiers was awarded a Medal of Honor for their actions during the horrendous charge of 2 July. Not one!

They lost 85% of their enlisted and commissioned members, and saw their colours knocked down five times on that day alone, retrieved and carried on till the next day's battle were yet more incredible bravery finally resulted in ONE Medal of Honor for saving the colours and another for capturing an enemy's colours.

It was just a few days less than a full year earlier that the Army Medal of Honor was born. Eligibility called for..."gallantry in action and other soldier like qualities." The award was for men, not officers, but the latter were included with changes by March of 1863.

Since none were awarded for the 2 July actions, are we to assume that no one in the entire regiment that day was involved in any gallantry in action? Had no one shown any soldier like qualities?

You and I were not there. But I found some folks who were! Let's see what they had to say.

Lt. Lochren, who fought with the unit on the 2nd wrote that... "every man realized in an instant what the order meant, death or wounds to us all, the sacrifice of the regiment to gain a few minutes time and save the position, and probably the battlefield. And every man saw and accepted the necessity for the sacrifice."

Captain Henry Coates, one of the company commanders in the battle wrote that... "Every man in the regiment did his whole duty. The accompanying loss of the killed and wounded shows the severity of our loss."

Major General Winfield S Hancock, would later write that...
"the superb gallantry of the men saved our line from being broken. No soldiers on any field, in this or any other country, ever displayed grander heroism." This from a man who would be a Presidential nominee some 15 years later.

And some 48 years after that, a fellow named Calvin Coolidge, while not a Presidential Nominee... but in fact the President of the United States... attended the dedication of a monument for Colonel Colvill. And in front of an audience of some 20,000 he commented about the historic First Minnesota.

Among his words of praise can be found the line that..."In all the history of warfare, this charge has few, if any equals and no superiors. By holding the Confederate forces in check until other forces came up, it probably saved the Union Army from defeat."

He would continue with... " It was an exhibition of the most exalted heroism on apparently insuperable antagonist." He then added that when Colonel Chamberlain of the 20th Maine, who's unit also showed incredible heroism that very same day... at Little Round Top, was later revisiting the site, ... and that the First Minnesota "had it much tougher." Chamberlain later received the Medal of Honor. Collvill did not.

I have more, but you get the point. Many of the members of the First Mn. showed all of the prerequisites, and perhaps more during many of the actions taken during that charge.

Yet, while all above show that a Medal of Honor surely must have been earned by many, it is nothing short of a travesty to the unit, the medal and all that wear one today, that not a single medal, was awarded to them for their actions on July 2nd.

By Wednesday I shall return with more in this very point.
Bart

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More on the Nation's Savior's and Serious Recognition Still Due!

8/9/2017

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The last blog had to be cut short and so today's will pick up where I left off on Sunday last.

There I mentioned that as many as 160 British North Americans served with the 20th Maine during the Civil War. Many of these would have fought at Gettysburg where the regiment's famous downhill charge, almost without ammunition, has been well recorded in US History.

Today's blog with cover a brief part of the history of the First Minnesota in the Civil War. Some 65 British North Americans served in this unit and many of these would have also been fighting against the Confederates at Gettysburg. (There were no doubt Canadians also fighting here and serving with the Confederates as well.)

On day 2 of the 3 day battle some 100,000 soldiers would face each other in duels at the Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheat Field, Peach Orchard, Cemetery Ridge, Trostle's Farm, Culp Hill, and Cemetery Hill. Twenty thousand of these boys and men would either be killed, wounded, missing or taken prisoner. Who knows the numbers that would die from wounds in the weeks, months and years to come as a result of these 3 bloody days. A battle later to be claimed to be the 10th worst in the entire war.

You have read in this space about many of the Canadians serving with the First Mn. One of these of course being Alonzo Pickle, who earned his Medal of Honor at Deep Bottom Va. a year after the above battle. But he still fought at Gettysburg. As did many other Canadians. Many of these very soldiers held Non Commissioned Officer ranks, many at the senior level. Many more would also served as commissioned officers, and within the First Mn. and the 20th Maine. Clearly these men were leaders, as well as followers.

(Days ago Sergeant Alonzo Pickle was honoured in Minneapolis as briefly noted in past blogs. More to follow in the weeks to come on that ceremony.)

Having already introduced you to some of those serving with the First Mn. it is time to briefly mentioned another hero from the First Mn. This hero who was born about 50 Km south of Montreal in the municipality of Henryville, population... about 2,000.

