Trivia 11-10-15 Mortally Wounded in the Wheatfield

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During the second day of the battle, the color bearer dropped the flag in the Wheatfield. While trying to retrieve it, the regiment’s 28 yo Colonel received a gunshot wound to the thigh and was bayonetted. He died the next day. The regiment’s monument was erected near the location where the colonel fell.

Who was the Colonel? What was his Regiment? And what is the Colonel’s unpleasant distinction?

credit: @lelliott19
 
Harrison Jeffords of the 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry received a gunshot wound to the thigh and was bayonetted by a Confederate soldier in the left abdomen, mortally wounding the 28-year-old officer. Meanwhile, other soldiers of the Fourth Michigan, including Lt. Michael Vreeland, rushed to his aid and reportedly carried both the flag and their fallen commander out of the Wheatfield. As his life slowly drained away, his final words were said to be "Mother, mother, mother." He died at 4 AM the next day, July 3, 1863. Jeffords became the highest commissioned officer in the Civil War to die of a bayonet wound. After the war, the regiment erected its monument on the battlefield near the point at which the colonel fell. Despite popular belief, the monument's image of the color-bearer is not a representation of Colonel Harrison Herbert Jeffords. Besides lacking Colonel Jefford's ever-present "goatee" styled beard, the soldier depicted does not have on the Colonel's uniform, but is actually outfitted according to post war army regulation. However, there is a verse inscribed in dedication to the Fourth Michigan's fallen leader, on the opposite side of the monument.
 
Gettysburg - . After being pushed to limit by the confederate onslaught, the 4th Michigan regiment secured the "Wheatfield ". During this time there was major action on Stony Hill. The Union forces under Zook were overrun by Confederate troops. This left the Michigan 4th's flank unprotected. As the 4th Michigan advanced the color bearer shouts out, "Colonel I'll be damned if I don't think we are faced in the wrong way! The rebs are up there in the woods behind us, on the right!"

The Confederate infantry attacked. The 4th Michigan pivoted rearward folding on its center to address this new threat. The 4th Michigan upon having to defend itself on two fronts had to retreat. As they were leaving the field, the color bearer dropped the colors and ran . . . The 4th Michigan's standard was captured. Colonel Harrison Jeffords, seeing this, rallied his remaining troops and rushed to save the colors.

Colonel Jeffords was bayoneted by a Confederate infantryman as he reclaimed the 4th's flag . . . (and) died of his wound on July 3, 1863. (A) 26 year old attorney from Dexter, Michigan, (Colonel Jeffords) was the only officer to be bayoneted on either side during the Civil War. His words as he was bayoneted were, " Mother, Mother , Mother".

Quoted (with suitable grammatical and structural corrections) from: http://www.4thmichigan.com/4th_Michigan_History.htm

I note that some sources declare him to be the "highest ranking officer" of either side to die of a bayonet wound, implying that others of similar, equal or higher rank may have been bayonetted but survived. However, I cannot find any other reference to an officer being bayonetted and Jeffords' exclusivity is found here at cwtalk also:

IIRC, Colonel Jeffords of the 4th Michigan was the only command officer( colonel or above") in the civil war to have been killed from bayonet wounds.

Edit - The 4th Michigan History website supports your contention that Jeffords was the only officer to be bayoneted. My normal practice is to give credit when a player provides a source that supports his answer, as long as it really does support the answer, so you will get credit in this case.

Note that if the only source you had provided in support of your answer had been the CivilWarTalk post from deleson1, I would not have given credit for it. That post says he was the only officer with a rank of colonel or above to have been killed from bayonet wounds. It does not say that no other officer on either side ever suffered a bayonet wound, and it leaves open the possibility that majors, captains, and/or lieutenants could have been killed from bayonet wounds.

Hoosier
 
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Harrison Jeffords of the 4th Michigan Regiment was the only officer to be bayoneted in battle.

Edit - As noted in the previous post, there is a source to support the contention that Jeffords was the only officer to be bayoneted in battle, so I will accept this answer.

Hoosier
 
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1- Harrison H. Jeffords (August 21, 1834 – July 3, 1863) was the colonel of the 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
2- Jeffords became the highest commissioned officer in the Civil War to die of a bayonet wound. Despite popular belief, the monument's image of the color-bearer is not a representation of Colonel Harrison Herbert Jeffords. Besides lacking Colonel Jefford's ever-present "goatee" styled beard, the soldier depicted does not have on the Colonel's uniform, but is actually outfitted according to post war army regulation.
Source-Wikipedia.
 
During the second day of the battle, the color bearer dropped the flag in the Wheatfield. While trying to retrieve it, the regiment’s 28 yo Colonel received a gunshot wound to the thigh and was bayonetted. He died the next day. The regiment’s monument was erected near the location where the colonel fell.

Who was the Colonel? What was his Regiment? And what is the Colonel’s unpleasant distinction?

credit: @lelliott19
Harrison H. Jeffords...4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry...He became the highest commissioned officer in the Civil War to die of a bayonet wound.
 
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