William Campbell's gun crew rained hell and shot on defiant Rebel batteries at Fort Fisher. The sailor's Medal of Honor has been donated to the North Carolina park

William Campbell's Medal of Honor; click to enlarge (Fort Fisher SHS)

The Medal of Honor bestowed to the captain of a gun on the USS Ticonderoga was donated this week to a North Carolina state park that tells the story of Union naval and land assaults on Fort Fisher.

Boatswain’s Mate William Campbell’s medal was brought Wednesday to Fort Fisher State Historic Site below Wilmington.

The park said the Zimmermann family from Illinois reached out a few months ago. Officials declined to provide information on them, citing privacy, and do not know whether they are related to Campbell.

I have been unable to learn much about Campbell, who was born in 1838 and enlisted in Indiana.

Becky Sawyer of the Fort Fisher site with the donors this week (Fort Fisher SHS)

He was one of 10 Ticonderoga sailors to receive the Medal of Honor. His citation reads:

“On board the U.S.S. Ticonderoga during the attacks on Fort Fisher, 24 and 25 December 1864; and 13 to 15 January 1865. Despite heavy return fire by the enemy and the explosion of the 100-pounder Parrott rifle which killed eight men and wounded 12 more, Campbell, as captain of a gun, performed his duties with skill and courage during the first two days of battle. As the ship again took position on the line of the 13th, he remained steadfast as the Ticonderoga maintained a well-placed fire upon the batteries onshore, and thereafter, as she materially lessened the power of guns on the mound which had been turned upon our assaulting columns. During this action the flag was planted on one of the strongest fortifications possessed by the rebels.”

Fort Fisher assistant site manager Chad Jefferds told the Picket enlistment records indicate Campbell was originally from Ireland.

Jefferds said the site plans to place the medal on permanent display soon.

“The entirety of the US Navy fleet is interpreted in our exhibit gallery. The Ticonderoga (left, Wikipedia) is specifically mentioned in a section about the first battle, regarding the explosion of several 100-pounder Parrott rifles.” 

During that first assault on Fort Fisher, about 45 Federal sailors were killed or injured when the Parrotts malfunctioned.

The fall of the fort in January 1865 was a massive blow to the Confederacy, which lost a supply pipeline months before the end of the Civil War.

Fort Fisher has one other Medal of Honor, that of William Henry Freeman of the 169^th New York (right), said Jefferds.

Freeman volunteered to carry the brigade flag during the victorious Second Battle of Fort Fisher after the bearer was wounded.

The Navy and Army created the Medal of Honor early in the conflict. More than 3,500 medals have been awarded since inception of the honor.

This honor was mine: Medal of Honor recipient James Taylor showed me how LBJ presented the award in recognition of his heroic rescues in Vietnam

Medal of Honor recipient Jim Taylor demonstrates placement of medal (Special to the Picket)

When a Medal of Honor recipient insists (or asks, for that matter) you sit at his table, you don’t say no.

I found myself in this unexpected situation Tuesday afternoon while onboard a train carrying 13 Medal of Honor recipients during an immersive reenactment of the Civil War’s “Great Locomotive Chase” in North Georgia in April 1862. Members of the Andrews Raid were the first to receive the Medal of Honor.

I was darting between cars and taking pictures for the Picket’s Facebook page when I encountered James “Jim” Taylor, who was wearing a bright blue shirt with the words Medal of Honor beneath a burst of stars.

What happened next deeply touched me, and left an indelible memory.

Taylor, 87, was holding his medal, held in place by a blue ribbon, in front of him, and I assumed he was just adjusting it before returning it around his neck.

Instead, the Vietnam War hero beckoned to me. After I sat in a chair, he proceeded to reenact how President Lyndon B. Johnson placed the medal at the White House on Nov. 19, 1968.

Don’t worry: He did not place the medal around my neck.

Taylor asked me to open my outstretched hands to mimic a neck. He then moved the ribbon around the hands before placing the medal in the cup of my fingers, showing the bright medal to onlookers.

The demonstration took about a minute. I don’t know if the Army veteran has done this before with other people. I have no idea why he picked me. Someone did film the moment. (Picket photo in Kennesaw)

But I felt I was part of something special. I texted my family one of the photos in this post.

I will admit to not ever hearing of Taylor, who was a first lieutenant at the time he merited the nation’s highest military award for valor.

