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!
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 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
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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