Horatio Bingham, shown above, joined the First Mn. in the Fall of 1861 as a 2nd Sergeant. Within 2 months he was promoted to Sergeant. But soon he took ill, and a disability caused him to leave the military. But by early 1864 he rejoined and served briefly with the 2nd Minnesota Cavalry as a commissioned officer. He would hold several different titles until just after the Civil War ended, and then took another release. But he would re-enlist a 3rd time, but this time in the regular army as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 2nd US Cavalry.

As either a Lieutenant or Captain, sources confusing, he would be stationed out of Fort Phil Kearney in Wyoming. It would be from here that he was ordered out with a squad of mounted infantry and other troops to come to the aid of a wood-gathering party who were under attack from natives.

In the process of this he came across a handful of natives and with only a few men gave chase, but soon realized that he had been led into a trap. He and one of his men were killed. The following day his Colonel retrieved his body. It was riddled with at least 50 arrows. Clearly this was a message to the military to leave the natives alone.

I have located no information of any posthumous awards for this officer. But the next time you go to the area of the Charleston Harbour have a look at Fort Moultrie and a battery named in honor of this brave Canadian hero.

Moving back to Gettysburg, here is a map in the late afternoon on 2 July 1863, the 2nd of the 3 day battle. The Northern troops are shown in blue and the Southern soldiers on red.

After the First Minnesota left the area of Little Round Top they would join with the rest of their and other Battalions pushing the Confederate battalions back towards the Emmittsburg Road. Very soon Union General Hancock (above left) realized that he had a major problem on his hand. A gap had developed in the advancing line that could be exploited by the enemy.

Other troops were expected to arrive as reinforcements but there would be a delay. However the gap had to be instantly filled or the battle could well have been lost. (An event that could have literally changed the results of the entire war.) So he turned to Colonel William Colville (above right), commander of the First MN, and ordered his 8 companies of men on a suicide mission. The orders were to advance on a brigade FIVE TIMES his size and take their colours. The general did not expect many of the men to live through the charge but desperately needed just 5 minutes before the reinforcements would arrive to help out.

So the First, once commanded by Ontario born Brig. General George Nelson Morgan, charged forward with what they had. Just 262 men! They faced about 1,500!

In the above map, look for the Confederate General Wilcox's name. It's in red. Now look to the right and you will see the line running from top of page to bottom, sort of, all blue and showing the Union forces. Immediately in front of Wilcox's name you can see the gap in the blue line that needed to be filled.

The downhill charge would last only about 15 minutes. But when it was over 215 union soldiers lay dead or dying on the battlefield. That's almost 85% of the men going into battle just a few minutes earlier. It has been claimed that the losses to the regiment where so high, that there was no parallel in history. (At that time.) And Canadians were in those ranks.

The following day the regiment would loose another 17 men either killed or wounded.

They would be near the centre of the line when Pickett's charge closed but finally got halted in its tracks and pushed back. During that battle on July 3, 1863 the First lost their Regimental Commander, a Battalion commander and then the unit command fell to Major Mark Downie, shown here.

Chatham New Brunswick born Downie would only hold command for a few minutes before he too fell from 2 wounds to his arm, a bullet through his left foot and a serious wound to the chest. Disability caused a release but before the war ended he returned and again commanded the regiment as a Lt. Colonel till stricken from service at war's end. He would be dead from health conditions resulting from wounds within 14 years. NO information can be found on any medals being awarded to him, though I believe others with similar service received the Medal of Honor.

On Sunday I will end this mini series on the First Mn. with another soldier most deserving of a MOH, but instead just forgotten to history.

Like so many others Canadian and otherwise.

Bart

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Many of First Minnesota Infantry were called the nation's savior, but who remembers this today?

8/6/2017

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But first yet another correction. Sharp eyes have reminded me that while attempting to correct information about John Hanna in the last blog, the correction actually compounded the problem.

The Pottsville Presbyterian Cemetery in Schuylkill County Pa. has claimed that a John Hanna buried there, served in the 95th Pennsylvania Infantry. As does another entity's website. But with assistance, this blog discovered and later argued, successfully in the end, that the fellow with that service is buried in Philadelphia Pa. In updating my blog last week, the letters all got jumbled up in my computer and came out reading Florida. Sorry folks. The 95th vet is buried at Philadelphia. Period!

John Hanna's Medal of Honor was awarded for his services as a Funeral Guard for the late President Lincoln in April 1865.

Just about 2 years earlier many in another regiment...the First Minnesota...would become the saviors of the nation.

But they have not shared the same level of fame that Colonel Chamberlain's 20th Maine have. Both regiments fought at Gettysburg and where involved in very similar actions, on the same day and almost the same piece of real estate. And the First Minnesota was almost annihilated in nothing short of a suicide charge. Few where expected to survive.

