veritasbulldog82
Retired User
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2018
I just found out that my 4th Great Grand-Uncle, Captain Samuel Hymer, was a Medal of Honor winner in the American Civil War.
"SAMUEL HYMER, Brevet Major, the second captain of Company D, was born in Harrison County, Ind., on May 17, 1829, and removed with his father's family to Schuyler County, Ill., in 1837, where he resided on a farm until he entered the service. His education was such as the district schools afforded and supplemented by brief terms in the Rushville schools. At the organization of Company D he was chosen second lieutenant very unexpectedly to himself, and on the resignation of Lieutenant Bridgewater, May 28, 1863, he was advanced to the first lieutenancy, and on the death of Captain Huckstep, December 9, 1863, he was promoted to the captaincy of his company. As a first lieutenant, he commanded his company after the wounding of Captain Huckstep, and did valiant service throughout the battle of Chickamauga. During the siege of Chattanooga Captain Hymer's company occupied a position above Brown's Ferry, where it remained several weeks without tents and with not more than half a dozen blankets to the company, constantly watching the operations of the rebels on Lookout Mountain. Though always an efficient officer and faithful in every duty, the crowning glory of Major Hymer's service was the defense of the blockhouse at Buzzard Roost Gap, which has been given at length in its proper place in this history. For this splendid service, the President gave him the brevet rank of major and as a further mark of distinction Congress conferred upon him a medal of honor "for most distinguished gallantry in action at Buzzard Roost Gap, Ga., October 13, 1864." In transmitting the award the secretary of war uses the following language: "This officer, with only forty-one men under his command, defended and held a blockhouse against the attack of Hood's army for nearly ten hours, thus checking the advance of the enemy and ensuring the safety of the rest of his regiment, as well as that of the 8th Kentucky Infantry, then stationed at Ringgold, Georgia." Major Hymer's experience while a prisoner was much the same as other Union officers in similar circumstances. He was taken with his company after the capture to Jacksonville, Ala., then to Selma, then to Montgomery, and thence to Macon, Ga. Here five of them, including the major, escaped, but he was soon captured and returned to the stockade. The major's experience in his journeys from place to place and the many incidents of his prison life would fill a volume, but want of space prevents giving them here. He was finally paroled and sent into our lines at Wilmington, N. C., and was thence taken to Annapolis, Md., by steamer and thence taken to his home in Schuyler County, Ill., by railroad, and was discharged May 15, 1865. In 1866 he removed to Miami County, Kan., and engaged in farming and stock raising. He soon took interest in politics and served as township assessor, a member of the Kansas legislature, town treasurer, and director of city schools. In 1882 he removed to La Cygne, Lynn County, Kansas, where he resides and is an honored citizen. For many years he has been a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church."
https://schuyler.illinoisgenweb.org/military/hymersamuelcod115inf.html
"SAMUEL HYMER, Brevet Major, the second captain of Company D, was born in Harrison County, Ind., on May 17, 1829, and removed with his father's family to Schuyler County, Ill., in 1837, where he resided on a farm until he entered the service. His education was such as the district schools afforded and supplemented by brief terms in the Rushville schools. At the organization of Company D he was chosen second lieutenant very unexpectedly to himself, and on the resignation of Lieutenant Bridgewater, May 28, 1863, he was advanced to the first lieutenancy, and on the death of Captain Huckstep, December 9, 1863, he was promoted to the captaincy of his company. As a first lieutenant, he commanded his company after the wounding of Captain Huckstep, and did valiant service throughout the battle of Chickamauga. During the siege of Chattanooga Captain Hymer's company occupied a position above Brown's Ferry, where it remained several weeks without tents and with not more than half a dozen blankets to the company, constantly watching the operations of the rebels on Lookout Mountain. Though always an efficient officer and faithful in every duty, the crowning glory of Major Hymer's service was the defense of the blockhouse at Buzzard Roost Gap, which has been given at length in its proper place in this history. For this splendid service, the President gave him the brevet rank of major and as a further mark of distinction Congress conferred upon him a medal of honor "for most distinguished gallantry in action at Buzzard Roost Gap, Ga., October 13, 1864." In transmitting the award the secretary of war uses the following language: "This officer, with only forty-one men under his command, defended and held a blockhouse against the attack of Hood's army for nearly ten hours, thus checking the advance of the enemy and ensuring the safety of the rest of his regiment, as well as that of the 8th Kentucky Infantry, then stationed at Ringgold, Georgia." Major Hymer's experience while a prisoner was much the same as other Union officers in similar circumstances. He was taken with his company after the capture to Jacksonville, Ala., then to Selma, then to Montgomery, and thence to Macon, Ga. Here five of them, including the major, escaped, but he was soon captured and returned to the stockade. The major's experience in his journeys from place to place and the many incidents of his prison life would fill a volume, but want of space prevents giving them here. He was finally paroled and sent into our lines at Wilmington, N. C., and was thence taken to Annapolis, Md., by steamer and thence taken to his home in Schuyler County, Ill., by railroad, and was discharged May 15, 1865. In 1866 he removed to Miami County, Kan., and engaged in farming and stock raising. He soon took interest in politics and served as township assessor, a member of the Kansas legislature, town treasurer, and director of city schools. In 1882 he removed to La Cygne, Lynn County, Kansas, where he resides and is an honored citizen. For many years he has been a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church."
https://schuyler.illinoisgenweb.org/military/hymersamuelcod115inf.html
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