RoadTrippin' 9: Port Hudson Valor and a Delayed Medal of Honor

According to one account, Francis Warren received a serious scalp wound in the attack and initially was mistaken for dead, however, an alert doctor noticed he was alive and pulled him from the mass burial trench before it was covered. 

Another account says that after his entire platoon was destroyed by  Confederate bombardment, he was wounded but still managed to disable the enemy artillery.

Another account says that he was knocked down when the fascine he was carrying was struck by an artillery shall and he lay unconscious for several hours.

This same last account says that later, Congress recognized the valor of the volunteers and awarded them Medals of Honor.

The date of issue for Francis Warren's Medal of Honor was  September 30, 1893.  At the time, he was also serving his first term as U.S. Senator from Wyoming.

It's citation reads:

Volunteered in response to a call, and took part in a movement that was made upon  the enemy's works under a heavy fire therefrom in advance of the general assault.

I just have to wonder how much his service as Wyoming territorial governor and first U.S. governor and being in the U.S. Senate had to do with it.

--Old Secesh

RoadTrippin'-- Part 8: Francis Warren at Port Hudson and the 'Forlorn Hope'

By 1863, the Confederacy only controlled the part of the Mississippi River from Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Port Hudson, Louisiana.  In cooperation with General Grant who was going against Vicksburg, Union Major General  Nathaniel P. Banks' army moved against the Port Hudson.

Like Vicksburg, Port Hudson was located on high bluffs that gave the Confederates command of the river.

On May 11, 1863, Banks found that Confederates from Port Hudson had been sent to reinforce Vicksburg and  decided the time was right to attack the town.  By May 21st, Banks and his 30,000 troops surrounded Port Hudson, outnumbering the Confederates  four to one.

Francis E. Warren's 49th Massachusetts was with Banks at this time.  Banks, however, delayed attacking until May 27 giving the Confederates under Major Gen.  Franklin Gardner time to prepare his defenses.  A series of uncoordinated and unsuccessful attacks took place on May 27.  This is where Warren was wounded.

The 49th Massachusetts was called to furnish a few men from each company to perform the dangerous mission  of preceding the main force and putting down  fascines (bundles of sticks, twigs and other items) to fill in a ditch in front of the Confederate fortifications so that infantry might pass over it.

Corporal Warren was one of those volunteers.  The colonel and every officer in this what was to become known as the "Forlorn Hope" was killed and three-fourths of the men killed or wounded.  One of the wounded was Francis E. Warren.

--Old Secesh