The First Mn. was the first regiment from the state.. and the country to sign up with the feds for service in the war. What a dreadful cost they would be called on to pay!

Had things gone different on July 2 1863, there may have not been a Confederate need to launch Pickett's famous charge the next day. The war could have come to an end much sooner and troops from the Confederate States of America could have soon been in the White House.

In past blogs I wrote about the 20th Maine and how they had to conduct a downhill charge, almost out of ammo, and with fixed bayonets against Confederates. The South wanted to take the hill's high ground, known as Little Round Top, for obvious tactical reasons.

The above map looks confusing, and to many it is. Northern troops are in blue, Confederates in red. At bottom right you see a string of blue running up and to left. And across from the line of blue are the Confederates. But they also have troops at the END of the line of Union at bottom right. A most dangerous situation for the north.

It was this scenario that caused the North to immediately send the 20th Maine into the history books with their very costly down hill charge. But they did drive the Confederates off and saved the day. Books and movies tell the tale and thus fame has come to the unit, though not for a moment do l suggest it is not deserved. And within this unit could be found some 160 British North Americans, though I am not sure how many fought with the unit at Gettysburg.

In the Fall of 2013 I spent three weeks on a research trip to DC and Gettysburg. The above images are on top of Little Round Top. At the left you can see looking down the hill to a modern service road. At center marks the spot where the men went over the hill and at right I am standing at its side.

On the side of this memorial, located just a few yards away from the above marker, are the names of soldiers who died holding the high ground with the 20th Maine. Though difficult to see, the name of Alexander Lester (AKA LEXTER) is engraved on the marker. He was from St John NB, was wounded, taken prisoner and died days later and is buried at Gettysburg. His name appears at bottom of the Canadian flag I am holding. (There are over 1,000 markers, memorials etc at the various locations of the 3 day battle here.)

Other duties have called me away from the computer, so I must close. I will return on Wednesday, if not earlier, to bring you details of major heroism within the First Minnesota on 2 July 1863.

Bart

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More facts surface about Canadians in the Civil War's First Minnesota, and thus this blog's delay!

8/1/2017

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Not long ago in this space you hopefully read the several columns written on John Hanna from Nova Scotia. He was one of the 29 First Sergeants selected to provide the 24hr/ about 2 week funeral guard protecting the remains of slain President Abe Lincoln, on his final ride by rail from DC to Springfield for burial in 1865. (the very rail funeral car was built in part, by Canadian MOH recipient James Allen.)

For this honor he and 28 others was all awarded a Medal of Honor. But these were all effectively canceled with the Purge of 1917. I have recently received well over 100 pages of text regarding the purge, a matter that I have often said was illegal. Once read I will being bringing the results to this space.

Regardless, you will hopefully recall this image from the internet, shown in recent blogs.

This website provides a wonderful picture of the Hanna Grave in a Pennsylvania cemetery. It however gives the wrong information that the remains are of a John Hanna that served in the 95th Pa Infantry. While the name is right, the service is wrong. The John buried there is from Nova Scotia and served in three regiments, none being the 95th. He died 126 years ago Monday of this week, and was buried there several days later. The soldier of the same name and served in the 95th, is buried at Philadelphia.

Evidence that the Nova Scotia man is buried there, and the 95th man in Philladelphia was supplied to cemetery officials in Pa and after much thought and consultation agreed with this blog's findings, (with help from others.)

Three separate emails have been sent to the link shown above requesting clarification of source of information and at same time the providing of verifiable information reputing the above 95th claim. Not one of these has been answered. Last week I wrote a 4th email, this one to the site administrator. I have yet to hear from them but hope that I will soon and with a confirmation that the site with fix this error. Once corrected, family, researchers, historians and others will again be able to rely on the site's listing.

Because of the confusions involved it was easy to understand how the mistake occurred. But it is less understood why it seems to take more time than necessary to resolve.

Let's now leave Pennsylvania behind and head 1000 miles North West to Minneapolis Mn. Recent blog's have told you of many military connections, including the Medal of Honor, between Canada and the US and in particular... Minneapolis.

Depending on the sources, between 1100 and as many as about 1800 British North Americans served in Minnesota Regiments during the Civil War.

Some time ago I came into possession of a list of Canadians in the First Minnesota Infantry. Canadian born Medal of Honor recipient Alonzo Pickle of this unit is being honoured at the same ceremony that several new Americans will be taking their oaths as new citizens tomorrow. But our connections go much deeper.

