Fascinating Articles from the American Civil War
Researched and written by Philip Day And Trevor
Stevens
Of The 1st
Maryland Infantry C.S.A. U/K
JOHN BURNS THE HERO OF GETTYSBURG
John Burns was a village character, a sometime constable
and cobbler, a hard drinking old man who had fought in the war of 1812
and the Mexican War. If the Rebels come as far as Gettysburg, he
told the towns people, he'd show them how an old soldier could fight.
John was passed 70 in July 1863 and no one could take seriously his talk
of fighting. He had for too long been the butt of village Jokes.
Yet John had tried to volunteer at the first call
to arms in this war, and when refused had gone to West Chester to enlist
in the reserves. When he was again turned away, he went to Washington
and served for a time as a driver in the wagon service. On the morning
of July lst 1863, when the sounds of the battle opening could be heard
in Gettysburg, Old John put on his Sunday best, a swallow tailed blue coat
with gilt buttons and a tall bell crowned hat. Deaf to the scolding
of his wife, he left his home and fell in with the ranks of a passing regiment,
the 150th Pennsylvania Volunteers. He took a musket from a wounded
man at the roadside and headed towards the front. Colonel Langhorne
Wister of the 150th, stared when Burns asked if he could join the fight.
"Can you shoot?" "Give me a chance and I'll show you who can shoot'.
Wister sent Burns from his position in the open to a woodland where part
of the Iron Brigade was in line. One of the soldiers left a memory
of it, "We joshed him unmercifully. Some of the boys called him 'Daddy'
and laughed at him, but he took it well. Then when he started firing
we seen that this here old man knew how to handle a gun."
One of Burns shots knocked a Confederate officer off
his horse, and the troops of the 7th Wisconsin cheered and later gave Burns
a silver chased rifle they had captured from the Rebs as a trophy.
The old man was struck on the belt buckle by a bullet, the fierce blow
doubled him up and he disappeared from the view of the front line men of
the Iron Brigade. He got 2 slight wounds, one a painful cut on the
ankle which disabled him. As Confederate infantry approached, John
buried his rifle and crawled onto a cellar door in the village. A
Rebel doctor treated his wounds. By one tradition, John hailed a
passer by, "Tell my old woman to fetch the wagon and get me home.
I can't move".
The wife replied," Devil take him. The old fool.
Going off to fight, as old as he is, getting holes in his best clothes.
And he won't be able to work for two months. Let him stay".
Suddenly, John was a celebrity. General Abner
Doubleday praised him in the report of the battle and the old soldier became
known as 'the Hero Of Gettysburg." This was a distant fame however, and
his stature at home was little changed. Four months later, when Lincoln
cane to town for the most famous of his addresses, the master politician
asked to see John Burns. The bewildered townspeople were treated
to the sight of the long legged Lincoln arm in arm with the stubby Burns
who trotted to keep the pace along Chambersburg Street, around the Square
and out Baltimore
Street to the Presbyterian Church, a strange destination
to Burns.
He later became a member of the church and today is
celebrated by a bronze plaque there. John drew his Civil War pension
for a few years and died in February 1872. He left an estate of $13.25
in personal effects, a value of $1,518 in his 46 acres of land, and a box
of books, in which was found 25 cents. He is buried in Evergreen
Cemetery at Gettysburg, beneath a statue depicting him facing the Rebels
with a musket. His wife lies at his side.
Any Comments, Enquiries or articles
you might like to contribute
please e-mail me
mailto:bull-run@oocities.com
mailto:taffy@maryland1.co.uk
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