John Pell Laundon 2nd Ohio Cavalry: Captured Three Generals & Passed Over for Medal of Honor at Sailor's Creek?

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John Pell Laundon (seated) Image from Private Family Collection of descendant, C. Birkmeier, provided to Veronica Williams May 2016. Source
On April 6, 1865, at the conclusion of the Battle of Sailor's Creek, Maj Gen Joseph B Kershaw; Brig Gen Dudley M DuBose, commanding William T Wofford's old brigade; Brig Gen James P Simms, commanding Paul J Semmes / Goode Bryan's old brigade; and Maj. E L Costin of Kershaw's staff were all captured together. In a letter to C A Woodruff dated 1876, Gen. Kershaw describes the capture of this group by "Corporal Lanham" of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry, who escorted them to Custer's headquarters to await the arrival of General Custer.

I believe the Corporal who captured this group of officers was actually Corp John Pell Laundon (b. 1839) Company G, 2nd Ohio Cavalry pictured above. He is the only Corporal and the only member on the roster of that organization whose last name is anywhere close to "Lanham." John Laundon immigrated from England to the United States with his family in 1845 and settled initially in North Ridgeville, Lorain County, Ohio.

FIVE members of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions at Sailor's Creek on April 6, 1865. Our guy, John Pell Laundon, is documented (by one of the Generals he took prisoner) as having captured a Confederate Major General, two Brigadiers, and a Major - but he was not one of those who received the MoH. I wonder what the other five did? Anyone know of any similar cases?

Sources:
Letter: Joseph B Kershaw to Carle A Woodruff dated 1876, printed in The Anderson Intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, SC) February 03, 1897, page 1.
WikiTree entry for John Pell Laundon by Veronica Williams. Source
Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865, Second Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Link
Diary of Luman Harris Tenney, printed for private circulation, by Frances Andrews Tenney, Oberlin, OH, Evangelical Publishing House, Cleveland, OH., 1914. Link
 
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Excerpt from a letter from Maj Gen Joseph B Kershaw to Carle A Woodruff, dated Camden, South Carolina, 1876.

At Sailor's Creek, Carle A. Woodruff was a Lieutenant in the 2nd US Artillery, Woodruff's Battery. It was Woodruff who met Kershaw and his party when they arrived at Custer's headquarters as prisoners of war. In grateful appreciation of the courtesy and kindness he extended there, Kershaw had given Woodruff "a splendid pair of spurs" that Kershaw had "worn since the first Manassas." Woodruff returned the spurs to Kershaw and this account was written in response. [Just a reminder that the "Corp Lanham" referenced in the excerpt below is most likely John Pell Laundon of G 2nd Ohio Cavalry. See OP.]