The list includes details of 59 Canadians in the same unit as Sgt Pickle. A careful study of this famous regiment's incredible fact filled website produced another 5 that I found. I may have missed several others.

These men, and in some cases just boys who lied about their age, came from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI and Newfoundland. I probably missed a few more from central Canada and the west.

There were 4 sets of brothers...one with 6, four of these serving in the First Mn., one set had 3, another had 2 and a cousin to boot. And one had a father and son, and the boy's mother as well who served as a hospital matron.

One of the 8 original companies of the regiment was started up by Ontario born George Morgan as noted in the past. With promotions from Pte to Colonel in the regiment he would command it for some time before a promotion to Brig. General moved him to an upper level of command outside the regiment. His own son, also a Colonel but in the cavalry, would be awarded the MOH for bravery during the Indian Uprisings.

A past blog noted that another Canadian officer in the unit, took command of the regiment at Gettysburg when his Col and Lt Col where struck down. While he was rallying and moving the troops onward in midst of battle, he too would be struck down, would recover and later return to the unit as a colonel. His Gettysburg actions ought to have seen him recommended for the MOH.

That man's name was Mark Downie and he was from Chatham NB. He is shown above as a Captain, while other unit officers stand at the rear.

This is Downie's Corps badge noting that he was in the First Minnesota and that his Corps was part of the Army of the Potomac.

Cpl Elvin Hills and brother Jonas from New Brunswick are shown here. A third brother, Henry, served in the 2nd Mn Light Artillery. Note their cap badges.

Here's a commissioned officer's cap badge from the unit. It seems to be in reverse to the men's badges.

There is a cute story about one of the Montreal soldier's in the regiment who had moved to the state many years before the Civil War. His name was Brisette and after locating to the US many years before the CW, worked in a rough and troubling undeveloped area simply called the slough, He found himself working in the whisky business with a fellow that only had one eye and wore a patch.

At one point, so the story goes, he was writing to a friend who needed to know where to send a return letter. The soldier told his friend to just call it the Pig's Eye. That was it's nick-name at the time. By the late 1830's the area became a little more reputable and changed its name to... to St Paul.. which appears to have stuck!

Then of course there is the sad story of George Boyd from St Stephen NB. He moved to the US as a youth, took citizenship, worked as a harness maker and even an assistant foremen in the fire department. When the Civil War started he signed up and soon rose through the ranks to Sgt, 1st Sgt, 2nd Lt, and 1st Lt all while soldiering with the First Minnesota Infantry. Then remustering into another regiment he was promoted, to Captain, and held that rank till finally leaving the military in 1866.

Many of the 50,000 Canadians who fought in the war, were wounded, reported missing, taken prisoner, and actually died during the war, or after from wounds suffered in battle. So too with many of those with the First Mn. George would be one of the later!

George was a Lieutenant when his unit fought in the historic battle on day 2 of the slaughter known as Gettysburg. He took a severe wound to the leg that made him suffering considerably for the rest of his life.

About a decade after the war, George was in a small boat on the Mississippi in the area of Minneapolis where he landed from the swift moving river's currents. But being lame, when he stepped out of the rocking boat at shore line, his leg gave way and down he went into the water. It was only 6 inches deep, but being unable to get up, minutes later he was dead from drowning. His body soon washed over the falls and was later discovered. Such a dreadful fate for a soldier that had endured so much in the very battle that made his regiment famous. More on that battle in the very next blog.

This is a picture George Boyd as a Captain. He proudly wears his corps badge on his chest. And below are better images of that very badge while still a Lieutenant.

Many of the Canadians who served with the unit went on to very rewarding careers on many fronts, Quebec born Sgt Amos Jordan moved to the US as a teen and by the time the CW started he was working as a printer. He served with the First Mn and ended the war in another unit. Soon he'd find work as the telegraph operator for the Daily Tribune. Later he'd be the night editor for the Bismarck Tribune and still later the managing editor for the Minneapolis Tribune..

And Hospital Steward James Kirkham from Bathurst Ontario ended up after the war as a Representative in the Minnesota Territorial Legislature. Prior to his service in the First Mn, many a year earlier he actual also fought in the Mexican War.

And a fellow named Napolean Dana was probably very happy he did. It would be Kirkham that raced out into deadly territory to rescue the wounded Dana and actual saved his life to fight another day.

That he did.....with the First Mn., a unit he also ended up commanding.

On Sunday I hope to bring another blog on this unit and get into some of the incredible bravery on the very battle fields of Gettysburg. Action that resulted in the very highest of highest praise for the regiment, that of course included more than 60 from north of the border.