The Californian was in action on Nov. 9, 1967, west of Que Son. Any description I could provide would not be adequate, so it is best to provide the citation.

Capt. Taylor, Armor, was serving as executive officer of Troop B, 1st Squadron. His troop was engaged in an attack on a fortified position west of Que Son when it came under intense enemy recoilless-rifle, mortar, and automatic-weapons fire from an enemy strong point located immediately to its front. One armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit immediately by recoilless-rifle fire and all five crewmembers were wounded. Aware that the stricken vehicle was in grave danger of exploding, Capt. Taylor rushed forward and personally extracted the wounded to safety despite the hail of enemy fire and exploding ammunition. Within minutes a second armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit by multiple recoilless-rifle rounds. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire, Capt. Taylor moved forward on foot to rescue the wounded men from the burning vehicle and personally removed all the crewmen to the safety of a nearby dike. Moments later the vehicle exploded.

As he was returning to his vehicle, a bursting mortar round painfully wounded Capt. Taylor yet he valiantly returned to his vehicle to relocate the medical evacuation zone to an area closer to the front lines. As he was moving his vehicle, it came under machine- gun fire from an enemy position not 50 yards away. Capt. Taylor engaged the position with his machine gun, killing the three-man crew. Upon arrival at the new evacuation site, still another vehicle was struck. Once again Capt. Taylor rushed forward and pulled the wounded from the vehicle, loaded them aboard his vehicle, and returned them safely to the evacuation site. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire troop, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

I did a bit of research on Taylor this morning after returning home last night.

Sammy Davis, third from left, and  Jim Taylor to his left (White House photo)

The official photo of Taylor with LBJ shows him in a line, next to Sgt. Sammy L. Davis. Fittingly, Davis was among those on the CSX journey Tuesday from Kennesaw, Ga., to Ringgold, where he gave remarks to a large crowd in the town’s depot.

The veterans are taking part in the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration in Chattanooga, Tenn. The principal sponsors are the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. (There are currently 61 living Medal of Honor recipients.)

Taylor, in a video recorded years ago, said he did not want to be considered above millions of other veterans.

The day’s events – in Atlanta, Kennesaw and Ringgold – and, of course, the train ride, were an amazing experience. As a military brat in Germany, we lived near an Air Force Vietnam War recipient. To meet or talk with 13 was a real privilege.

Jim Taylor (right) and other medal recipients Tuesday at the Atlanta History Center (Picket photo)

PHOTOS: 13 Medal of Honor recipients retrace the 'Great Locomotive Chase'

(Civil War Picket photos)

Jim McCloughan, Kyle Carpenter and Britt Slabinski (from left) were among 13 Medal of Honor recipients who rode a CSX executive train Tuesday afternoon that reenacted the Civil War’s “Great Locomotive Chase” in 1862. The daylong event in Atlanta, Kennesaw and other points in North Georgia was part of the 2025 Medal of Honor Celebration in Chattanooga, Tenn. Union soldiers in the Andrews Raid were the first to receive the Medal of Honor. See the Picket’s updates and photos at our Facebook page.

Medal of Honor recipients will take a special train ride in Georgia reenacting the 'Great Locomotive Chase.' They will take the same route used by Yankee saboteurs who were the first to receive the nation's top award for valor

Type of locomotive being used Tuesday (CSX); click to enlarge map showing route of the Andrews Raid in North Georgia; Ohio Pvt. Jacob Parrott received the first Medal of Honor; this is his second issue medal (Picket photo)

On Tuesday afternoon, about 15 Medal of Honor recipients will climb aboard a train in Kennesaw, Ga., to travel back in time while retracing the daring escapade of warriors first awarded the nation’s highest military award for valor.

The journey’s nexus to the Civil War episode will be somewhat remarkable, albeit no actual danger will be involved this time around.

The Medal of Honor recipients – who are meeting Sept. 29-Oct. 4 in Chattanooga, Tenn., for their annual convention – will be riding along the original route of the ambitious Andrews Raid, better known as the "Great Locomotive Chase."

The April 1862 romp began in Big Shanty (now Kennesaw) and ended near Ringgold, Ga., below Chattanooga when the Union men – most soldiers dressed in civilian clothes – jumped off the General, the train they commandeered, when it ran out of steam. Their brave mission was a strategic failure.

The Medal of Honor recipients will see both surviving engines Tuesday and start their two-and-a-half hour train journey near where the Union sabotage mission began.

