James Hard
 |
James Hard | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Albert Hard July 15, 1843 Windsor, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 12, 1953 (aged 109 years, 240 days) Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
Branch |  Union Army |
Service years | 1861–1863 |
| Unit |  32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment |
Conflicts | American Civil War |
James Albert Hard (July 15, 1843 – March 12, 1953) was the last verified living Union combat veteran of the American Civil War and the third-to-last verified veteran overall; only drummer boys Frank H. Mayer and Albert Woolson post-deceased him. Though he claimed to have been born in 1841,[1] research in 2006 found that the 1850 Census indicated a birthdate of 1843.
Hard was born in Windsor, New York on July 15, 1843.[2][3] He enlisted in his town on April 16, 1861, very shortly after the start of the American Civil War.[2] He then enlisted in New York City on May 14, joining the 32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment on May 31 upon its creation.[4] Hard was initially assigned to Company K on May 31, before being transferred to Company E the same day; he served with the regiment as "Albert".[4] He participated in the battles of First Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. He did not take part in the Peninsula campaign as he was recovering from a fever at the Fort Monroe hospital at the time. The regiment's term of service expired on June 9, 1863 before the Gettysburg campaign.[4][5][6] He claimed to have met President Abraham Lincoln at a White House reception.[7][8]
Hard subsequently worked in construction and law.[2][5] He died in Rochester, New York, at the reported age of 111.[2] Census research indicates, however, that he was two years younger and probably inflated his age in order to enter the military.[3] He is recorded as having joined the Union Army on May 14, 1861, aged 19 (but in reality was 17). The 1850, 1910, and 1920 censuses,[non-primary source needed] however, suggest that he was born in 1843 and 1842 respectively.[citation needed]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ The Last Surviving Veterans of America's Wars - Obituaries, Biographies, Pictures and other Data
- 1 2 3 4 "Hard, Oldest Veteran, Dies at 111; He Spent Boyhood in Windsor". Binghamton Press. March 13, 1953. p. 12. Archived from the original on April 29, 2025. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- 1 2 Young, Robert D.; Desjardins, Bertrand; McLaughlin, Kirsten; Poulain, Michel; Perls, Thomas T. (2010). "Typologies of extreme longevity myths". Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research. 2010 423087. doi:10.1155/2010/423087. ISSN 1687-7071. PMC 3062986. PMID 21461047.
- 1 2 3 "Thirty-second infantry" (PDF). dmna.ny.gov. p. 935. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-02-13.
- 1 2 Coddington, Ronald S. (2025). "Remembering the Boys in Blue: The Last Grand Army Vets and a Youthful Symbol of America's Fighting Men". Military Images. 43 (3 (233)). Ronald S. Coddington: 46. ISSN 1040-4961. JSTOR 27388690. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
- ↑ Marvel, William (22 June 2010). The Great Task Remaining: The Third Year of Lincoln's War. HMH. pp. 34–35, 72–73. ISBN 978-0-547-48714-4. Retrieved 2 October 2026.
- ↑ "James Hard, 111, Oldest Vet of Civil War Dies". The Chicago Tribune. March 12, 1953. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
- ↑ Peterson, Clarence Stewart (1951). Last Civil War veteran in each State. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 29–30. Retrieved 3 October 2026.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
External links
[edit]- James Hard at Find a Grave
- Obituary at genealogytrails.com
- 32nd NYSV Roster at NY State Military Museum
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