Till then, make sure you check out the news tomorrow to read about the Alonzo Pickle ceremony, and the new Citizens being sworn in at Minneapolis.

And if you want to see another side of leadership in the US of A, have a look at this video. It is an incredible story of bravery, and a very moving speech by America's Commander in Chief. It shows a side many would think long hidden.

Here is the link...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsBI37Nm7KM

back on Sunday...
Bart

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Recent blog requires 2 corrections!

7/27/2017

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They say that when you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything!

So I have been caught, not for the first time..making things.

My last blog brought you brief comments about the dedication ceremony to honour Canadian born Alonzo Pickle in Minneapolis in the days to come. He is a Medal of Honor recipient, and one of about three dozen who have so far been, or about to be honoured by the US Customs and Immigration Service for their bravery.

Most fitting that the department is the one to honour these men, since that very agency serves the immigrant population. Some 750 of these over the years were awarded with the Medal of Honor.

By mistake I noted the ceremony will take place on the August 9th at the USCIS new complex in Minneapolis Mn. Trouble is, I misread my notes and gave you the wrong date. That service will take place on the 3rd.

In addition I made reference to the Canadian offices of the Consulate General, also in Minneapolis, as one who reports to our Embassy at Washington DC. I have now been informed that the office actually reports to folks at Ottawa and not DC

Sorry folks.

At the above ceremony several new US citizens will be taking their oath of citizenship. Congratulations to all.

cheers till Sunday,
Bart

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Five Score and Fifteen years ago....

7/23/2017

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Google tells me that in days gone by, a score equated to 20 years. Therefore, if my math is correct, five and 15 meant 155 years ago. That would take us back to 1862.

And on 15 February of that year Senator Henry Wilson, Chair of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs introduced a bill which included, that it be ...

In the December past, another senator rose and tabled a bill to create the Navy Medal of Honor, and the above was thus to extend the medal to soldiers as well as sailors.

A few days after the Wilson resolution, the following appeared in one the newspapers of the day...

The very first actual presentation of Medals of Honor would occur the following year on March 25th and would go to the six recently released POW's of the Confederates...The Andrews Raiders, who traveled well over 100 miles into enemy territory, captured a train and escaped with several boxcars attached and heading north out of Georgia and towards Chattanooga. The stories of the first six and birth of both the army and navy Medals of Honor have been often noted in this space.

If you paid the 2 cents to buy the 8 page paper on the 20th, (above) you could have read a most interesting story on the same page. It told of a fellow by the name of Grant who was promoted from Brig. General to Major General. Not having a crystal ball, it made no mention that some day he would become President of the United States.

As interesting is another from the same page that told of the recent Union destruction of Fort Henry on Feb 6th and the battle just as successful at Fort Donelson a week later.

It was during both of these battles that Charles Robinson would get honourable mention in his citation for his Medal of Honor, that also notes actions during the Yazoo Expedition in December of 1862. His was the very grave at Halifax NS noted in the last blog and honoured on July 4th.

And speaking of Halifax, There was a wonderful story about the Gettysburg Campaign of 1-3 Jul 1863, in that city's local paper a few weeks back. It was written by a former Canadian military officer of some 37 yrs service. Add to that close to 20 years as an author, writer and researcher with many impeccable credentials, to include being awarded a medal for preserving Nova Scotia's history and heritage with his writings etc.

I however am wondering why, with such expertise and background, his wonderful piece on Gettysburg failed to give a single mention to Canada's considerable involvement, especially across the Maritime provinces, and indeed the entire country in the US Civil War and of course the very battle he wrote about.

Numerous references to Gettysburg have appeared in this space over the years. many touching on Canadian Medal of Honor men including Alonzo Pickle, born in Quebec and a member of the famed 1st Minnesota Infantry. The actions of these men, at a loss of some 82% would see many of the men laid buried on the very lands that the author above noted, probably walked during his visit to the famed battle field.

Sgt. Pickle, wounded at Gettysburg, would be one of those identified and acclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge. The president would later state that these men were so brave, that their regiment ought to be placed at the highest in the known annals of war. He would add... "The First Minnesota are entitled to rank as the saviors of their country."

Pickle would be awarded the MOH for actions later in the war. But it would take 32 years to get to his doorstep as evidenced in this cute news clip... (ignore left column)

And speaking of Sgt Pickle, I am pleased to note that the United States Customs and Immigration Service will be dedicating a 2nd Ceremony room in one of their facilities to another Canadian MOH man, on 9 August.

For a few years they have honouring foreign born recipients and have done about 30 so far I believe. Recently I told of a ceremony in Florida and the dedicating of a room in the name of PEI born Charles MacGillivary. The ceremony coming up will honour Sgt Pickle, and it will be at the new offices on Marquette Avenue in Minneapolis Mn.