The public is invited to wave at the CSX train and the honorees during the reenactment ride from Kennesaw to Ringgold. It starts around 1 p.m. ET and ends at 3:30 p.m.

As organizers note, the Great Locomotive Chase is more than a Civil War story. (At right the General inside the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, Picket photo)

“It’s a defining moment in American military history and established Chattanooga as the birthplace of the Medal of Honor. The audacious raid, spanning roughly 87 miles over seven hours, evoked an epic chase," they said in a news release.

The very first recipients (in March 1863) of the Medal of Honor were men who took part in the Andrews Raid. Ultimately, 21 of 24 raiders received the award, while two were not eligible because they were civilians.

Eight Yankee raiders – including leader James Andrews – were tried as spies and executed in Atlanta. They are interred at Chattanooga National Cemetery. Last year, two hanged Ohio participants in the raid -- Pvt. George Wilson and Pvt. Philip G. Shadrach -- were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after a long campaign by descendants and a Georgia researcher to have them receive the honor.

Tuesday’s immersive reenactment is being principally sponsored by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center in Chattanooga and CSX.

The Civil War Picket is planning to attend the events and post updates via Facebook.

Startled Southern conductor sprang into action

Andrews and his men traveled in groups to Marietta, below Kennesaw, where most spent the night at a hotel before the raid.

Their aim was to take a locomotive to Chattanooga while destroying sections of track and Rebel communications. The audacious raiders hoped to deliver a blow to the Southern war effort and morale.

The Texas can be seen from the front of the Atlanta History Center (Picket photo)

On that spring day in 1862, Western & Atlantic Railroad conductor William A. Fuller was shocked to see a group of men steal the General while passengers and crew were enjoying breakfast at the Lacy Hotel in Big Shanty.

Fuller and a couple of others ran north after his train. He didn’t yet know it had been taken by the Union commandos. The conductor ran across a handcar, jumped on three trains and traveled 86 miles -- along with Confederate horsemen who had been reached by telegraph -- after the raiders.

The Andrews Raid did not do much damage to the rail line, but it gained fame in the North, where the men were treated as heroes who struck a blow, however small, deep in enemy territory.

Officials at the Atlanta History Center, which showcases the Texas, have long stressed the engine tells a much larger story of the postwar growth of the city. For its restoration several years ago, they decided to paint the Texas in an 1886 scheme, rather than the bright colors it wore at its former home in the city’s Grant Park -- in part because its surviving parts date closer to that year than the Civil War.

Like the General, the object of the chase, the Texas was saved (in 1907) from the scrap heap.

Here's how the day's events will play out

The Medal of Honor recipients’ formal introduction to the chase will begin Tuesday morning with breakfast at the Atlanta History Center.

From there, participants will take a bus to Kennesaw, about 20 miles northwest. They will attend a lunch program at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, which is home to the General. The museum will be closed to the public Tuesday.

A rather fanciful depiction of the raid and a burning bridge (Wikipedia)

Around 1 p.m., the recipients, guests and others will board one or two modern executive rail cars positioned near where the Lacy Hotel once stood. CSX operates what once was the Western & Atlantic route.

A vintage engine cannot be used because the route was long ago modernized for faster and heavier commercial traffic.

The train will make no stops at it passes historic depots in Acworth, Adairsville, Resaca and Dalton. The retinue will arrive in Ringgold at 3:30 p.m.

Raid's legacy bigger than its accomplishments

During the trip, costumed living historians will tell the Medal of Honor recipients about those involved in the raid. Organizers note there will be no pursuing train, though the reenactors will discuss Fuller’s dogged pursuit, according to Task & Purpose website.

Charlie Crawford, president emeritus of the Georgia Battlefields Association, told the Picket last year the Andrews Raid made no difference in the war’s outcome. Still, he said, the raid “made Southerners behind the lines aware that they could be vulnerable.”

Richard Banz, executive director of the Southern Museum, said those on both sides of the Great Locomotive Chase should be considered heroes.

“These were men who were willing to sacrifice everything for their perspective countries to succeed. Amazingly, they seemed to hold each other in high esteem despite being enemies during this terrible war.”

Gordon Jones, senior military historian and curator at the Atlanta History Center, said the Andrews Raid, through books and a 1956 Disney movie, brought the Civil War to young people.

And, he added in 2024, the caper did result in something sacred that has been special to Americans for generations.