..."Whose command do you belong to?" I said. "To Custer's cavalry," said he; "Corpl Lanham, of the 2d Ohio Cavalry," touching his hat in soldierly salute. Said I, " Corporal, I am Major Gen. Kershaw and these are my men. If I surrender this party will you pledge your honor as a soldier that we shall be conducted to Gen. Custer's headquarters without molestation or insult?" "I will," said he emphatically and proudly.​
"Where are Custer's headquarters?" I asked. "They are with the light battery near there," said he, pointing in the direction whence during the engagement I had perceived a very annoying series of rifle shells coming from my right rear. "The general will be there tonight," he added. "Then lead the way corporal," said I, and we rode away together.​
Emerging from the wood into the open ground, we passed along the line of a regiment of Union cavalry. We had not proceeded far before a smart, brusque young officer galloped across the field and joined our party. "Who is it you have there, corporal?" he asked. "Gen. Kershaw," said Lanham. This officer then addressed me: "I see you have a sword by your side." "Yes," I replied. "I will trouble you for it," said he.​
I turned to Lanham and said, "Corporal, I surrendered to you upon your pledge of honor that I shold be conducted to Gen. Custer's headquarters without molestation and I call upon you to redeem your pledge." He replied, "General, I did make you this promise and this gentleman has no right to your sword, but he is my superior officer and I cannot protect you." I then handed my sword to the officer, after obtaining his name and charging Lanham to remember it. He was Lieut. R _____ of the 18th Illinois cavalry.​
Our cortege was then proceeded to the point indicated as headquarters. There was but little to be seen suggesting the importance of the locality. The distinguished cavalry leader was nowhere to be seen; there was no tent spread, not even a tent fly and no staff. A single young officer, sitting on the trail of one of the guns of a light battery, received a communication from Corpl. Lanham, and immediately stepped forward with a smile, half of pleasure and half of sympathy, and addressed me with that courtesy which always characterizes a true gentleman. He introduced himself as Lieut. Woodruff and invited us to dismount. "This is headquarters; the general will soon be here. In the meantime, I will take pleasure in entertaining you."​
...[The next morning] While at breakfast, one after another, some thirty troopers rode up within a few rods, each dismounting and aligning himself, and holding his horse by the bridle. Each carried a Confederate battle flag, except my captor of the previous day, whom I recognized in the ranks. He bore two of our flags. He also, as he caught my eye and bowed, pointed to my own sabre, worn at his belt, with an air of pride and pleasure.​
My curiosity was greatly excited by this group and I asked Custer what it meant. "That," said he, "is my escort for the day. It is my custom after a battle to select for my escort a sort of guarde de honor, those men in each regiment who most distinguished themselves in action, bearing for the time the trophies which they have taken from the enemy. These men are selected as the captors of the flags which they bear." I counted them, there were thirty one captured banners, representing thirty one of our regiments, killed, captured or dispersed the day before. It was not comforting to think of.​
Lanham's possession of my sword was easily accounted for. I had told Custer of the conduct of the officer who had taken it, and requested that Lanham should have it. He had said nothing in reply, but nevertheless had done the right thing. May Lanham's descendants wield that sword in defense of their country whenever called upon as honestly as its old master sought to do his duty, according to the dictates of his conscientious convictions.

Source: Excerpt from the Letter - Joseph B. Kershaw to Carle A. Woodruff, dated Camden, South Carolina, 1876, later published in The Anderson Intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, SC) February 03, 1897, page 1.

@Package4 do you happen to have, in your collection, a sword attributed to John P. Laundon, Co G, 2nd Ohio Cavalry? Or do you know where it is? Wouldn't that be GRAND!?!?!?
@Mike Serpa do you know of any other soldier that captured three generals at the same time but wasnt awarded the MoH? It'd be interesting to know who brought in Eppa Hunton, Seth Barton, and Montgomery Corse of Picketts Division. In the another part of the letter, its sounds as if they were all brought in together - possibly with Col Frank Huger. I'd be interested to know if the man who brought that group in received the MoH. Still, seems to me that capturing a Maj Gen, two brigadiers, and a Major would trump three brigadiers and a Colonel, doesn't it?
 
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"I wonder what the other five did?"

2nd Ohio Cavalry MOH at Sailor's Creek:

Albert A. Clapp - Capture of battle flag of the 8th Florida Infantry (C.S.A.).
Henry Hoffman - Capture of flag.
John Hughey - Capture of flag of 38th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.).
Smith Larimer - Capture of flag of General Kershaw's headquarters.
William R. Richardson - Having been captured and taken to the rear, made his escape rejoined the Union lines, and furnished information of great importance as to the enemy's position and the approaches thereto.

Source: Congressional Medal of Honor Society


"@Mike Serpa do you know of any other soldier that captured three generals at the same time but wasnt awarded the MoH?" Other than what you mentioned, I know of no soldier who captured three generals.

Harris Hawthorne was awarded the MOH at Sailor's Creek for capturing the Confederate Gen. G. W. Custis Lee. Why would someone who captured three generals not get a MOH? (There is disagreement if Hawthorne or a man named David White captured Lee but he was captured and a man received a MOH for it.)
 
Why would someone who captured three generals not get a MOH?
I don't know. Seems to me Laundon was most deserving. Definitely more deserving than someone who just picked up a dropped battle flag during the stampede at the end of Sailor's Creek. If the other group of three generals (Seth Barton, Montgomery Corse, and Eppa Hunton) was all brought in by the same man - with or without Col Frank Huger - it seems that whoever brought them in was also deserving of the MoH.

