Doomed by History | John L. Burns at Gettysburg

Today marks he third and final day of fighting during the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War.

One of the bushwhackers (non-uniformed civilian combatants) that fought on the side of the Union was John L. Burns, a veteran of the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War. I encourage you to read Mr. Burns' entry in wikipedia, as his story, which I only allude to below, is fascinating. (I mean, I don't even mention Bret Harte's poem.)



On the first day of combat, July 1, 1863, the 70-year-old Burns presented himself to the Union forces and eventually found himself fighting alongside the Iron Brigade. He was wounded, and the Union soldiers were forced to leave him on the field as they were pushed back. Injured and exhausted, he managed to crawl away from his rifle, bury his ammunition, and convince the Confederate soldiers that found him that he was a non-combatant wandering the field looking for aid for his ailing wife. (He was lucky: By the rules of war, Bushwhackers were summarily executed upon discovery.) His wounds were dressed by Confederate surgeons, and he escaped into the night and found his way home.

After the war he was elevated to the status of national hero, and met President Abraham Lincoln during the same time Mr. Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address.

John L. Burns died of pneumonia in 1872 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

[Thanks to kottke for the original idea.] [From Shorpy.]