Last week numerous internet sites and many US papers carried the story of an unmarked grave at a Springfield Massachusetts cemetery. The identity of the remains were unknown since buried in 1892, and the grave was simply marker with a number... that being number 297.
After much investigation the researchers discovered that the deceased was Luke M Griswold of Springfield, and in April of this year a marker was installed. This was no ordinary marker. It was a Medal of Honor marker and was arranged by Don Morfe, a US veteran and one of the most active members of the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US which I share membership. Don has played a role in arranging no less than 220 of these such markers over many a year and has amassed possible one of the largest privately owned collections of MOH grave marker pictures in the United States.
In order to have one of these MOH markers installed there are a number of hoops that have to be crawled through. First the cemetery must give approval. The family must be located that also give permission. The government bureaucrats have to weave through all their rules to see if the case meets its oft changing rules for qualification. In this case, like so many others, twists made final approval most difficult. No descendants could be found, so government withheld its permission to honor this hero. So Don being the persistent man he is, continued his quest to preserve US history and that of a fellow veteran by going out to get private funds to do it himself. And those funds came from none other than the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation who paid the $500 cost to make and transport the marker to Springfield. When a politician attended the gravesite on Memorial day last week, the story hit the news.
After much investigation the researchers discovered that the deceased was Luke M Griswold of Springfield, and in April of this year a marker was installed. This was no ordinary marker. It was a Medal of Honor marker and was arranged by Don Morfe, a US veteran and one of the most active members of the Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US which I share membership. Don has played a role in arranging no less than 220 of these such markers over many a year and has amassed possible one of the largest privately owned collections of MOH grave marker pictures in the United States.
In order to have one of these MOH markers installed there are a number of hoops that have to be crawled through. First the cemetery must give approval. The family must be located that also give permission. The government bureaucrats have to weave through all their rules to see if the case meets its oft changing rules for qualification. In this case, like so many others, twists made final approval most difficult. No descendants could be found, so government withheld its permission to honor this hero. So Don being the persistent man he is, continued his quest to preserve US history and that of a fellow veteran by going out to get private funds to do it himself. And those funds came from none other than the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation who paid the $500 cost to make and transport the marker to Springfield. When a politician attended the gravesite on Memorial day last week, the story hit the news.
Seaman Griswold was serving on the USS Rhode Island, (pictured to left,) in December of 1862 when the vessel was ordered to take the USS Monitor under tow and move it from Hamptons Road south to new blockade duties at Beaufort North Carolina.
The USS Monitor has been mentioned several times in these blogs and is the Union's first ever Iron Clad and the weapon sent in to do battle with the Confederates' CSS Virginia in the famous battle of 8 March 1862 at Hamptons Road. In that battle there were Canadians serving on many of the supporting ships on both sides, and also as crew on both the Virginia and the Monitor. They were also serving in batteries along the edge of the famous battle.
The USS Monitor has been mentioned several times in these blogs and is the Union's first ever Iron Clad and the weapon sent in to do battle with the Confederates' CSS Virginia in the famous battle of 8 March 1862 at Hamptons Road. In that battle there were Canadians serving on many of the supporting ships on both sides, and also as crew on both the Virginia and the Monitor. They were also serving in batteries along the edge of the famous battle.
The Monitor was designed for use in shallow waters and not at all to be operated in the open ocean. Because of its construction it could easily be swamped by the high seas and thus, the reason for it needing a tow to the new location about 100 miles to the south.
While the weather was fine when it headed off on 29 December from the area of Newport News, it got rougher en-route and by the time it had reached the Cape Hatteras area (marked with the "A" to the right,) it was under severe gale force winds and waves pounding across its deck. Her own engines were slowing down also because of the water leaking into the vessel, and finally gave out when the water would not allow the engines to work up enough steam.
When she sent a distress signal to the Rhode Island, the later immediately launched three small boats to rescue the crew as she was about to sink. The first got crushed when it became lodged between both ships as a result of wave action. Several men were swept off the deck of the Monitor when attempting, and finally succeeding in cutting the tow lines.
One of the rescue boats had 7 volunteers on board. One of these was swept overboard as they were assisting Monitor men on board, but was rescued right away. After two boatloads were taken off, a third attempt resulted in the rescue boat being blown off course and in danger of heading out to sea. Soon the Rhode Island was lost to view. The boat with the seven crew were then alone... scantily dressed, with no food or water.. and on their own... FOR 18 HOURS before themselves being rescued by a passing ship. By then they were already listed as missing and presumed all drowned... and 50 miles of coarse. Forty Seven of the Monitor crew were rescued. But 12 sailors and 4 officers went down with her. One of these men was a seaman from Buffalo by the name of Jacob Nickless.
