Mason joined the Army from Pemberville, Ohio in April 1861, and by April 1862 was serving as a sergeant in Company K of the 21st Ohio Infantry.[1] During that month, he volunteered for a raid into Confederate territory to disrupt rail transport in Georgia. The mission failed, and all of the raiders were captured. In June, eight of the men, including the raid leader, James J. Andrews, were executed as spies. The remaining raiders, including Mason, made an escape from the Confederate prison on October 16, 1862. Very ill at the time, Mason was unable to keep up with the other soldiers and, at his own urging, was eventually left behind and recaptured by the Confederates. He and five other recaptured raiders were released in a prisoner exchange the next year, on March 18.[2] For his actions during the mission, he was awarded the newly created Medal of Honor one week after being exchanged, on March 25, 1863. He was the fourth person ever to receive the medal.[1]
Mason later became a commissioned officer and reached the rank of captain. He fought in the Battle of Chickamauga where he was again captured by the Confederates. He was paroled in December 1864, and discharged in May 1865.[3]
After the war, Mason returned to Pemberville, Ohio. He died at age 65 and was buried at Pemberville Cemetery.[4]
Medal of Honor citationedit
Mason's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
One of the 19 of 22 men (including 2 civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.[1]
Pittenger, William (1887). Daring and suffering: a history of the Andrews Railroad Raid into Georgia in 1862 ... New York: The War Publishing Co. p. A4. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
"Elihu H. Mason (1831 - 1896)". Find a Grave. January 21, 2001. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
January 01, 1970
elihu, mason, elihu, harlam, mason, march, 1831, september, 1896, union, army, soldier, american, civil, recipient, united, states, military, highest, decoration, medal, honor, actions, great, locomotive, chase, elihu, harlam, masonborn, 1831, march, 1831richm. Elihu Harlam Mason March 23 1831 September 24 1896 was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military s highest decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Great Locomotive Chase Elihu Harlam MasonElihu H MasonBorn 1831 03 23 March 23 1831Richmond IndianaDiedSeptember 24 1896 1896 09 24 aged 65 Pemberville OhioPlace of burialPemberville Cemetery Pemberville OhioAllegianceUnited States of AmericaUnionService wbr branch United States ArmyUnion ArmyYears of service1861 1865RankCaptainUnit21st Ohio InfantryBattles warsAmerican Civil War Great Locomotive ChaseAwardsMedal of Honor Contents 1 Biography 2 Medal of Honor citation 3 See also 4 ReferencesBiography editMason joined the Army from Pemberville Ohio in April 1861 and by April 1862 was serving as a sergeant in Company K of the 21st Ohio Infantry 1 During that month he volunteered for a raid into Confederate territory to disrupt rail transport in Georgia The mission failed and all of the raiders were captured In June eight of the men including the raid leader James J Andrews were executed as spies The remaining raiders including Mason made an escape from the Confederate prison on October 16 1862 Very ill at the time Mason was unable to keep up with the other soldiers and at his own urging was eventually left behind and recaptured by the Confederates He and five other recaptured raiders were released in a prisoner exchange the next year on March 18 2 For his actions during the mission he was awarded the newly created Medal of Honor one week after being exchanged on March 25 1863 He was the fourth person ever to receive the medal 1 Mason later became a commissioned officer and reached the rank of captain He fought in the Battle of Chickamauga where he was again captured by the Confederates He was paroled in December 1864 and discharged in May 1865 3 After the war Mason returned to Pemberville Ohio He died at age 65 and was buried at Pemberville Cemetery 4 Medal of Honor citation editMason s official Medal of Honor citation reads One of the 19 of 22 men including 2 civilians who by direction of Gen Mitchell or Buell penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty Ga in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta 1 See also edit nbsp Biography portal nbsp American Civil War portal List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients A F List of Andrews RaidersReferences editCitations a b c Army Center of Military History Elihu H Mason Pittenger 1887 p 224 Pittenger 1887 p 230 Find a Grave Elihu H Mason 1831 1896 Sources Civil War Medal of Honor recipients M Z Medal of Honor citations United States Army Center of Military History August 3 2009 Archived from the original on February 23 2009 Retrieved May 2 2010 Pittenger William 1887 Daring and suffering a history of the Andrews Railroad Raid into Georgia in 1862 New York The War Publishing Co p A4 Retrieved May 2 2010 Elihu H Mason 1831 1896 Find a Grave January 21 2001 Retrieved May 2 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elihu H Mason amp oldid 1217249154, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
