General Orders, No. 195, was issued by the Adjutant General's Office of the War Department, under orders of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, on the 29th of June, 1863 [General Orders of the War Department, 1861-1863: Vol 2, pg 219-220]. This order would hit the local newspapers in a few days, and nationwide within a few weeks. The message would carry headlines such as "Medals for Volunteers", "Medals of Honor for Soldiers", etc. An "appropriate" medal of honor was being offered for troops choosing to remain beyond their expiration of service, as well as for those troops who volunteered to defend Pennsylvania and Maryland "in the present emergency", ie. the "Pennsylvania Emergency", or the invasion of the north by the Confederate Army.
On the same day (the 29th), Daniel Somes entered the camp of the 27th Maine, bringing with him the request from Sec. Stanton and the President, asking both the 25th and 27th Regiments to remain behind a few days [see Medal of Honor blog].
Two weeks prior to this, General Lee had entered Pennsylvania. Sec. Stanton contacted New York State's Gov. Seymour, asking him to raise 20,000 volunteers from the state militia and rush them to Harrisburg. Nearly 14 thousand were raised, 12k of which were on the march the following day. With the Army of the Potomac a few days behind the rebel army, the guardsmen wouldn't have fared well had General Lee attacked Harrisburg.
Meanwhile, the 27th New Jersey Infantry (a nine-month regiment) was due to reach the end of their service on the 19th of June, and had been ordered to proceed home from Kentucky. Gen. Burnside, on the 17th, sent a telegram to Stanton, telling him that the 27th N.J., currently with him in Cincinnati, Ohio, had volunteered to stay on one more month and had been sent to Pittsburg, PA.[telegram in the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 6]. They then proceeded onto Harrisburg, guarding the bridge there on the 26th. The city deemed safe from an attack, they returned home for mustering out on July 2nd.
On the same day (the 29th), Daniel Somes entered the camp of the 27th Maine, bringing with him the request from Sec. Stanton and the President, asking both the 25th and 27th Regiments to remain behind a few days [see Medal of Honor blog].
Two weeks prior to this, General Lee had entered Pennsylvania. Sec. Stanton contacted New York State's Gov. Seymour, asking him to raise 20,000 volunteers from the state militia and rush them to Harrisburg. Nearly 14 thousand were raised, 12k of which were on the march the following day. With the Army of the Potomac a few days behind the rebel army, the guardsmen wouldn't have fared well had General Lee attacked Harrisburg.
Meanwhile, the 27th New Jersey Infantry (a nine-month regiment) was due to reach the end of their service on the 19th of June, and had been ordered to proceed home from Kentucky. Gen. Burnside, on the 17th, sent a telegram to Stanton, telling him that the 27th N.J., currently with him in Cincinnati, Ohio, had volunteered to stay on one more month and had been sent to Pittsburg, PA.[telegram in the Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 6]. They then proceeded onto Harrisburg, guarding the bridge there on the 26th. The city deemed safe from an attack, they returned home for mustering out on July 2nd.
Fast forward to the 1870's. The war was long over, and the 27th Maine was the only regiment to receive their medals. But, what of the other units who also volunteered?
On behalf of the New York militia volunteers, the Legislature in NY passed a resolution on 9 Apr 1876, urging the Federal government to keep its word. Three years later, Thomas C. Reed of the 27th NJ Inf. requested a medal for his volunteer service based on G.O. 195, but was told that no funds had ever been appropriated for those medals promised in 1863, and so rejected his claim. He tried again in 1884, and the Medal of Honor was issued to him on 17 May of that year. Upon hearing this, four other soldiers from his New Jersey regiment also applied and received their medals [A Shower of Stars, pg 110].
On 12 May 1896, the House Committee of Military Affairs agreed to a resolution in authorizing the issuing of the medals, and funds were set aside for this purpose, but nothing more came out of this. Even the Assistant Secretary of War, in May 1896, had no objection to carrying out the orders of GO 195, and had regretted that there had been such a long delay [Buffalo Evening News, 30 Jan 1900, pg 4].
During this time, however, there were numerous other requests for medals, not just because of the GO, but for other actions that took place during the war. There were talks of totally shutting down any awarding of medals months before the above resolution was spoke of. One chairman estimated they would need some 200,000 medals to cover all of the applications [The Indianapolis Journal, 16 Mar 1896].
The New York militia volunteers never did get their medals. When the purge came in 1916-1917, the five New Jersey veterans of the 27th Infantry were among those who also had their Medal of Honor revoked.
On behalf of the New York militia volunteers, the Legislature in NY passed a resolution on 9 Apr 1876, urging the Federal government to keep its word. Three years later, Thomas C. Reed of the 27th NJ Inf. requested a medal for his volunteer service based on G.O. 195, but was told that no funds had ever been appropriated for those medals promised in 1863, and so rejected his claim. He tried again in 1884, and the Medal of Honor was issued to him on 17 May of that year. Upon hearing this, four other soldiers from his New Jersey regiment also applied and received their medals [A Shower of Stars, pg 110].
On 12 May 1896, the House Committee of Military Affairs agreed to a resolution in authorizing the issuing of the medals, and funds were set aside for this purpose, but nothing more came out of this. Even the Assistant Secretary of War, in May 1896, had no objection to carrying out the orders of GO 195, and had regretted that there had been such a long delay [Buffalo Evening News, 30 Jan 1900, pg 4].
During this time, however, there were numerous other requests for medals, not just because of the GO, but for other actions that took place during the war. There were talks of totally shutting down any awarding of medals months before the above resolution was spoke of. One chairman estimated they would need some 200,000 medals to cover all of the applications [The Indianapolis Journal, 16 Mar 1896].
The New York militia volunteers never did get their medals. When the purge came in 1916-1917, the five New Jersey veterans of the 27th Infantry were among those who also had their Medal of Honor revoked.
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