On the web is a reference to him writing home after joining the crew of the Monitor and his saying he really did not want to be on the vessel. He only joined apparently because some of his friends from the Buffalo area also signed up on the vessel. And one of these Buffalo men... or boys... was a fellow names Isaac Scott. And he was apparently from somewhere in Canada. Scott survived but Nickless didn't.
While the weather was fine when it headed off on 29 December from the area of Newport News, it got rougher en-route and by the time it had reached the Cape Hatteras area (marked with the "A" to the right,) it was under severe gale force winds and waves pounding across its deck. Her own engines were slowing down also because of the water leaking into the vessel, and finally gave out when the water would not allow the engines to work up enough steam.
When she sent a distress signal to the Rhode Island, the later immediately launched three small boats to rescue the crew as she was about to sink. The first got crushed when it became lodged between both ships as a result of wave action. Several men were swept off the deck of the Monitor when attempting, and finally succeeding in cutting the tow lines.
One of the rescue boats had 7 volunteers on board. One of these was swept overboard as they were assisting Monitor men on board, but was rescued right away. After two boatloads were taken off, a third attempt resulted in the rescue boat being blown off course and in danger of heading out to sea. Soon the Rhode Island was lost to view. The boat with the seven crew were then alone... scantily dressed, with no food or water.. and on their own... FOR 18 HOURS before themselves being rescued by a passing ship. By then they were already listed as missing and presumed all drowned... and 50 miles of coarse. Forty Seven of the Monitor crew were rescued. But 12 sailors and 4 officers went down with her. One of these men was a seaman from Buffalo by the name of Jacob Nickless.
On the web is a reference to him writing home after joining the crew of the Monitor and his saying he really did not want to be on the vessel. He only joined apparently because some of his friends from the Buffalo area also signed up on the vessel. And one of these Buffalo men... or boys... was a fellow names Isaac Scott. And he was apparently from somewhere in Canada. Scott survived but Nickless didn't.
Pictured above is the Rhode Island in the background with two of the rescue boats loaded with rescued sailors and a third swept on the deck of the Monitor. At the right is an image of the officers onboard the Monitor after the famous battle of 8 March. The fellow standing at the rear left is Masters Mate George Frederickson. The fellow sitting on the deck in front of him and in first row is 3rd Assistant Engineer Robinson W. Hands. Both went down with the Monitor. The later being swept overboard while following orders to chop the towing line. The rest were saved.
On 22 June 1865 the President approved Medals of Honor for 76 men for various actions and dates. In this general order # 59, seven of these medals went to the crew that were stranded for 18 hours as above noted. The officer in the boat was in those days not allowed to be awarded a MOH.
The order also included the names of two Canadian sailors who were awarded for other events.
While difficult to read, this medal is the one awarded to Griswold, and is today held by the Navy Department Museum in Washington DC. He died in 1892 and why the medal was not presented to him is unknown.
Inscribed is the fact that it was issued for personal bravery while serving on the USS Rhode Island and has the date of the action also inscribed. It probably notes that it was during the rescue of Monitor men but is most difficult to read.
These 7 medals were the first by date of action, to be issued in the Civil War for actions that did not involve battle in the face of the enemy.
The order also included the names of two Canadian sailors who were awarded for other events.
While difficult to read, this medal is the one awarded to Griswold, and is today held by the Navy Department Museum in Washington DC. He died in 1892 and why the medal was not presented to him is unknown.
Inscribed is the fact that it was issued for personal bravery while serving on the USS Rhode Island and has the date of the action also inscribed. It probably notes that it was during the rescue of Monitor men but is most difficult to read.
These 7 medals were the first by date of action, to be issued in the Civil War for actions that did not involve battle in the face of the enemy.
In a past blog I showed you images of the Civil War Campaign Medal that was introduced in the early 1900's and came in army and navy versions. The navy's depicted the USS Monitor.
Here is a commemorative coin that was circulated in 1863 that also commemorated the historical importance of the Monitor during the war.
Here is a commemorative coin that was circulated in 1863 that also commemorated the historical importance of the Monitor during the war.
A year ago the only thing that you would have seen if you went to Seaman Luke M Giswold's grave would have been the numbered marker shown here on the left. The new marker noting his name and status as a Medal of Honor hero, due in part by the work of Don Morfe, is seen to the right. The numbered marker is still in place in front of the new one, but not shown in picture.
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