This office is just a handful of blocks away from the Canadian embassy's Consulate General's office, which I have advised about the event, and understand will participate in the ceremony.

More of this in a blog a few weeks from now.

The US offices are at top of map at Marquette, while the Cdn offices are below as shown on the map.

In the middle of this twisted 8 map, Dah! .... is the US Customs office and at the top is Morgan Avenue.

Staff at both offices should be familiar with this road. But I wonder how many known how it got it's name. It is named after a Civil War general by the name of George Nelson Morgan, who as Colonel, commanded the First Minnesota in some of the battles Pickle fought in. He got promoted to Brig, General and moved out of the Regiment just before the Gettysburg Campaign. Morgan was a Canadian, and one of 7 Canadians of General rank during the CW.

His son George Horace Morgan, also an officer, and Canadian born, would rise to the rank of Colonel, and during his career would earn a MOH during the Indian Wars. He was wounded by a native shot of lead that he carried around for over 60 years before it dislodged near his heart and finally took its toll... and his life. A Camp in Bosnia carries his name.

And that's enough for this week,
Bart

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Our forefathers and mothers found those large stumbling blocks. Instead of going around them, they went though them. That process gave us the paving stones to walk though our generation!

7/16/2017

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Traveling along those walkways we've survived through another Canada Day on July the first and the 4th of July Independence celebrations south of the 49th Parallel.

We give thoughts to our fallen on Remembrance Day, we have a Flag Day in the US a Memorial and Veterans Week and many other days to celebrate one theme or another honouring our veterans of today and those long since gone.

But on many of the very days set aside, we are too busy trying to figure out what we will be doing on that day or that long weekend, and, truth be told, many spend considerably more time thinking about getting away to the cottage or wherever, and little, if any, on the very theme of that day.

So, today. I am going to briefly take you back to Canada Day and the 4th and suggest that we all ought to remember those that came before us EVERY DAY of the year.

It is far too soon for me to be looking back over a variety of careers I have had since my mid teens. But I will say that throughout all, I have somehow been blessed with gaining friends who have known of and supported my various endeavors for several decades. Many have appeared in these blogs, though not identified in most cases.

One of these strong supporters sent we a wonderful poem last year on Remembrance Day. It is so fitting that I want to share it share it with you. Here it is...

Canada Day is gone for another year. We have seen and heard in the media of the events across the country to reflect on where we have been as a nation, where we have come from and where we hope to go. But how many of us thought of who brought us here.

If you like the work I am doing with this blog I plead with you to pass this poem and even the website along to someone you know this week and encourage them to read and reflect on, yes another day, that we need to remember our heroes, those medaled and not who's bodies shelter ours from harm's way.

Another good friend in Canada, decided to pay his respects on July 4th to a Medal of Honor hero buried at Halifax Nova Scotia.

Charles Robinson was awarded his MOH for actions during the US Civil War and later moved to NS where he married and spent some 30 years raising a family there before passing away. His story had been often noted in this space over the past 4 years and more.

My friend, a credentialed and respected local historian and author to boot, has adopted this grave and ensures that the flags of both countries remain in place. We need to get another Grand Army of the Republic marker as someone in Halifax has decided the one that was in place was best suited in his or her own living-room I guess.

Charles is in great company. Within a dozen steps or so, one of Canada's Prime Ministers also lays at rest.

Regulars visitors to this site have also read in past blogs about the Ontario fellow named Dodds who ran away from home as a teen and went south to the US. Fitting I guess because he first came to America from Britain, landed in the US and was later with chased with the rest of the family out of the US because of their support of all things British at the wrong time in US History.

That aside the 16 yr old lied about his age, joined a cavalry regiment and soon was awarded a Medal of Honor for saving the life of his wounded company commander who was trapped under his wounded horse. Later in the Civil War the Sergeant would go on to receive three wounds and lose an arm in another battle. Still later, back in Canada he would become an author, printer, entrepreneur and US agent at Peterborough.

Here is an image of his actual Medal of Honor. His medal was the ONLY ONE anyone in his regiment was awarded. Several other Canadian soldiers had the same distinction in other regiments in that war.

Here is his release document. Look closely at the DATE.

It's at the bottom of the page and says it was the 4th of July!

While the Medal of Honor saw its birth during Civil War days for both the army and navy, Britain's Victoria Cross predated the MOH by several years.

Whilst primarily a medal for those born in Britain, it was very soon extended to those from wherever, who fought on behalf of the empire.