“It’s the origin story of the highest award for military valor the United States government can bestow. It’s about personal sacrifice to save others. That’s timeless.”

There are only 61 living Medal of Honor recipients.

Two hanged Andrews Raiders are among 19 inducted into Ohio Military Hall of Fame. 'I wish more people knew about the history,' a descendant says

Recipients and relatives or descendants of honorees, the Military Hall of Fame medal and the reverse for Pvt. George D. Wilson (All photos Ryan Griffin, Ohio Department of Veterans Services)

Theresa Chandler believes it is appropriate her ancestor, Pvt. George D. Wilson, was honored Friday in the Ohio Statehouse, where tens of thousands filed past the coffin of President Abraham Lincoln 160 years before.

After all, Lincoln’s administration was the first to bestow the Medal of Honor, and that was to participants of the Andrews Raid. Wilson was one of eight men executed as spies following a dramatic locomotive chase in North Georgia.

Theresa Chandler talks with Brig. Gen. Matthew Woodruff of the Ohio National Guard 

For descendants of the families of Wilson and Pvt. Perry (Philip) Shadrach, who also was hanged, the ceremony in Columbus was a full circle moment – the men belatedly received the Medal of Honor last summer and were now being recognized for valor and induction into the Ohio Military Hall of Fame.

“I think it was important being honored in Ohio as part of the Civil War and I wish people knew more about the history of how we got to where we are today,” Chandler, 86, told the Picket on Tuesday.

Chandler, great-great granddaughter of Wilson, has said she got chills when she learned the soldier called for the return of one flag over the country before his execution. “We were not aware of any of the background when we were growing up.”

The sabotage mission along the Western & Atlantic Railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga in 1862 was a tactical failure, but was a boost to the war-weary North. .

James Andrews and his band of Union raiders, dressed in civilian clothes, tried to destroy much of the railroad and communications as they rushed northward on April 12, 1862. But little damage was done and the group was forced to flee when the commandeered locomotive General ran out of fuel.

They were captured and most later escaped or were exchanged. Andrews and seven others -- including Shadrach and Wilson -- were treated as spies and executed. The episode became known as the "Great Locomotive Chase" because Southerners in the locomotive Texas pursued the General.

Shadrach and Wilson, members of the 2^nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, are buried at the national cemetery in Chattanooga, Tenn., where new Medal of Honor headstones were unveiled in October following events for descendants.

While other members of the raid received the Medal of Honor, paperwork did not go through for the pair, supporters of the recognition claimed.

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services said 19 Ohioans were inducted in the statehouse atrium. “Of the 19 honorees, 12 are posthumous awards. Six were killed in combat. For their actions, members of this class have received multiple awards for valor including three the Medal of Honor recipients.” Most of the honorees saw combat during and since World War II.

Accepting the Shadrach medal was Ron Shadrach (below with Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr.), a great cousin

He nominated his ancestor and Wilson for the state honor and was a leader in the long campaign for them to receive the Medal of Honor, which was bestowed last summer by then-President Joe Biden.

Chandler’s sisters Charlene Murphy and Joyce Dersom and other family members were on hand Friday.

Chandler said Friday was the first time she saw a ground-floor plaque honoring the Andrews Raiders.

A 2012 ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the raid was held in the Statehouse.

“There are a lot of people who have heard about the Andrews Raiders but don’t know about the history of it," Chandler said.

Ron Shadrach (left) and others look at the Andrews Raid plaque on Friday in Columbus, Ohio.

New bust honors little-known Illinois Medal of Honor recipient

Clear skies greeted Civil War reenactors, history fans, Boy Scouts and politicians who gathered Saturday to unveil a new bust dedicated to a Medal of Honor recipient who came from Galena, Illinois. Sgt. Henry H. Taylor was the first man to plant Union colors on enemy works in Vicksburg, Ms., in June 1863. -- Article

Missouri ceremony features full honors for Medal of Honor recipient

John Hack's grave is at left in Maple Grove Cemetery (Photos courtesy of Kevin Miller)

About 30 people looked on Sunday as members of the Missouri National Guard, VFW Post 919, two Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War camps and other groups paid their respects to Civil Medal of Honor recipient John Hack of Trenton, Mo.

“It’s always an emotional day for me when I participate in these ceremonies,” Kevin Miller, commander of SUVCW Westport Camp #64, told the Picket in an email. The event at Maple Grove Cemetery was linked to the National Medal of Honor Day. The honors included a rifle salute and wreath-laying.

