John Chase -"Did we win the battle?"

Gettysburg Greg

First Sergeant
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Jun 6, 2010
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Decatur, Illinois
John Chase was an artilleryman with the 5th Maine Light Artillery. At Gettysburg, he was manning one of the cannons on Steven's Knoll when a Confederate shell exploded near him taking off his right arm, blowing out his left eye, and sending 48 pieces of shrapnel into his body. Thought to be dead, he was carried to the rear and left for dead. Two days later, his body was loaded on a wagon to be buried when the driver heard him moan and pulled him from the other bodies. After a drink of water, his first words were, "Did we win the battle?" He was taken to a field hospital, but ignored because the doctors considered him mortally wounded. After surviving three more days, his wounds were bandaged and he was taken to the hospital at the Seminary where he remained for three months. He is considered by many to be the most wounded survivor of the War. Private Chase not only survived the war, he married, had seven children, and lived until 1914. It is worth mentioning that John Chase won the Medal of Honor for his bravery, not at Gettysburg, but Chancellorsville where he continued to man his gun while under heavy Confederate fire. Below is a photograph of Chase showing many of his wounds and on the right a then and now showing the dedication of the 5th Maine's monument on Steven's Knoll along with a similar now view. In the dedication photo, John Chase is seen standing on the left of the group. What men these were!
chase combo1.jpg
 
That is a crazy-good story!! Can you imagine, they continually shoved this poor guy somewhere, expecting him to die and he just did not? The hours he laid there in pain? Maine!" He is considered by many to be the most wounded survivor of the War " Considering all the stories of the war, that is saying something so huge it defies description. Also something difficult to wrap your head around.

A good portion of my mother's family is from New England. A good portion of my head finds it unsurprising the most wounded survivor would hail from there. @John Hartwell did you see this story?
 
This man was both determined and hard to kill!

Some additional information prepared by Dan Peters in the Maine Civil War Discussion Forum, 29 April 2001: Chase was born on a farm in Chelsea, Maine on April 23, 1843, the son of Oliver and Rachel Trass Chase. Six weeks after his eighteenth birthday he enlisted in Company B, 3rd Maine Infantry - he was nearly six feet tall, weighed 160 pounds, had brown hair and brown eyes. Discharged in late June 1861 with phthisis (defined as pulmonary tuberculosis). His health improved and he reenlisted for three years in the newly formed 5th Maine Artillery on November 22, 1861. He was afterwards absent six months because of typhoid fever, returning to his unit a month before the Chancellorsville battle. Among his wounds at Gettysburg, a piece of shell entered his left eye, destroying it; another piece entered under his chin, lodging just under his tongue, which gave him a speech impediment; his face was scarred by the exploding powder; another fragment sliced across his throat; his right collar bone was fractured; three ribs on his right side were fractured and one of them badly damaged his lung; his left shoulder was numbed by another embedded fragment; and his right arm was amputated by a surgeon.
 
Great story!!

[Edited to remove too personal content]

I think John Chase must have felt the same. Someone above absolutely wanted him to live! What a great thing that he lived and had 7 children. And he died tbe year my Dad was born.
What men these were!
Yes. My thoughts also.
 
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Great story!!
My Dad was left for dead on the battlefield in Russia in WWII and like Chase thrown on a cart carrying the dead bodies away. He did not have enough strength to even moan, but he could move his right middle finger and tap against the canvas cover of tbe cart, so that finally he was discovered to be still alive. Until his last day he remembered the situation vividly and told us of his miraculous salvage. I think John Chase must have felt the same. Someone above absolutely wanted him to live! What a great thing that he lived and had 7 children. And he died tbe year my Dad was born.

Yes. My thoughts also.
Thanks for your great story, too. Thanks for commenting. Very interesting.
 
This man was both determined and hard to kill!

Some additional information prepared by Dan Peters in the Maine Civil War Discussion Forum, 29 April 2001: Chase was born on a farm in Chelsea, Maine on April 23, 1843, the son of Oliver and Rachel Trass Chase. Six weeks after his eighteenth birthday he enlisted in Company B, 3rd Maine Infantry - he was nearly six feet tall, weighed 160 pounds, had brown hair and brown eyes. Discharged in late June 1861 with phthisis (defined as pulmonary tuberculosis). His health improved and he reenlisted for three years in the newly formed 5th Maine Artillery on November 22, 1861. He was afterwards absent six months because of typhoid fever, returning to his unit a month before the Chancellorsville battle. Among his wounds at Gettysburg, a piece of shell entered his left eye, destroying it; another piece entered under his chin, lodging just under his tongue, which gave him a speech impediment; his face was scarred by the exploding powder; another fragment sliced across his throat; his right collar bone was fractured; three ribs on his right side were fractured and one of them badly damaged his lung; his left shoulder was numbed by another embedded fragment; and his right arm was amputated by a surgeon.
 
This man was both determined and hard to kill!