Six of these came to six Americans. One in 1921 to the first of the Unknown's at Arlington, four to WWl heroes who were so awarded while fighting in Canadian units and one. for actions of a Maine born sailor who was a serving... illegally... in the Royal Navy during the Shimonoseki Campaign of 1864.

William Seeley's story, also told previously here, had him working his uncle's boat in the area when he decided he wanted to join in on US Independence ceremonies in Japan. Being only 14 yrs old, his uncle forbade it so he just slipped into the waters in early July... It was the 4th... He would soon find himself, illegally, under aged, and in the Royal Navy.

Seeley's final resting place is in Massachusetts were he later lived and died in 1914.

And just before signing off I want to tell you something that you probably have not heard about in the press today..16 July. Have a read first...

The very document (original handwritten) directing that the capital no longer move about from place to place but be fixed at one spot.

While dated on the first, it was signed into law, by George Washington on July 16th. That was 227 years ago TODAY. .

And speaking of birthdays, you just read my 400th blog.

I hope you like it, continue to support my efforts to preserves Canada's MOH and VC history, help me to gather more and more information about these. often forgotten heroes, and spread the word about the work being done in this space.

see you next week,
Bart

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A few more catch-ups on recent Victoria Cross and related news you might have missed...

7/10/2017

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Back in May the media brought forth many stories of Canadian heroism 100 years earlier during the famous battle for Vimy Ridge.

Today's blog, a day late, starts with a fascinating story from Waterdown Ontario, about 10 Kms west of Burlington. And it touches on Vimy and a tree. Well actually lots of them! And a 3rd generation of one of these was being planted at the Royal Canadian Legion in Waterdown.

While history well records the price mankind paid during the Great War, less obvious sometimes is the story of destruction to the vegetation. The area of the Vimy Ridge, for example, had all of its oak trees blown up.

But luckily, a Lieutenant from the 5th Canadian Expeditionary Force did something about it. His name was Leslie Miller and he came from a farming family in Scarborough Ontario (Toronto.)

He had discovered a burnt remnant of an oak tree half buried, and dug around to get a handful of acorns. He then sent these back home to Ontario with the request that they be planted on the family farm. That was one hundred years ago. Ten remain today and stand some 150 feet high.

Another youth of the era, a friend of Miller's, often visited the family farm and no doubt in later years watched the oaks grow skyward. During several visits to Vimy over the years, this friend.... Mr Monty McDonald... noted how barren the Ridge was of any trees. He then got to thinking about what to do... and then remembered the oak acorns that had come back to Canada from Vimy, and their growth to the day, in Scarborough.

While the story becomes a little confusing, depending of the source, either a graff from the Ontario trees was married up with some strong stock from BC, and seedlings produced. Some 120 of these were apparently sent to Vimy, one to represent each Canadian regiment who fought there. But because of tree diseases in Canada the offer was blocked.

Another version is that acorns were sent and were to be planted on land adjacent to the land were the famous Vimy memorial now stands.

Mr McDonald is shown at the Connon Nursery in Flamborough Ontario were the seedlings have been produced. A Vimy memorial society has been formed and controls the sale of these limited seedlings to Veterans groups like Royal Canadian Legion and others whom they believe have a bonafide interest in using them to keep the story of the Vimy heroes, and all of Canada's veterans alive and flourishing. The Waterdown Legion being one of these.

Moving on, and westward to Saskatoon, there is another story about trees that I hope you have had a chance to look at.

In mid June the press reported that it was the 94th year anniversary of Saskatoon's memorial called the "Next of Kin Memorial Avenue of Trees." This is located almost entirely within a cemetery in the city.

It started with 112 elms, complete with bronze plaques containing the names of veterans who fought and died in the Great War. Today is has expanded to about 1200 trees in memory of those lost in WWll and Korea.

These plaques mark the entrance into the memorial road, which is located within the Woodlawn cemetery in Saskatoon.

Many share the thoughts that these memorials, living and lasting that they are, become much more pleasant to enjoy than marble markers. They note however that while similar memorials existed in many Canadian communities most have gone due to the ever increasing encroachment of growing communities and need for expansion.

The press coverage noted that this is the last existing memorial of this type to maintain its integrity in the country. But there is another here in Victoria BC, that has lasted, though reduced in size. And there is a move afoot, with growing momentum, to bring more local awareness to the importance of this memorial.

More on the Victoria memorial will be covered in a future blog.

Looking back to Ontario again, there is a wonderful story that was released in late June about the York Cemetery in the north west area of Toronto.