Mayor Linda Crooks and Miller (left) spoke at Sunday's event in Trenton.

Pvt. Hack, who served with the 47^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, took part in a desperate mission to ferry supplies to Union forces below Vicksburg, Ms.

Hack was one of about 10 men to receive the Medal of Honor for the May 3, 1863, attempt to take barges past Rebel fortifications on the Mississippi River. The gallant effort failed, but it is remembered for what the soldiers endured, including their stint as prisoners.

 Missouri National Guard folds the flag during the ceremony.

According to his 1933 obituary in the Trenton Republican-Times, Hack later fought at Missionary Ridge. Hack continued service until Aug. 20, 1864, in Atlanta, when he was discharged after completing his time of service. Hack came to Trenton from Vincennes, Ind., in about 1890. He served about 15 years as justice of the peace and worked as a machinist for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.

He was a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans group.

VFW members are flanked by SUVCW members at cemetery

He volunteered for a mission at Vicksburg that left half his comrades dead. A Medal of Honor recipient is being remembered in Missouri this weekend

"End of the Journey": John Hack took part in doomed fleet (From 1902's "Deeds of Valor")

At a cemetery this weekend in Missouri, as part of a national annual tribute to Medal of Honor recipients, a soldier will be remembered for taking part in a desperate mission to ferry supplies to Union forces below Vicksburg, Ms.

The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, VFW Post 919 and other lineage groups and city officials will gather at 2 p.m. Sunday for a commemoration ceremony in Trenton’s Maple Grove Cemetery to honor Pvt. John Hack, who survived the ordeal by clinging to a bale of hale after a barge caught fire.

Hack was one of about 10 men to receive the Medal of Honor for the May 3, 1863, attempt to take supplies past Rebel fortifications on the Mississippi River. The gallant effort failed, but it is remembered for what the soldiers endured, including their stint as prisoners. 

“They put their life on the line to do that,” said Kevin L. Miller, commander of Westport Camp #64 of the SUVCW. “They weren’t thinking of a medal. They were thinking of winning the war.”

Hack – a native of Hessen state in Germany -- came to the United States at age 5 when his family settled in Indiana, according to his 1933 obituary in the Trenton newspaper.

He enlisted in July 1861 at age 18, in Adrian, Mich. Hack served with the 47^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which saw hard action at Vicksburg, the linchpin of control of the Mississippi River. (Photo is from about 1915)

“One of Grant’s greatest challenges during the Vicksburg campaign was finding safe passage across the Mississippi River without being cut down by Confederate gunfire,” says the American Battlefield Trust. “He tried to cross his troops at De Soto Point, Lake Providence, Yazoo Pass, and Steele’s Bayou with no luck. Then he came up with an ambitious plan to use the navy to provide transports for the river crossing. Success hinged on getting boats safely past the Confederate guns at Vicksburg and seizing control of the river south of the city.”

Union detachments that crossed below Vicksburg were away from the main supply line, necessitating efforts to resupply them.

Capt. William H. Ward of the 47^th Ohio led the May 3, 1863, nighttime effort to bring supplies.

Walter Beyer and Oscar Keydel provided Ward’s account in their 1902 volume “Deeds of Valor.” The force needed to navigate the “S” bend at Vicksburg and withstand about 100 Confederate guns. “It seemed impossible that anyone could live under such terrible fire,” the authors write.

About 35 volunteers came forward to help move two supply barges. Here is Ward’s account in the book. It’s lengthy, but the information is very compelling.

"We cast off from Milliken's Bend, La. about fifteen miles above Vicksburg at ten o' clock PM. The trip down the river was uneventful until two o' clock in the morning, when a rocket sent up from one of the Confederate batteries warned the enemy of our approach, and we were soon under a heavy fire. It was a wild ride we had from this time on.

"Battery after battery opened on us, as we came within range, until it seemed that the guns were being played upon like the keys of a piano, and to say that the rain of shot and shell was terrific, but faintly describes the situation. The scene was indescribably grand and awe inspiring, as we steamed slowly past the city amid the roar of more than a hundred guns with their death dealing missiles whistling and shrieking over and around us, and exploding on board while the patter of bullets from the infantry resembled a fall of hail stones. The barges were large and unwieldy; and as we could make only about six miles an hour at best, the enemy's gunners were able to get our range accurately. We had been struck many times, but not seriously damaged. The little tug seemed to bear a charmed life, for we passed several times within a hundred yards of the heaviest batteries.

