Ethan S.
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2019
- Location
- Carter County Kentucky
"I want you to go to Lewis, Chathoms St and order 1/2 dozen photos from the Old Negative and send two of them to North Bridgewater and the other four to me. Let me know the expense, and I will send it by return mail after receiving them".
Sergeant Ambrose H. Hayward wrote to his brother Augustus, Feb. 19th 1864 instructing him to order six CDVs, and this is one of them.
Ambrose Hayward was 21 years old when he enlisted in the 28th PA infantry in May 1861. He promised his family that he would write often, and his letters can be found in the book "Last to leave the field: life and letters of first sergeant Ambrose Henry Hayward 28th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry".
I am just now starting to read the book, but of course I skipped ahead a little bit and read some of the juicy stuff about the big battles.
At Antietam, he and a comrade noticed that Col. Tyndall of the regiment was unconscious and badly wounded. At his direction, the duo carried Tyndall all the way to safety, saving his life. He wrote to his father the night of the 18th "I will not say much about the bloody field for I saw sights to horrible to relate. I have seen death in every shape". On the 21st, he wrote to his brother Augustus saying "There was no one who had more narrow an escape than myself. A ball knocked off my cap and nearly took me off of my feet. I put my hand to my head, felt no blood then smiled".
Chancellorsville was another shining moment in Haywards military service. After the 11th corps broke, many men were fleeing through the 28ths lines. Hayward stepped forward and halted the fleeing men by shouting and threatening with his bayonet, then organized them and handed them weapons.
For this, his 1st Lt. James Devine recommended him for a Medal of Honor for this, and his earlier actions at Antietam and a daring scouting mission during the Maryland campaign. Unfortunately, the paperwork was likely never seen, as the captain in charge of filing it was forced to resign due to cowardice on the field. Hayward learned of his Medal of Honor recommendation, and humbly never pursued it.
He described his fight at Culps Hill during the battle of Gettysburg on the 17th of July. "I had fired 65 rounds of ammunition. This is more than I have used in any other battle". He later wrote "What do the people of the north think now of the Army of the Potomac ? Had they not yet proved to the world that it is not their fault they have not won fields before?" He also recounted possibly seeing John Burns ride past the lines at Catletts Station VA, but it probably wasn't.
He continued to fight the war down south, fighting at Lookout Mountain, and the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign.
It was at Pine Knob Georgia, June 15th, 1864, that he was hit in the fleshy part of the thigh by a bullet. Taken to a hospital, he lay for four days, fully expecting a speedy recovery. Infection set in however, and he died on the 19th of June.
1st Lt. Aaron Lazarus wrote to Haywards family, "Harry was a noble and true hearted soldier, and his untimely decease is mourned by a large circle of friends in this army to whom he had endeared himself by his manly and courteous deportment. At the time he received his wound, he was in command of his company, and had been during the campaign, having led his company during several engagements… The Government in your son has lost one of its most ardent supporters, one who had the interest and welfare of his country deep at heart, and whose aim was to render such assistance as would eradicate this unholy rebellion".
Hayward is buried in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga Tennessee. He was only 24 years old.
I will be diving more into the book to learn about Ambrose, and I'm excited to be able to learn through the eyes of a soldier who was there.
Bringing the