And what if 1/4 of them also carried a warrior with a lance some 15' long. At its business end and pointing directly at you was an eleven inch blade. To say nothing of the momentum and 1,200 pounds of horse flesh about to pounce on you and your fellow soldiers.
Chilling indeed!
Chilling indeed!
That's what this guy tried to do in the US Civil and he wasn't even an American. His name was Arthur Rankin (shown above) and he was Montreal born. Google his name to read of his adventures including being a member of Parliament for the PROVINCE of Canada, in the CANADA WEST portion back in 1861. He'd obtained permission from President Lincoln to raise a regiment of 1600 horsemen, presumably from Canada, but recruited, in the Detroit area mainly. His unit was called the First Michigan Lancers.
As you can see from the bottom of the recruiting poster, shown above, Rankin's enlistment poster of 1861 offered a $100 bonus, ($300 could buy a farm in those days,) and payments from $13 for a private to $23 for a Sergeant Major, with benefits to include food and clothing, and even...if you can believe it... medical attention. Hmmm?
If you brought your own horse they would pay you an additional 40 cents per day and $8 monthly for forage. Horses would be provided to those who could not provide their own.
If you brought your own horse they would pay you an additional 40 cents per day and $8 monthly for forage. Horses would be provided to those who could not provide their own.
In short order 8 companies of men, many no doubt seeing the above poster, responded by enlisting in Rankin's First Michigan Lancers.
In September of 1861 Harper's Weekly published a short story of the Lancers. With it was this sketch of a somewhat more dignified looking Colonel Rankin and some of his men proudly bearing their lances.
While 0ver 600 men were enlisted, the regiment saw no action and was disbanded due to technicalities involving the Foreign Enlistments Act of 1819. Rankin was arrested and charged but avoided successful prosecution due, yet again to technicalities. His men then joined other units.
The Rankin story has many very interesting twists and turns and I recommend you Google his name and have a coffee nearbye. You will need it!
A few weeks back I brought you a few blogs on the much more promising military career of New Brunswick born Daniel Chaplin. He too was a horseman, but started out in the 2nd Maine Volunteer Infantry. He rose from Private to Colonel and then sent off to Bangor to raise ... not 600... but 1800 men which became the 18th Maine Heavy Artillery and still later... the Ist Maine Heavy Artillery.
Yet another horseman, also from Montreal, along with 15 others in 1863 faced those hundreds of hoofs charging at them. Eight including Montrealer James Flanagan would be later awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. Others in the same battle, had died or could not be found and so they missed out on the medal. (A matter for advocacy for someone no doubt.)
Here is a newspaper account of their deed near Nollensville Tenn. in mid February 1863...
While 0ver 600 men were enlisted, the regiment saw no action and was disbanded due to technicalities involving the Foreign Enlistments Act of 1819. Rankin was arrested and charged but avoided successful prosecution due, yet again to technicalities. His men then joined other units.
The Rankin story has many very interesting twists and turns and I recommend you Google his name and have a coffee nearbye. You will need it!
A few weeks back I brought you a few blogs on the much more promising military career of New Brunswick born Daniel Chaplin. He too was a horseman, but started out in the 2nd Maine Volunteer Infantry. He rose from Private to Colonel and then sent off to Bangor to raise ... not 600... but 1800 men which became the 18th Maine Heavy Artillery and still later... the Ist Maine Heavy Artillery.
Yet another horseman, also from Montreal, along with 15 others in 1863 faced those hundreds of hoofs charging at them. Eight including Montrealer James Flanagan would be later awarded the Medal of Honor for their bravery. Others in the same battle, had died or could not be found and so they missed out on the medal. (A matter for advocacy for someone no doubt.)
Here is a newspaper account of their deed near Nollensville Tenn. in mid February 1863...
As is often the case, this site provider tool did not allow better cropping of the above image an thus it is difficult to read.
The news account tells of how 15 (possibly 16) soldiers scrounging for feed for their mules came under a charge of some 125 (some sites say 150) enemy cavalry. Though outnumbered about 8 to 1, the Union men held their ground till reinforcements arrived. In the process they had captured several prisoners, wounded and killed a few more, captured enemy weapons, horses and still managed to save the supplies they had rounded up.
Their brigade commanded later noted, as seen above, that ..."this little affair is one of the most glorious of the campaign and deserves to be remembered and cited as worthy the emulation of all." He added that it was his desire... "that the names of these worthy men and brave soldiers may be preserved."
The dangers of war, and the panic of being drafted by some, less brave than the soldiers above noted, would cause a few to take strange steps to avoid service.
Recent research produced this newspaper gem from late 1863...
The news account tells of how 15 (possibly 16) soldiers scrounging for feed for their mules came under a charge of some 125 (some sites say 150) enemy cavalry. Though outnumbered about 8 to 1, the Union men held their ground till reinforcements arrived. In the process they had captured several prisoners, wounded and killed a few more, captured enemy weapons, horses and still managed to save the supplies they had rounded up.
Their brigade commanded later noted, as seen above, that ..."this little affair is one of the most glorious of the campaign and deserves to be remembered and cited as worthy the emulation of all." He added that it was his desire... "that the names of these worthy men and brave soldiers may be preserved."
The dangers of war, and the panic of being drafted by some, less brave than the soldiers above noted, would cause a few to take strange steps to avoid service.
Recent research produced this newspaper gem from late 1863...
While the wishes of the Union Brigade Commander of 1863 were well known at the time, his wishes apparently were soon forgotten. But late in the century some of the soldiers involved in the battle and others started to ask why those to be remembered were in fact forgotten.
Finally officialdom at Washington remembered those they could find, limited to only 8 of the 15 or 16, including Flanagan, and awarded them with Medals of Honor in September 1897. It only took them about 35 years to regain their memory. A few of the others had died but the rest, so they say, could not be found.
Others had been issued over the years posthumously, but this appears to have not been the case this time.
Here is a news account that gives details about the standard letter sent out to recipients years after the fact. This one went to one of the 8 involved in the Nollensville skirmish.
Finally officialdom at Washington remembered those they could find, limited to only 8 of the 15 or 16, including Flanagan, and awarded them with Medals of Honor in September 1897. It only took them about 35 years to regain their memory. A few of the others had died but the rest, so they say, could not be found.
Others had been issued over the years posthumously, but this appears to have not been the case this time.
Here is a news account that gives details about the standard letter sent out to recipients years after the fact. This one went to one of the 8 involved in the Nollensville skirmish.
At the end of the war James Flanagan returned to his mother's farm in Louisville New York. Upon moving there at a very early age and getting his education there, he in midlife relocated to the west prior to enlisting in the army. It would be here that he would return after the war and where he would work the farm for the rest of his life.
He died at Louisville New York in August 1905 and lays at rest today at the St Lawrence Cemetery in that county.
Next week I will bring you some interesting news of late about this hero.
Hope to see you then,
Bart
Hope to see you then,
Bart
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