Vicksburg and its defenses; click to enlarge (Library of Congress)

"We had now been under fire three quarters of an hour, and had reached a point below the city where ten minutes more meant safety. The steady puff-puff of the little tug gave assurance that all was right and we were beginning to indulge in mental congratulations on the success of the expedition when a roar like the bursting of a volcano caused the barges to rock as if shaken by an earthquake, and in an instant the air was filled with burning coals flying timbers and debris. A plunging shot from a heavy gun stationed on an eminence far in the rear had struck the tug and penetrated to the furnaces where it exploded, blowing the boilers and machinery up through the deck, and completely wrecking the vessel.

"The blazing coals fell in a shower over both barges setting fire to the bales of hay in hundreds of places at once. The enemy sent up a cheer upon witnessing our misfortune, and for a few minutes seemingly redoubled their fire. The tug went down like a plummet while the barges were soon blazing wrecks, drifting with the eddying current of the river. No recourse remained, but surrender and the waving of a handkerchief from a soldier's bayonet caused the firing to cease. The flames compelled the survivors to seek safety by taking to the water, and having no boats we floated off on bales of hay and found them surprisingly buoyant. The wounded were first cared for and then all took passage on the hay bale line.

"The enemy now hailed us from shore, ordering us to come in and surrender, but on learning that we had no boats, sent their own to our assistance capturing all but one of the survivors. That one, Julius C. Conklin by name, was the only man in the party who could not swim. He managed with the aid of a piece of wreckage to reach the Louisiana shore unobserved by the enemy and rejoined his company two days later.

John Hack (left) in later life with Joseph Hack Smith (Grundy County Library)

"When all had been rescued and assembled in the moonlight under guard of Confederate bayonets, the roll was called, and just sixteen, less than half our original number, were found to have survived. Some of the scalded men were piteous sights to behold, the flesh hanging in shreds from their faces and bodies as they ran about in excruciating agony, praying that something be done to relieve their sufferings. These with the wounded were speedily sent to a hospital, where some of them died the next day.

"It is not often, even in a soldier's life, that one is compelled to face death in so many forms as beset our little party on that memorable night, shot and shell, fire, water, and a boiler explosion, with its attendant horrors. Our captors treated us with marked consideration, affording every courtesy consistent with the rules of war, and we were the recipients of many attentions from soldiers and citizens who seemed to marvel at the temerity of our undertaking. We were held prisoners in Vicksburg for two days, when General Grant having crossed the river, and defeated the enemy near Grand Gulf, Mississippi began to threaten the city from the rear. We were then paroled, and hurriedly forwarded to Richmond, Va. where after an eventful journey, through the Confederacy we duly arrived and were assigned quarters in that famous Confederate hostelry, Libby Prison. Here we remained about six weeks, before we were exchanged, and we were only able to rejoin the regiment in the trenches before Vicksburg on the evening before the surrender, just in time to be in at the death.

"Language fails to describe my feelings when with a few companions I entered the city the next morning, July 4th, immediately after the surrender under circumstances in such marked contrast with my forced advent of a few weeks before. Now, no hostile demonstrations of any kind greeted us. The great guns were still, the hostile flags were furled, and Old Glory floated proudly from the public buildings, while our late foes were quietly resting in their camps awaiting the pleasure of the victors."​

Hack told his family he kept under the floating bale until his capture, using a straw to breathe.

The 1907 citation for Hack reads: “The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private John Hack, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 3 May 1863, while serving with Company B, 47th Ohio Infantry, in action at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Private Hack was one of a party which volunteered and attempted to run the enemy's batteries with a steam tug and two barges loaded with subsistence stores.”

According to his obituary in the Trenton Republican-Times, Hack later fought at Missionary Ridge. Hack continued service until Aug. 20, 1864, in Atlanta, when he was discharged for completing his time of service.

According to Tony Ralston, commander of VFW Post 919, Hack worked for the Rock Island and Pacific Railroad as a machinist. Hack came to Trenton from Vincennes, Ind., in about 1890. He served about 15 years as justice of the peace. He was a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans group and was known as an honorary major. In November 1921, Hack traveled to Washington, D.C., for the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Hack had three children and died on March 29, 1933, at age 90. A large crowd attended his funeral and songs included "Will the Circle Be Unbroken." His flag-draped casket was carried by caisson to the cemetery. The American Legion conducted services, according to his obituary, which was provided to the Picket by Doris Baker of the Grundy County Jewett Norris Library.

