After working as a farmer in New York Anderson joined the military to fight in the Civil War and volunteered with a group of other soldiers to eliminate a palisade that was blocking the advance of his unit. After completing the mission and destroying the palisade, Anderson and twelve others were recommended for the Medal of Honor but the paperwork was lost. Anderson hired an attorney to get the Medal and he and two other soldiers received it in 1914.
Anderson was born June 19, 1845 in Mexico City but by the beginning of the Civil War was working as a farmer in New York.[n 1] He enlisted for service in the military from Schenectady[n 2] on August 31, 1864 as a private in Company K, 142nd New York Volunteer Infantry.[1] Anderson has the unusual, but not unique, distinction of being an African American soldier who served in a white Civil War regiment.[2]
On January 15, 1865, Anderson participated in the Union's second attack on Fort Fisher in North Carolina. He and twelve other men answered a call for volunteers to advance ahead of the main attack and cut down the palisade which blocked their path. Despite intense fire from the Confederate defenders, Anderson and the others were successful in destroying the obstacle. General Adelbert Ames recommended all thirteen men for the Medal of Honor, but his report was misplaced and not all of the medals were issued.[1]
Forty-nine years after the end of the war, in 1914, Anderson hired a lawyer in an effort to receive the Medal of Honor. One of the other soldiers in the palisade-cutting group, Private Zachariah C. Neahr, had successfully petitioned for the award decades earlier. At Anderson's prompting, the Adjutant General of the Army launched an investigation which uncovered General Ames' letter of recommendation and sought out the other men of the group. Three men, Alaric B. Chapin, George Merrill, and Dewitt C. Hotchkiss, were found to be still alive and were, along with Anderson, again recommended for the medal.[1] Anderson, Merrill, and Chapin were each issued the Medal of Honor on December 28, 1914; Hotchkiss' recommendation was overlooked a second time, and he was never decorated.[1][3]
Anderson lived for a time in Illinois, but eventually returned to New York and settled there in the city of Amsterdam. He died August 22, 1922 at age 77 in St. Peter's Hospital in Albany, New York, and was buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Amsterdam.[1][4]
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Bruce Anderson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 15 January 1865, while serving with Company K, 142d New York Infantry, in action at Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Private Anderson voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading.
^. American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients (A-L). United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2008.
^"Bruce Anderson". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
General
Hanna, Charles W. (2002). African American recipients of the Medal of Honor: a biographical dictionary, Civil War through Vietnam War. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 14. ISBN0-7864-1355-7.
Moss, Juanita Patience (2008). The Forgotten Black Soldiers in White Regiments During The Civil War. Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Books. ISBN978-0-7884-4647-4.
External links
"Bruce Anderson". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
bruce, anderson, soldier, other, people, named, bruce, anderson, bruce, anderson, disambiguation, bruce, anderson, june, 1845, august, 1922, african, american, union, army, soldier, american, civil, recipient, america, highest, military, decoration, medal, hon. For other people named Bruce Anderson see Bruce Anderson disambiguation Bruce Anderson June 19 1845 August 22 1922 was an African American Union Army soldier in the American Civil War and a recipient of America s highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Fort Fisher Bruce AndersonBorn 1845 06 19 June 19 1845Mexico City n 1 DiedAugust 22 1922 1922 08 22 aged 77 Albany New YorkPlace of burialGreen Hill CemeteryAmsterdam New YorkAllegianceUnited States of AmericaUnionService wbr branchUnited States ArmyUnion ArmyYears of service1864 1865RankPrivateUnitCompany K 142nd Regiment New York Volunteer InfantryBattles warsAmerican Civil WarSecond Battle of Fort FisherAwardsMedal of HonorAfter working as a farmer in New York Anderson joined the military to fight in the Civil War and volunteered with a group of other soldiers to eliminate a palisade that was blocking the advance of his unit After completing the mission and destroying the palisade Anderson and twelve others were recommended for the Medal of Honor but the paperwork was lost Anderson hired an attorney to get the Medal and he and two other soldiers received it in 1914 Contents 1 Biography 2 Medal of Honor citation 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 References 6 External linksBiography EditAnderson was born June 19 1845 in Mexico City but by the beginning of the Civil War was working as a farmer in New York n 1 He enlisted for service in the military from Schenectady n 2 on August 31 1864 as a private in Company K 142nd New York Volunteer Infantry 1 Anderson has the unusual but not unique distinction of being an African American soldier who served in a white Civil War regiment 2 On January 15 1865 Anderson participated in the Union s second attack on Fort Fisher in North Carolina He and twelve other men answered a call for volunteers to advance ahead of the main attack and cut down the palisade which blocked their path Despite intense fire from the Confederate defenders Anderson and the others were successful in destroying the obstacle General Adelbert Ames recommended all thirteen men for the Medal of Honor but his report was misplaced and not all of the medals were issued 1 Forty nine years after the end of the war in 1914 Anderson hired a lawyer in an effort to receive the Medal of Honor One of the other soldiers in the palisade cutting group Private Zachariah C Neahr had successfully petitioned for the award decades earlier At Anderson s prompting the Adjutant General of the Army launched an investigation which uncovered General Ames letter of recommendation and sought out the other men of the group Three men Alaric B Chapin George Merrill and Dewitt C Hotchkiss were found to be still alive and were along with Anderson again recommended for the medal 1 Anderson Merrill and Chapin were each issued the Medal of Honor on December 28 1914 Hotchkiss recommendation was overlooked a second time and he was never decorated 1 3 Anderson lived for a time in Illinois but eventually returned to New York and settled there in the city of Amsterdam He died August 22 1922 at age 77 in St Peter s Hospital in Albany New York and was buried at Green Hill Cemetery in Amsterdam 1 4 Medal of Honor citation EditThe President of the United States of America in the name of Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Bruce Anderson United States Army for extraordinary heroism on 15 January 1865 while serving with Company K 142d New York Infantry in action at Fort Fisher North Carolina Private Anderson voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading General Orders Date of Issue December 28 1914Action Date January 15 1865Service ArmyRank PrivateCompany Company KRegiment 142nd New York InfantrySee also Edit Biography portal American Civil War portalList of Medal of Honor recipients List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A F List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Second Battle of Fort Fisher List of African American Medal of Honor recipientsFootnotes Edit a b Anderson s Medal of Honor citation incorrectly records his place of birth as Mexico New York Anderson s Medal of Honor citation incorrectly records his place of enlistment as Ephratah New York References Edit This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History Inline a b c d e Hanna 14 Moss Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A L United States Army Center of Military History August 3 2009 Archived from the original on September 2 2012 Retrieved January 1 2008 Bruce Anderson Claim to Fame Medal of Honor recipients Find a Grave Retrieved 2008 02 14 GeneralHanna Charles W 2002 African American recipients of the Medal of Honor a biographical dictionary Civil War through Vietnam War Jefferson North Carolina McFarland amp Company Inc Publishers p 14 ISBN 0 7864 1355 7 Moss Juanita Patience 2008 The Forgotten Black Soldiers in White Regiments During The Civil War Westminster Maryland Heritage Books ISBN 978 0 7884 4647 4 External links Edit Bruce Anderson Hall of Valor Military Times Retrieved 2010 01 08 Bruce Anderson at Find a Grave Home of Heroes gravesite photo Home of Heroes Medal of Honor citation Waymarking with grave location coordinates Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bruce Anderson soldier amp oldid 1100865622, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