General Kershaw was one of the ones captured by "Corporal Lanham" (probably Laundon,) and it is Kershaw's account. I can't imagine Gen Kershaw would have had any reason to lie about it in his 1876 letter to Carle A Woodruff. Woodruff was, by then, Lt Col of Artillery in the US Army. By the time the letter was published in 1897, Kershaw was dead, but the letter was preceded by an introductory paragraph written by his son, Rev. John Kershaw who was also present that day.

Kershaw's account certainly seems believable to me. His description of affairs at that point makes it clear that the group was together. Dudley DuBose was commanding Wofford's old brigade and James P Simms was commanding Paul J Semmes/Goode Bryan's old brigade - both of Kershaw's division. So it makes sense that they were all together.

Kershaw describes the events just prior to the group's capture as follows:

....The flower of the Union army was upon us, Humphrey's and Wright's splendid corps in my front and Custer's and Merritt's cavalry holding Anderson at bay, riding into our lines and over all obstacles with the utmost gallantry and a reckless determination. My own command held the ground fiercely and sternly, with a calmness never surpassed even by those veterans of an hundred battlefields, while the naval brigade to my left fought with a sort of rollicking enthusiasm, due not only to their splendid courage, but also to the novelty of their position and their recent release from gunboats and the monotony of siege service as heavy artillery.​
For about and hour and a half of the best and closest fighting of the war the situation remained seemingly unchanged. But no word came from Anderson. Broken, killed, captured or dispersed, his entire command had melted away. The wings of Sheridan's infantry united to his cavalry to the right and left of us; the circle of fire was complete.​
At length, my right gave back [Wofford's old brigade was on the right of the division] and a fire from the rear announced Anderson's fate. I gave the order to fall back, firing, and slowly moved with the retreating mass through the dense woods, as near as I could guess towards Appomattox.​
Not far had we progressed when one of my men informed me that the struggle was useless, that most of my men had surrendered. Riding a few rods in the direction we were moving, I arrived at an open space, across which, in precise and orderly array, was formed one of Custer's brigades, towards whom were running with uplifted hands, from all parts of the wood, the men of my command, as fast as they reached this open ground and comprehended the situation.​
Riding back to the skirmish line, I ordered them to cease firing, explained the situation, and gave the word, "Sauve qui peut." Turning to my staff I dismissed them with orders to escape if they could. I remained where they left me, watching their receding forms as they galloped through the woods with feeling which may be imagined, but cannot be expressed.​
Soon, I found myself surrounded by some thirty of my brave comrades including Gen DuBose and Gen Simms of Georgia, and Maj. Costin of my staff. I asked the latter why he had not gone. He said sadly, "General, I have followed your fortunes too long to leave you now." When further pressed to save himself he said, "I have no home to return to. I prefer to share your fate." Poor fellow, and gallant, generous gentleman, he did return to his home afterwards, on the eastern shore of Virginia, where I trust the few remaining years of his bright, young life were crowned with honor and peace he richly deserved. Finding myself responsible not only for myself but also for these faithful comrades, who seemed determined to stand by me to the end, I endeavored to escape with them....​
[Joseph B. Kershaw to Carle A. Woodruff, dated Camden, South Carolina, 1876, later published in The Anderson Intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, SC) February 03, 1897, page 1.]​

@connecticut yankee there's a reference to Tucker's Naval Brigade in the above account that may be of interest.
 
I note with interest the mention of Lieutenant R _________ of the 18th Illinois Cavalry. I thought it might be of interest to browse thru the rosters to see if I could find some possible candidates as to the identity of that individual. Looking at the Illinois Adjutant General's Report of Civil War units and the Union Army order of battle for the Appomattox Campaign I noticed that the 18th Illinois Cavalry does not seem to have existed. I won't fault General Kershaw given the confusion of the situation and the fact that his letter was written eleven years after the event, but it's a good reason to use personal accounts cautiously.
 
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