He has two markers at Maple Grove Cemetery; the Medal of Honor stone was installed nearly 45 years ago, officials said. (Photo, courtesy of Kent Kooi, Findagrave.com)

Sunday’s ceremony in the city of 5,500 about 90 miles northeast of Kansas City will include a color guard, biography, wreath-laying, a reading of the Medal of Honor citation, rifle salute and the playing of Taps. March 25 -- one day before the event -- is the annual National Medal of Honor Day across the United States. 

Shadow box with items honoring Freeman Davis (Courtesy of Kevin Miller)

Miller, with the SUVCW, says camps across the state try to recognize a Medal of Honor recipient each year. In 2021, a ceremony was held to recall Sgt. Freeman Davis of Butler. At Missionary Ridge in November 1863, "This soldier, while his regiment was falling back, seeing the two color bearers shot down, under a severe fire and at imminent peril recovered both the flags and saved them from capture."

Miller made a shadow box of related material for the museum in Bates County. The box includes an SUVCW medal and challenge coins and shell casings from the rifle salute.

No longer kept in a drawer: Descendants donate Medal of Honor to Massachusetts town where hero recipient was laid to rest

Cecelia Miles, Col. Perry, veterans agent Donald Hirschy (Town of Dighton)

Cecelia Miles and her siblings came to realize that a Medal of Honor awarded to their great-grandfather for his actions during the Civil War shouldn’t be just a family heirloom, tucked away in a drawer.

Nearly a decade after Pvt. Frederick C. Anderson’s grave was found in Dighton, Mass., Miles recently drove from the Sioux Falls, S.D., area to the cemetery to present it to the town.

Dighton officials on that same day renamed an Elm Street span the Pvt. Frederick C. Anderson Memorial Bridge.

Anderson, a member of the 18^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, received the honor for capturing the flag and color bearer of the 27^th South Carolina during an August 1864 battle in Virginia.

Miles, a university associate professor, told the Picket she knew about the medal and Anderson while growing up in Florida, but the subject was not discussed much.

Anderson who died in 1882 at age 40 in Providence, R.I., was believed to be buried in Somerset, Mass. But Charles Mogayzel, a Korean War veteran and advocate for Medal of Honor recipients, in fall 2011 discovered the grave in Dighton. It had Anderson’s name but did have a Medal of Honor designation.

The late Mogayzel’s niece contacted Miles, who was putting together some information on her ancestor, through Ancestry.com.

“I wrote her back saying you may not believe this, but I actually have the medal. They were completely gobsmacked,” said Miles, who traveled to Dighton in 2011 for a ceremony at which a Medal of Honor marker was installed.

According to a Dighton proclamation, Anderson was born in Boston but was orphaned by age 8. At 14, he was relocated by the Orphan Train, a welfare program, to Raynham, Mass., and was put to work on a farm.

Military, veterans officials at renamed bridge (Town of Dighton)

He enlisted shortly after the Civil War began and participated in several battles with the 18^th Massachusetts. According to the Taunton Gazette, regimental records showed that Anderson was about 5-foot-3 and had blue eyes and sandy hair.

The soldier earned the Medal of Honor for capturing the colors on Aug. 21, 1864, at the Battle of Globe Tavern, also known as the Second Battle of Weldon Railroad. The taking of regimental flags often disrupted communication among enemy troops.

The battle was a significant victory for the Union, netting a Confederate supply line and a portion of a railroad near Petersburg. Anderson received the medal from Maj. Gen. George Meade a month later.

Anderson was discharged at war’s end and settled in Somerset, where he and his wife raised three children, one of whom, Cecelia Ann, was Miles’ grandmother.

Miles, who traveled to Massachusetts with her husband, was presented a U.S. flag during the March 30 ceremony at the Dighton Community Church cemetery.

Col. Perry presents flag to Cecelia Miles (Town of Dighton)

“So many people who have never been in the armed forces don’t have the appreciation for what it takes to be awarded any decoration for military service,” Air Force Col. Bob Perry said, according to a press release from the town. “The Medal of Honor requires extraordinary dedication, valor and courage while under fire. Pvt. Anderson clearly demonstrated all of those traits.”