It noted that with some donation of land a new memorial to the Victoria Cross recipients has been created. It claims pride in noting that the memorial is the first in the country to commemorate the names of 99 recipients, all being honoured in one place, for the very first time. They could have added several to that number if they checked with my records, but that aside, the memorial is fabulous.

It appears that upon entering the gates you travel along until you come to the area shown at the bottom where plaques contain the names of the 99 recipients.

With the names of each recipient are also brief descriptions of the heroism that resulted in their awards. Five were for actions before the Boer War, five in that war, 73 for actions in the Great War and 16 during WWll.

One interesting development with this memorial is the inclusion of a QR code that with a suitable device will allow the viewer to pull up a copy of the latest VC book of 99 recipients from the net and no doubt allow you whilst standing in front to the plaque, reviewing the material about that hero at the same time.

I would love to get a copy of that QR code to post in a future blog, and an image of the Rowland Bourke WWl plaque and what the QR code displays about this hero.

So there is some homework for a Toronto reader!

There are other VC memorials across the country that list what, at the time, were thought to be the total recipients of this most prestigious medal for bravery. But as info develops, so do the numbers increase as readers of this blog well understand.

The story of the Victoria Cross Memorial at Edmonton was told in an earlier blog at this site. The above beautiful memorial unveiled in 2015 was stated to be the first ever in the country to have all the recipients names, but this was not accurate. Not sure but there were probably 98 or 99 names engraved above.

Also told in past blogs, the Ottawa plaque was mounted at the British High Commission offices in Ottawa and unveiled by Princess Anne in Nov 2014.

There are only 70 names on this plaque and is missing a significant number of recipients. Though some, being born elsewhere, are on other plaques in other countries. Still many are missing.

And in Barrie Ontario this bench was erected to the fallen in 2013 and the following year the monument at right, above was unveiled in 2014. It listed 98 recipients of the Victoria Cross, though even those numbers are not complete.

The Barrie story has also been covered in earlier blogs.

With over 6,000 memorials, plaques and the like honouring the Canadians who went off to war, and many receiving the Victoria Cross, it is obviously hard to keep track of them all, Though those touching on the above stories, clearly in my mind could have benefited with a little more homework. (As do some of my own blogs.) That aside, the efforts to create these keepsakes of our heritage well deserve kudo's and thanks to all that played a role in their creation.

The least we can do is make it a priority to get out at some time and visit them and pay our own respects to our forefathers... and foremothers... and those who wear the uniforms of today in the service of our great country. And let us not forget those on the home-front while our loved ones are standing between us and those wishing to do us harm.

And it is doubtful that all these warriors have in their hands, is just a pen or keyboard!

Before signing off today, I should also note that while many claim their creations are the first... perhaps we should reflect back to 1949. That is when a natural monument of sorts was named in honour of ALL of Canada's VC recipients.

It started with the names of VC recipients Edmund de Wind and Frederick Harvey. In 1952 five more were added.. and all 7 where then representative of ALL recipients from Canada.

To the left is a picture of western Canada's Rocky Mountains. And to its right the famed Victoria Cross Range, that honours the later five recipients.

I trust you recognize this image. It was on the back of our $10 bill for years and depicts the VC Range portion of the Rockies.

Here is another image looking down on the range...

The five red markers show the mountain peaks named after the later five VC heroes. The above left honours John Pattison, to his right George McKean and further right is Raphel Zengel's Peak. Below these are George Kerr's at left and Cecil Kinross's at right.

Of the 7 mountain tops, you will find it interesting to note that only one recipient... George Kerr from Nova Scotia... is the only one of the 7 to have been born in Canada.

Next week I shall return with some birthdays of sorts...

till then, hope the delay was worth it...
Cheers,
Bart

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Yesterday being Canada Day, I have decided to take a break for the week and shall return next Sunday, cheers till, then. Bart

7/2/2017

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More on the Recognition due the First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry for their Civil War Bravery!

262 men proclaimed "saviors of the nation" yet 154 years later, not one has received the Medal of Honor for those deeds!

More on the Nation's Savior's and Serious Recognition Still Due!

Many of First Minnesota Infantry were called the nation's savior, but who remembers this today?

More facts surface about Canadians in the Civil War's First Minnesota, and thus this blog's delay!

Recent blog requires 2 corrections!

Five Score and Fifteen years ago....

Our forefathers and mothers found those large stumbling blocks. Instead of going around them, they went though them. That process gave us the paving stones to walk though our generation!

A few more catch-ups on recent Victoria Cross and related news you might have missed...

Yesterday being Canada Day, I have decided to take a break for the week and shall return next Sunday, cheers till, then. Bart

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