John Wollam

Last updated

John Wollam (1838 - September 27, 1890) was a participant in the Great Locomotive Chase and recipient of the Medal of Honor.

Contents

Biography

John Wollam was born in 1838 in Hamilton, Ohio. [1] He served as a private in the 21st Ohio Infantry. He was a participant in the Great Locomotive Chase and thus was one of the first soldiers to receive the medal. [2] His received his medal on July 20, 1864. [3] He died on September 27, 1890, and is buried in Fairmount Cemetery, Jackson, Ohio. [4]

Medal of Honor Citation

For extraordinary heroism on April, 1862, in action during the Andrew's Raid in Georgia. Private Wilson was one of the 19 of 22 men (including two civilians) who, by direction of General Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles/200 miles (320 km) south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Georgia, and attempted to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta. [5]

Related Research Articles

Great Locomotive Chase Raid during the American Civil War

The Great Locomotive Chase was a military raid that occurred April 12, 1862, in northern Georgia during the American Civil War. Volunteers from the Union Army, led by civilian scout James J. Andrews, commandeered a train, The General, and took it northward toward Chattanooga, Tennessee, doing as much damage as possible to the vital Western and Atlantic Railroad (W&A) line from Atlanta to Chattanooga as they went. They were pursued by Confederate forces at first on foot, and later on a succession of locomotives, including The Texas, for 87 miles (140 km).

James J. Andrews American Union Army espionage agent during the American Civil War

James J. Andrews was a Kentucky civilian who worked for the Union Army during the early years of the American Civil War. He led a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, known as the Great Locomotive Chase. Andrews and seven fellow raiders were caught at the end of the chase and executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying.

Jacob Parrott

Jacob Wilson Parrott was an American soldier and carpenter. He was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor, a new military award first presented by the United States Department of War to six Union Army soldiers who participated in the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862 during the American Civil War (1861–1865).

Events from the year 1835 in the United States.

<i>The Great Locomotive Chase</i> 1956 American adventure film by Francis D. Lyon

The Great Locomotive Chase is a 1956 American adventure film produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the real Great Locomotive Chase that occurred in 1862 during the American Civil War. Filmed in CinemaScope and in color, the film stars Fess Parker as James J. Andrews, the leader of a group of Union soldiers from various Ohio regiments who volunteered to go behind Confederate lines in civilian clothes, steal a Confederate train north of Atlanta, and drive it back to Union lines in Tennessee, tearing up railroad tracks and destroying bridges and telegraph lines along the way.

33rd Ohio Infantry Regiment

The 33rd Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Elihu H. Mason Union Army Medal of Honor recipient

Elihu Harlam Mason 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.

William Pittenger

William Pittenger was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He was one of the first recipients of the Medal of Honor.

William Hunter Campbell

William Hunter Campbell was an Ohio civilian who worked for the Union Army during the early years of the American Civil War. He participated in a daring raid behind enemy lines on the Western and Atlantic Railroad, known famously as the Great Locomotive Chase. The mission failed and Campbell and seven fellow raiders were executed by the Confederates on the charge of spying.

Wilson W. Brown

Wilson Wright Brown was a soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor for his role in the Great Locomotive Chase during the American Civil War.

William Bensinger

William Bensinger was an American soldier who fought for the Union in the American Civil War. On March 25, 1863, he was the second person given the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Great Locomotive Chase in Georgia in April 1862.

Daniel A. Dorsey

Daniel Allen Dorsey was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Dorsey received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Great Locomotive Chase in Georgia in April 1862. He was honored with the award on 17 September 1863.

Robert Buffum

Robert Buffum was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Buffum was the third person to receive the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Great Locomotive Chase in Georgia in April 1862. He was honored with the award on 25 March 1863.

Mark Wood (Medal of Honor)

Mark Wood was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Wood received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his role in the celebrated Great Locomotive Chase. Wood and a fellow participant in the raid, John A. Wilson, were captured close to Union lines in Stevenson, Alabama after they abandoned The General. Wood and Wilson escaped from captivity and after sailing down the Chattahoochee River, were rescued by a Union ship. He was honored with the award on May 12, 1865.

Martin J. Hawkins

Martin Jones Hawkins was a Union Army officer in the American Civil War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

John Reed Porter

John Reed Porter was a recipient of the Medal of Honor, a military award presented by the United States Department of War to 18 Union Army soldiers who participated in the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862 during the American Civil War (1861–1865). He joined Union Army in 1861 and participated in the battles of Chickamauga, Stones River, Bentonville, and the campaigns of Chattanooga and Atlanta. At the end of the war he was a first lieutenant.

William H. Reddick American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient

William Henry Harrison Reddick (1840-1903) was an American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Andrews Raid, also known as the Great Locomotive Chase or the Mitchell Raid. Reddick was born on September 18, 1840 in Locust Grove, Ohio, and died on November 8, 1903 in Muscatine, Iowa. He is buried at the Lettsville Cemetery in Letts, Iowa. He worked as a farmer after his discharge from the military.

Samuel Robertson (Medal of Honor) American Medal of Honor recipient

Samuel Robertson was a private in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the American Civil War. Robertson was the first American soldier posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor; he was awarded the medal in September 1863 for actions performed behind Confederate lines near Big Shanty, Georgia in April 1862.

Marion A. Ross Medal of Honor recipient

Marion A. Ross was a sergeant major of the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the American Civil War. He was posthumously awarded the medal in September 1863 for actions performed during the Great Locomotive Chase in April 1862.

John Alfred Wilson was a member of the Andrew's Raid and one of the first recipients of the Medal of Honor.

References

  1. "Recipients: John Wollam". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  2. "Andrew's Raiders". National Medal of Honor Heritage Center. Retrieved June 10, 2021.
  3. "John Wollam". VConline. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  4. "List by Alphabet ( U-Z ) » Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States". www.mohhsus.com. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
  5. "John Wollam". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved June 10, 2021.