Officials said the medal will most likely be displayed in a glass case at Town Hall after the building receives some upgrades.

Miles said she is pleased the public will be able to see the medal and learn more about her great-grandfather, a Civil War hero. The ceremony, she said, was emotional.

“Everyone there was so pleased and proud. It just connected me to a much longer line of history and meaning than I had understood before.”

Soldier's descendant connects with curious Minnesota history buff

Genealogist Aaron Syvertson of Southern California was surfing the internet when he discovered Free Press articles that mentioned his great-great-great-grandfather, Milton Hanna. One story in the Minnesota newspaper quoted history buff Marlin Peterson, who said he’d like to know what happened to Hanna’s Medal of Honor and if the Civil War soldier buried in Glenwood Cemetery had any living descendants. “We are right here!” Syvertson messaged to a staff writer. -- Article

Maine's official state ballad honors the 20th Maine and the bad-ass color bearer who rallied them at Little Round Top

A song told from the point of a view of a color bearer who rallied a regiment that famously saved the Union’s left at Gettysburg has been designated the official state ballad of Maine.

The Portland folk band The Ghost of Paul Revere performed “Ballad of the 20^th Maine” on Friday during bill-signing ceremonies led by Gov. Janet Mills.

Sgt. Andrew J. Tozier of the 20^th’s Company I received the Medal of Honor in 1898, 35 years after the battle. His citation reads: “At the crisis of the engagement this soldier, a color bearer, stood alone in an advanced position, the regiment having been borne back, and defended his colors with musket and ammunition picked up at his feet.”

The song lyrics include this verse:

If we should die today, dream a dream of heaven 
Take your northern heart with you to the grave 
Be proud and true you are a union soldier 
Stand fast, ye are the boys of Maine

On July 2, 1863, the 15^th Alabama made its way to Little Round Top and made a series of legendary assaults against the 20^th Maine, led by Col. Joshua Chamberlain.

The family of Andrew J. Tozier; his son is second from right, top (Wikipedia)

Tozier, 25, was with the 2^nd Maine Infantry, and been wounded and made prisoner in 1862. He returned to service and eventually was transferred to the 20^th Maine.

The 2nd Maine was pressed into service with Chamberlain’s unit at Gettysburg. That’s because the unit had been disbanded and those who were not able to go home did not want to fly under another flag.

Chamberlain

According to the American Battlefield Trust: “Color sergeant was a dangerous but coveted position in Civil War regiments, generally manned by the bravest soldier in the unit. As the 20th Maine’s center began to break and give ground in the face of the Alabama regiments’ onslaught, Tozier stood firm, remaining upright as Southern bullets buzzed and snapped in the air around him. Tozier’s personal gallantry in defending the 20th Maine’s colors became the regimental rallying point for Companies D, E and F to retake the center. Were it not for Tozier’s heroic stand, the 20th Maine would likely have been beaten at that decisive point in the battle.”

The Trust article said a desperate bayonet charge that followed blunted the Confederate assault on Little Round Top and saved the Army of the Potomac, which went on to win the battle and the war.

The Ghost of Paul Revere performed its song during the ceremony. The lyrics include these verses:

Well, our western flank was missing 
As the Confederates pushed on 
And we fought them tooth and nail 
Our ammunition all but gone 
Alone I stood with colors 
Flying proud and true 
For to let my northern brothers know 
the battle was not through 

Then appeared our lion roaring bayonets 
Charging down the mountain with what soldiers we had left 
We were steadfast as Katahdin, hard as winters rain 
Take that rebel yell with you to hell 
We are the 20th Maine 

The ballad was written by band member Griffin Sherry because he’s a history buff and has interest in the 20^th Maine, according to the Press-Telegram newspaper. Tozier died in 1910 at age 72.

View from Little Round Top, with statue of Brig. Gen. Gouverneur Warren (NPS)

Maine already has a separate state song and state march. Apparently, not all legislators favored the selection, according to reports, with two Republican lawmakers saying the song may be unfair to the Confederate cause.

“Music transcends the bounds of time, distance, language, and culture to bring people together,” Mills said of the state ballad. “The ‘Ballad of the 20th Maine’ does just that by reminding us of our proud heritage, the role our great state has played in the history of our nation, and to be forever grateful to those who served and saved our country.”

This post has been updated to correct errors on Tozier's birthplace and the family photo.