Barry Hastings: Two Congressional Medal of Honor winners

By Barry Hastings

Over a period of some time, I’ve been trying to collect material related to the deeds of 36 Michigan soldiers who won the Medal of Honor during the South’s rebellion, 1860-65. The one thing all have in common is service in Michigan Artillery, Cavalry, Infantry units. They originally hailed from our state, other states or foreign lands.

Many of them were born in such places as Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, even some from the middle East. There may be more, from other lands. I’ve gathered material on 13 of them, and hope to uncover further information on more before I kick the bucket.

Of the two I’ll cover in this piece, one was born in Galesburg, Mich., the other in Newark, N.J., and was most likely the son of English, Scots, or Irish immigrants.

Corporal Andrew Traynor, 1^st Michigan Cavalry

During the last months of 1863, following defeat of Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania and the battle at Gettysburg The Army of the Potomac fought no large battles, until General Ulysses S. Grant consolidated his command of all Union forces and headed into the long, drawn-out Battle of the Wilderness. The center of Union attention through most of those months was on the struggle for Chattanooga, and on General Billy Sherman’s path toward Georgia, and up through the Atlantic rebellious states of South, then North Carolina.

President Abraham Lincoln had issued a call for a further 200,000 Union soldiers. He’d also appointed Grant to command of all Union forces, and promoted him to Lt. General of the Armies. While Grant transferred East, and reorganized the Army of the Potomac, he ordered several several brigades of Union Cavalry (one commanded by Brigadier G. A. Custer), to harass Lee’s home state of Virginia. They were under orders raid the territory between Harper’s Ferry and the James River, destroying everything they found – farms, military equipment and supplies, towns as well, if they were hindered or obstructed.

On March 16,1864, Corporal Andrew Traynor was detailed with one private, to scouting duty near Mason’s Hall, Virginia . There were many Confederate soldiers in the region, and, according to Corp. Traynor, as many Union troops, as well. The terrain was rolling hills, sand, and grass in an area of many pine groves.

“Confederates and Yankees were all looking for one another,” Traynor later recalled. He and the private were making their way through the pine groves, seeking a reported, “Large force of Confederate regulars.

“Having made our way through a dense thicket,” he wrote in his report later, “We were surprised by four well-armed Reb guerrillas.” Both were captured, “and taken back into the pines, and in a small clearing, were joined with a captured civilian, his wagon, and a team of horses.” The three captives were were left under guard by two guerrillas, and taken back into the pine woods.” Soon the other Rebels returned with three more prisoners, “who proved to be stragglers from the Union lines.”

As they were moved deeper into the pines, Traynor whispered to the others his plan of escape. He told them to, “watch me closely, and stay with me.” He waited some time until the two Rebels moved closer together (something soldiers shouldn’t, but often do.) As the enemies stood whispering to one-another, the opportunity arose — he swiftly attacked both men, and, “Before they could cry out or fire their weapons, I had them on the ground.” He was in a struggle for life and freedom. “Both men were well-armed and able-bodied,” he continued, “but my attack was so sudden and well-directed, that in an instant I had the guns of both, and had given one to the wagon driver who had stayed right at my side.”

At that point the other two guards returned. Traynor killed one of them, the wagon-driver the other. As he and wagon-man killed them, the two he’d attacked ran off into the woods, “while we headed in the opposite direction.” Getting clear of the pines, Traynor and the Private parted with with the other three Yankees, who headed for nearby Union lines. They continued their scout, but were soon spotted again by the guerrillas, and chased for more than two miles til they reached the Union lines.

Intrepid conduct in the face of the enemy, indeed, and he got what he deserved — a Congressional Medal of Honor.

1^st Lieutenant, later Major-General, Wm. R. Shafter, 7th Michigan Infantry

On the 31^st of May, 1862, Lt. Shafter won his nation’s highest award for bravery and gallantry in action, in combat on the Virginia side of the Chickahominy River. Prior to start of the battle, he’d been directing pioneers (engineers) who were constructing a bridge to facilitate an attack across the river.

In telling his story, Shafter, from Galesburg, said a strong Rebel force at the extreme left of the Union position, launched a heavy attack just as Shafter’s pioneers completed the bridge. “The attack caused our commanding General to dispatch the Second Corps across the river, immediately after 12 o’clock noon, and the Battle of Fair Oaks began shortly thereafter.

“As my services were not necessary at the bridge, I took half of the 45 men under my command to the head of our Brigade, reaching them just as they were about to engage the enemy,” he said in his report. He went on, “I was directed by General Dana to proceed across an open field, in front of a Rebel regiment, which I did. I arrived at the designated point with only four men, out of a party of twenty-two, 18 having been killed or wounded within minutes.”

The adjutant of our regiment, the Seventh Michigan Infantry, was dangerously wounded at this time, and incapacitated. I was directed by Major Richardson, who commanded the regiment, to assume the duties of Regimental Adjutant (an officer who assisted other officers where needed). Just as this part of the battle slowed, he wrote, “or perhaps half-an-hour later, my horse was shot from under me, and I was wounded, but with no bones damaged – the wound was not considered dangerous.”

He stayed in the field, bleeding quite heavily, through the day, and, “continued at my post during continuation of the fight, next day.”

To avoid being sent north for medical aid with the many wounded, Shafter went to the rear and stayed for two days, until the wounded were all sent away. “Then I returned to my regiment, though unable to ride a horse.” He was confined to a settee (couch), and there performed the duties of adjutant, “so far as the office part of the work was concerned.”

As Union troops fell back across the river, Shafter’s choice was to ride a horse, or fall captive to the enemy. “Riding in my wounded condition was very painful.” He chose pain over captivity in Libby prison, and fought with his regiment throughout all seven days of the subsequent fight.

Union forces lost nearly 5,700 men in the battle, the Rebels nearly 8,000. Shafter was cited for, “Intelligent energy and activity, setting a fine example of ‘soldierly heroism’ for the troops.” Be proud, Galesburg.

Staying with the U.S. Army after the war, he eventually reached the rank of Major General, and had a U.S. Military base named for him.