More Atlantic Canada Medal of Honor Updates!

While researching the Medal of Honor over the years, I have also come across several Canadian soldiers, or like some of the MOH recipients,  those with a connection to Canada, who made it to the rank of general. .  The few internet mentions about these generals note about a half dozen men, but my list, while still needing work,  has grown to 11.

Daniel Chaplin, born in New Brunswick was one of these generals and the subject of my last 2 blogs. His name and heroic actions were briefly discussed last week with the Canadian Embassy at DC, with a follow-up letter needing to to be sent.

The remnants of a Civil War fort, and a park at the nation's capital bearing Chaplin's name still exists. I have dropped the  hint that Canada needs to recognize this general,  with some sort of a plaque, interpretation panel etc. Such should be  unveiled in  a formal ceremony. I will bring you updates as this idea hopefully moves forward.

Moving on, some will recognize this painting of the Civil War Union warship USS Plymouth, one of 4 bearing the same name throughout US military history. 

In mid July 1876 this vessel was stationed along the Eastern seaboard of the US and on the 26th was moored at New York. When a sailor fell overboard, St. John's Newfoundland born Thomas Kersey was serving on the ship. He and two others dived overboard and rescued their shipmate.

The three were awarded Medals of Honor. About 130 were awarded for similar events over the years, several of these coming to other Canadians. Many of these stories have been highlighted in past blogs here.

In April 1888 Kersey died while a patient at the  Chelsea Massachusetts Naval Hospital.  Thought to be buried there, over the years many, including our Medal of Honor Historical Society of the US have tried to confirm his exact place of burial.

Recently the society brought me the great news that the Kersey grave had been finally found... not in Massachusetts but at Newport Rhode Island, with other family members. The society of course will be taking steps to have this stone joined by a modern marker bearing the notation also that this man was a naval hero and awarded the Medal of Honor.

I will also  bring this matter to the attention  of our Embassy at Washington DC and request that they enter into communications with the Society. Hopefully they will be invited to participate in the unveiling  in  the spring or perhaps early summer.

Over the years our society has played a major role in finding "lost graves."  In many cases we have also  secured financing and arranging modern Medal of Honor markers being installed. Most with the appropriate  military ceremonies  connected to the hero and his... or her service to their country of birth, or adoption.

Just a dozen days after the New York rescue, the USS Plymouth was docked at Halifax Nova Scotia as part of a good will tour.  Its crew and thousands of others flocked the streets to meet all kinds of strange animals and even a general that stood less than three feet high.  Search John W. Powers on this site to read about that amazing story. (The name is not to be confused with another by the name of John Wesley Powers, a Canadian MOH recipient as well.)   

One of the thousands in Halifax Nova Scotia that day was a civilian who was touring the navy ship. When he fell overboard Powers and shipmate Michael Connolly dove overboard to save the fellow. Both were awarded a Medal of Honor in the weeks that followed.

Depending on the sources viewed, either Powers or Connolly  deserted shortly after the General Order was made that gave official notice that both had been awarded their medals.  Powers' name is  not on  most of the later lists of recipients but Connolly's remains.  A few years back, and probably to this day the medal shown above was, and may still be held, and on display at the Navy's museum in DC.

This medal is incredible rare  as only 2 in the entire history of the medal, some 3,500 strong, has an inscription that involves deeds performed IN Canada.

The inscription reads... For Valor... John Powers... Ordinary Seaman... USS Plymouth...  Halifax Hbr...???? (possibly Duty) ...  August 7 1876.

Moving along, I also have an update on Thomas Gay, PEI born MOH recipient for his bravery in 1866, just one of 32 different skirmishes he and the 8th US Cavalry fought during his service with them.

His story was told back in 2013 at this site and mentioned in other blogs since, and can be located using the site search engine at upper right.

Family have recently contacted me to share a few wonderful photos and pose a question. 

At one point the actual medal was on  display in a family member's home, but over the years has apparently disappeared. I had asked for a photo of the inscription on the reverse but alas, the medal was long since gone.

Also forwarded was this picture retrieved from an old family bible. He appears to be wearing what looks like an 8th Cavalry tunic or shirt.

The question posed had to do with his 2nd given name. While the official medal was issued in the name of  Thomas H. Gay, many references note the initial was in fact a K.

My research suggests that the later is right and officialdom got it wrong when quickly looking at handwritten documents. An H and a K could easily be miss-read.

I suspect that most, when researching Thomas, myself included, googled the name and came up with the story of his receiving the Medal of Honor. An action performed whist with the 8th Cavalry. 

But he ALSO served, to my surprise and perhaps others, in the Civil War as evidenced on this very old grave marker. That service was with the 62nd Massachusetts Infantry, very briefly in 1865. (Note the above marker has the initial K.)

After the question was posed I went in search of his original
enlistment documents... not with the 8th... but with the 62nd.  And here is what I found....

While a little difficult to see in this image, three times his name is given with the initial K. One of these being his very own signature.

Being only 16 years of at the time, he required permission from family to enlist. This document is signed by his uncle who declares that he is the closest living relative, and gives the family permission to join the army. Note that the uncle also states that his 2nd given name began with a K... not an H.

Here is a March 1865 muster roll document. Note the use of the letter K. Note also a claim that he was born in PE Island, and the country given was England, Two years later with Canadian Confederation, the Island became the province of PEI.

Roots web genealogy documents also show that the initial is a K and stands for the name..."Knight." .

As  noted in several; past blogs, with the US bicentennial celebrations many years back, the president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and others were asked to come up with a celebration special way to honour the MOH recipients. Two markers were designed. This being one of them . The president of the society at that time was Charlottetown PEI born Charles MacGillivary, who earned his MOH during the Battle of the Bulge during WWll. 

The above marker for Gay was unveiled shortly after these were created. Ironically Gay, came from MacGillivary's province and very close to his Charlottetown roots as well.

Here we see the old and new markers together.

A few more updates are waiting to see the light of day in this space. Some of those will come on Sunday next.

Bart