Some additional information prepared by Dan Peters in the Maine Civil War Discussion Forum, 29 April 2001: Chase was born on a farm in Chelsea, Maine on April 23, 1843, the son of Oliver and Rachel Trass Chase. Six weeks after his eighteenth birthday he enlisted in Company B, 3rd Maine Infantry - he was nearly six feet tall, weighed 160 pounds, had brown hair and brown eyes. Discharged in late June 1861 with phthisis (defined as pulmonary tuberculosis). His health improved and he reenlisted for three years in the newly formed 5th Maine Artillery on November 22, 1861. He was afterwards absent six months because of typhoid fever, returning to his unit a month before the Chancellorsville battle. Among his wounds at Gettysburg, a piece of shell entered his left eye, destroying it; another piece entered under his chin, lodging just under his tongue, which gave him a speech impediment; his face was scarred by the exploding powder; another fragment sliced across his throat; his right collar bone was fractured; three ribs on his right side were fractured and one of them badly damaged his lung; his left shoulder was numbed by another embedded fragment; and his right arm was amputated by a surgeon.

John F Chase was my gggreat uncle. His sister, Sarah was my gggreat grandmother. The Trask side of the family left Salem, Massachusetts and founded Freetown which is now Edgecomb. Uncle John had 3 brothers who also served. His oldest brother, Samuel, served with the 1st Mass Cav and the second oldest, Andrew served with the 3rd RI Heavy Artillery. A younger brother enlisted with the 16th Maine in 1863 and died in Fredericksburg that Dec. of disease. He had 3 brotherinlaws that also served and two were my gggreat grandfathers.
My cousin donated his MOH which can be viewed at the visitors center at the Chancellorsville Battlefield. A cane with an etching of Uncle John is also available to view. For further reading is the book Haversack of Song which has Uncle John's story of survival. A copy is available to view at the Maine State Museum. I'm proud to be a descendent.
 
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John Chase was an artilleryman with the 5th Maine Light Artillery. At Gettysburg, he was manning one of the cannons on Steven's Knoll when a Confederate shell exploded near him taking off his right arm, blowing out his left eye, and sending 48 pieces of shrapnel into his body. Thought to be dead, he was carried to the rear and left for dead. Two days later, his body was loaded on a wagon to be buried when the driver heard him moan and pulled him from the other bodies. After a drink of water, his first words were, "Did we win the battle?" He was taken to a field hospital, but ignored because the doctors considered him mortally wounded. After surviving three more days, his wounds were bandaged and he was taken to the hospital at the Seminary where he remained for three months. He is considered by many to be the most wounded survivor of the War. Private Chase not only survived the war, he married, had seven children, and lived until 1914. It is worth mentioning that John Chase won the Medal of Honor for his bravery, not at Gettysburg, but Chancellorsville where he continued to man his gun while under heavy Confederate fire. Below is a photograph of Chase showing many of his wounds and on the right a then and now showing the dedication of the 5th Maine's monument on Steven's Knoll along with a similar now view. In the dedication photo, John Chase is seen standing on the left of the group. What men these were!
View attachment 90718


If it wasn't for my great grandmother back in 1985 I would never had know about this side of the family which started 31 yrs of researching my family. Lucky for me all my mothers family were from the Augusta area. 5 years ago while tracing the Stevens side from Belgrade I found that Greenleaf Stevens was a cousin. I knew he was the officer of the 5th Maine but I finally found the connection. His cousin, Elijah Grant Stevens, who served with the 20th Maine was my ggggrandfather. He was in detached service and was not on Little Round Top on the second day. As the 20th was marching from Chancellorsville to Gettysburg he was clearing brush and cut his leg with an axe. My Civil War ancestors have some interesting stories to tell and they all were at Togus at different times after the war. So Uncle John from one side of the family served under Cousin Greenleaf from the other side of my mothers family. When we go out to Gettyburg Stevens Knoll is special to me and my family.
 
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Great story!!
My Dad was left for dead on the battlefield in Russia in WWII and like Chase thrown on a cart carrying the dead bodies away. He did not have enough strength to even moan, but he could move his right middle finger and tap against the canvas cover of tbe cart, so that finally he was discovered to be still alive. Until his last day he remembered the situation vividly and told us of his miraculous salvage. I think John Chase must have felt the same. Someone above absolutely wanted him to live! What a great thing that he lived and had 7 children. And he died tbe year my Dad was born.

Yes. My thoughts also.
Another amazing story... thanks for sharing FF; one of my favorite WW II books is The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajur... your father's story reminds me of Sajur's classic work.

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@CW61-65:

In September a group of forum members will be getting together in Gettysburg. Perhaps you would consider joining us? Read more about it on the following thread.

http://civilwartalk.com/threads/let...kend-of-sept-16th-thru-sept-18th-2016.119808/
Just looked at our schedule for the year and that weekend is free. My husband belongs to the 116th Pa. The same unit that helped Uncle John haul the cannon off the field at Chancellorsville. I would be interested in coming to Gettysburg during that weekend
 
My Dad was left for dead on the battlefield in Russia in WWII and like Chase thrown on a cart carrying the dead bodies away. He did not have enough strength to even moan, but he could move his right middle finger and tap against the canvas cover of tbe cart, so that finally he was discovered to be still alive. Until his last day he remembered the situation vividly and told us of his miraculous salvage.

Thanks so much for sharing this with us, Ma'am!

Incredible story!
 
So, John Chase had to wait 5 days just to get a bandage...?

Yep - that pretty much reinforces my belief that on the battlefield, there are circumstances in which fratricide charges should be overlooked, haha.

I'd be hunting some folks down like a rabid animal after an ordeal like that!

If it wasn't for Rev. Sloan and 2 nuns and a woman from town Uncle John would have died.
 
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