Four Civil War soldiers from Fayette County received the Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award for valor, was authorized for the first time during the Civil War.
The Medal of Honor is awarded only for an act of the most conspicuous gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty and in the presence of an armed enemy.
Two of the Fayette County recipients are buried in the Washington Court House Cemetery: Corporal Isaac H. Carman and Sgt. Major Francis McMillen. Also buried in Washington Cemetery is Fayette County’s last surviving Civil War veteran, Elon Thornton, who died in 1941 at the age of 97.
First Lieutenant David Jones is buried in the Good Hope Cemetery, and Corporal Henry Casey is buried in the Bloomingburg Cemetery — the SUVCW Camp is named in his honor. Corporal Isaac Carman served in Company A, 48th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Corporal Carman received his Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 22, 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi. He saved the lives of a number of his comrades by seizing a shell with a burning fuse and throwing it back to the rebels, slaughtering them with their own weapon. Corporal Carman also saved the Regiments Ohio flag by running about 100 feet through tremendous enemy fire. A regiments flag was of great importance since it was used as the focal point for the troops to rally.
In the April, 2021 issue of the Civil War News, a national publication, an article by Joseph F. Wilson about the 48th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment featured information about Corporal Carman’s heroic deed along with a couple of photographs of Corporal Carman.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) is a congressionally chartered organization created in 1881 by the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) for the purpose of perpetuating the heritage of the Grand Army of the Republic and the Civil War. Membership is open to descendants of Union Civil War veterans. The Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) is the uniformed Military Department of the SUVCW. Retired Miami Trace High School history teacher Robert E. Grim is the National Commander of the SVR. Those interested in more information about the SUVCW should contact Kelly Hopkins, Junior Vice Commander of the Henry Casey Camp at: [email protected].
