On Wednesday I stated to bring you the story of Nova Scotia born John Hanna. Like some 50,000 other British North Americans, he risked his life by joining the US Civil War in efforts to keep the United States from splitting up.
Many would die on US soil. But he'd be one of the lucky ones and while wounded, lived to tell his story. His wounds caused him to spend a lot of time in and out of hospital and leaving one regiment to join a 2nd and ultimately a third when his injury became so bad he could not continue at the front lines.
Many would die on US soil. But he'd be one of the lucky ones and while wounded, lived to tell his story. His wounds caused him to spend a lot of time in and out of hospital and leaving one regiment to join a 2nd and ultimately a third when his injury became so bad he could not continue at the front lines.
Perhaps he saw an advertisement like this and ended up serving with the 60,000 Volunteer Veterans Corps. It would be here that John would be selected as one of the most trusted and sent on a very special assignment. The president had been assassinated and 29 hand picked men were needed to act as an Honor Guard to stay with the President's remains 24 hours a day from when the funeral train left Washington DC along the route to Springfield where Abraham Lincoln would be finally laid to rest some 2 weeks later.
The funeral route was almost a reverse of the President's trip to DC for his inauguration. It made numerous stops in several states and well over 3 million were estimated to have come out to pay their respects and admiration for their slain Commander if Chief.
President Johnson promised each of the 4 officers and 25 First Sergeants...John being one of these, a Medal of Honor for performing this duty. Each was so awarded on 5 May 1865.
While many would question why such a high award was presented, when there are so many others that performed so bravely during the war years before getting their medals. But you must remember that the requirements for the medal were not what they are today. And with over 50 different types of bravery awards in the service today, during the CW there was ONE. The president had authority to make this award and he did so.
It was just a year earlier that John married a Pottsville Pa woman, and so, when the war ended John turned to civilian work and at one point was working as a letter carrier. He remained in the area till death in 1891.
President Johnson promised each of the 4 officers and 25 First Sergeants...John being one of these, a Medal of Honor for performing this duty. Each was so awarded on 5 May 1865.
While many would question why such a high award was presented, when there are so many others that performed so bravely during the war years before getting their medals. But you must remember that the requirements for the medal were not what they are today. And with over 50 different types of bravery awards in the service today, during the CW there was ONE. The president had authority to make this award and he did so.
It was just a year earlier that John married a Pottsville Pa woman, and so, when the war ended John turned to civilian work and at one point was working as a letter carrier. He remained in the area till death in 1891.
This is what is called a pension index card. It gives you numbers of files that you can go and hunt for at the appropriate National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) offices or elsewhere. From this you can see he served with the 40th NY Infantry, then, from the comments at the bottom, with the 2nd US Cavalry and finally with the 14th Veterans Corps.
At the upper left we see that John applied for an invalid's pension in mid 1887, and since a certificate number is given at the right, it shows his application was successful. Just off the page in upper left is a stamp DEAD, mostly not shown, When the pensioner dies, this is affixed, and usually a date of death given. It is missing on this card.
After death a widow, or mother or other authorized person can apply for a continuation of the pension, in the case here... as a widow. Usually, but missing on this card, is the widow's first name. As is the date of her application. Note the APPLICATION NUMBER for the widow's pension. It is important... as you shall soon see.
Using the latest pension application number, in this case, those of the widow, a web search produced no files. But millions have yet to be scanned and uploaded. But then a NARA search located the file. About 70 pages have been sent to me. Great stuff within. Some files have well over 100 pages, some a dozen... It is often the luck of the draw.
And within these pages there is an affidavit signed by the very undertaker who saw the body of John Hanna at death on 31 July 1891 and actually buried the man on August 4th.
At the upper left we see that John applied for an invalid's pension in mid 1887, and since a certificate number is given at the right, it shows his application was successful. Just off the page in upper left is a stamp DEAD, mostly not shown, When the pensioner dies, this is affixed, and usually a date of death given. It is missing on this card.
After death a widow, or mother or other authorized person can apply for a continuation of the pension, in the case here... as a widow. Usually, but missing on this card, is the widow's first name. As is the date of her application. Note the APPLICATION NUMBER for the widow's pension. It is important... as you shall soon see.
Using the latest pension application number, in this case, those of the widow, a web search produced no files. But millions have yet to be scanned and uploaded. But then a NARA search located the file. About 70 pages have been sent to me. Great stuff within. Some files have well over 100 pages, some a dozen... It is often the luck of the draw.
And within these pages there is an affidavit signed by the very undertaker who saw the body of John Hanna at death on 31 July 1891 and actually buried the man on August 4th.
Here is the affidavit. Note the widow's application number on the 2nd line, and the application number on the pension file. They are both the same number.
This documents that the John Hanna mentioned above is buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery at Pottsville Pa.
This documents that the John Hanna mentioned above is buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery at Pottsville Pa.
So, looking for this cemetery on the net you can find the above image. It shows that they have only two people with the surname Hanna at the cemetery, a John and Julia, the same names of our man and his wife. The same names in the widow's pension files.
This is her marker, and john's is below.
But note a major problem on the left. Back in 2009 someone added a description here of another John Hanna, a fellow that also served in the Civil War, but with the 95th Pa Volunteers. This regiment had 3 Medal of Honor recipients. None was named Hanna.
When I asked the cemetery for a copy of any records they had on this plot and those within, the only document they could locate is this card above. Not sure who the third person is, but note the spelling of Hanna is not correct 3 times on same document, and does not even match the spelling on the very grave markers shown above.
When I searched for some info on the Hanna the cemetery claims to have buried there, I found the above card. It shows that this fellow did not join the military until mid September 1861. The Canadian Hanna joined 27 June, 3 months earlier, and was still serving till 2 Dec 1862, when he left the 40th NY to join the 2nd US Cavalry that same day. The fellow above got out 7 months earlier.
While I have yet to locate the actual pension file for this other Hanna, I have found the pension index card. And I note something very strange. The card clearly shows that In Sept of 1862 he is applying for a invalid pension. The Canadian is still serving at this time, and does not apply for his invalid pension till 1887.
This cemetery is the final resting place of Colonel Frick, a Medal of Honor hero from the days of Chancellorsville. While research is ongoing in several fronts to get to the bottom of this case, it would be wonderful to see the day in the near future where Mr Fricks, a Pottsville man and Hanna, a long time Pottsville man, once again chatting from above about their due recognition from days long gone.
And there is some irony here. Just about 70 miles to the South East is the famous grounds of Valley Forge where well over 3,500 MOH recipients are honoured, despite the fact that the heroes convention hall above, houses those 3500, and I'd bet even have room for the 1917 boys as well.
I will bring you more of this as the story improves.
Bart
This cemetery is the final resting place of Colonel Frick, a Medal of Honor hero from the days of Chancellorsville. While research is ongoing in several fronts to get to the bottom of this case, it would be wonderful to see the day in the near future where Mr Fricks, a Pottsville man and Hanna, a long time Pottsville man, once again chatting from above about their due recognition from days long gone.
And there is some irony here. Just about 70 miles to the South East is the famous grounds of Valley Forge where well over 3,500 MOH recipients are honoured, despite the fact that the heroes convention hall above, houses those 3500, and I'd bet even have room for the 1917 boys as well.
I will bring you more of this as the story improves.
Bart
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