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![This soldiers letter is authored by Dean W. Tainter while serving as a Pvt. of Co. A <B>13th Mass. Volunteer Infantry</B>. His four page letter is legibly penned from <I>Camp Jackson </I> in Williamsport, Maryland and is dated, Feb. 15, 1862. Tainter had entered service on July 20, 1861 as a twenty-five year old bookkeeper / genealogy author (see: <I> A History and Genealogy of the Descendants of Joseph Taynter</I> by Dean W. Tainter* [1859] ) who according to his letter had passed up potential advancement in the 16th Mass. in favor of commitment to the 13th as it <I>was composed of American born Boston boys among whom was many of my friends</I> and, <I>was about to start without delay.</I> Further expressing the recruits common sense of patriotism and eagerness to <I>help keep the old flag flying</I> Pvt. Tainter advises, <I>I have not regretted my choice yet for the 16th did not leave until Sept. and have remained at Fortress Monroe inactive ever since while we have been in the Potomac from Washington to the Penn. line, had two or three brushes and won for ourselves a name.</I> Tainter <U>writes of a book he had written</U> and comments to the reader regarding his post Civil War plans advising that <I>your scheme about the Museum attracts my attention</I> but he has <I> talked of wool growing out west.</I> Tainter states though, that <I>Antiquities touch a week point in my human nature</I> and advises that he <I>would like to see an inventory of the material which you have to form a Museum.</I> Indeed, Pvt. Tainter seems to have more heart for <I>antiquities</I> than growing wool as he goes on to write more on the subject, eventually circling back to expressing once more a desire to see an inventory for the proposed museum. No <I>deep dish</I> Civil War content but the letter is complete, an easy read and offers interesting insight. Of interest is that according to the HDS database Tainter was <I>discharged for promotion</I> on May 28, 1862 and was commissioned into the U S Navy on that date. We did find record of Navy service as <I>Acting Ensign</I> but will leave research of his Civil War Navy service to the new owner of his letter.
* Dean W. Tainter’s letter offered here is addressed to <U>Charles M. Taintor</U> (yet another spelling variation) who authored an earlier published (1847) Taynter / Taintor / Tainter family genealogy titled <I> The Genealogy and History of the Taintor Family, From the Period of Their Emigration From Wales, to the Present Time</I>. Both works have made their mark and have been considered important enough to be republished through time. Both are currently well represented in print and on the internet. In addition to mentioning his own effort at authorship in this letter Dean Tainter recounts a request received for purchase of the work of both men.
<B>Buy with confidence! </B><I> We are pleased to offer a <B><U>no questions asked</U> three day inspection with return as purchased on direct sales!</B> <I>Just send us a courtesy e-mail to let us know your item will be returned per these provisions and your purchase price will be refunded accordingly.</I> <FONT COLOR=#0000FF>Thanks for visiting Gunsight Antiques! </FONT COLOR=#0000FF>](https://www.tias.com/stores/gunsight/thumbs/60137a.jpg)
![4 1/4 x 7, imprint.
War Department
Adjutant General's Office
Washington, October 7, 1862
General Orders
No. 153
The Headquarters of Colonel William Hoffman, 3d Infantry, Commissary General of Prisoners, is transferred from Detroit, (Mich.) to Washington, D.C.
By Order Of The Secretary Of War:
L. THOMAS
Adjutant General
Light age toning and wear. The upper left corner of the paper is very slightly clipped.
Colonel William Hoffman
Commissary General of Prisoners
(1807-84) Born in New York, he was the son of Lieutenant Colonel William Hoffman, who served in the War of 1812. He graduated from West Point in 1829, and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Infantry. He served in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1829; on frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., 1829-1831; was in the Black Hawk War, 1832; at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., 1833; and in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1834-1836. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant, 6th U.S. Infantry, November 16, 1836. Hoffman was next on frontier duty at Ft. Jesup, La., 1836; at Camp Sabine, La., 1836; and in the Florida War, 1837-1842. He was promoted to Captain, 6th U.S. Infantry, February 1, 1838. He served on recruiting service, 1842; on Frontier Duty at Ft. Smith, Ar., 1843-1846; and in mustering volunteers into service, 1846 before becoming involved in the Mexican War. In Mexico, he was engaged in the march through Chihuahua, 1846; Siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, 1847; Battle of Cerro Gordo, April 17- 18, 1847; Skirmish at Amazoque, May 14, 1847; Capture of San Antonio, August 20, 1847; Battle of Contreras, August 19-20, 1847; and Battle of Churubusco, August 20, 1847. He was brevetted to Major, August 20, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battles of Contreras and Churubusco. Hoffman was next engaged in the Battle of Molino del Rey, September 8, 1847; storming of Chapultepec, September 13, 1847; and the assault and capture of Mexico City, September 13-14, 1847. He received a brevet to Lieutenant Colonel, September 8, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the Battle of Molino del Rey. Following the Mexican War, he was on recruiting duty, 1848-1849; frontier duty at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., 1849-1850; and at the crossing of the Arkansas, Ks., 1851. He was promoted to Major, 5th U.S. Infantry, April 15, 1851. Hoffman was in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1852. Transferred to the 6th U.S. Infantry, February 20, 1852, he was at Newport Barracks, Ky., 1852-1854; on frontier duty at Ft. Laramie, Dakota Territory, 1854- 1855; on the Sioux Expedition, 1855; at Ft. Laramie, Dakota Territory, 1855-1857; on the Utah Expedition, 1858; on the March to California, 1858; on frontier duty in Mojave Country, 1858-1859; at Benicia, Ca., 1859-1860. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, 8th U.S. Infantry, October 17, 1860. He continued on frontier duty at San Antonio, Tx. where he was made a prisoner of war by the Texas Rebels, and not exchanged until August 27, 1862. He was promoted to Colonel, 3rd U.S. Infantry, April 25, 1862. Hoffman served as Commissary General of Prisoners, at Washington, D. C., to November 3, 1865. He was brevetted to Brigadier General, U. S. Army, October 7, 1864, for faithful and meritorious services during the Civil War, and brevetted to Major General, U. S. Army, March 13, 1865, for faithful, meritorious and distinguished services as Commissary General of Prisoners during the Civil War. Following the Civil War, Hoffman was in command of a Regiment at St. Louis, Mo., December 16, 1865-April 18, 1866; in command of a Regiment at Ft. Leavenworth, Ks., April 18, 1866-March 6, 1868; and Superintendent of the General Recruiting Service to May 1, 1870 when he retired. [Source: Aztec Club].](https://www.tias.com/stores/war/thumbs/ud2631a.jpg)
![<b>Medal of Honor Recipient for gallantry at Port Hudson, Louisiana
Earned the Gold Lifesaving Medal of Honor for saving drowning sailors
He is the only person in American history to have received both the Medal of Honor and the Gold Lifesaving Medal</b>
(1842-1921) Born in Bristol, Maine, Marcus A. Hanna, was living in Rockport, Massachusetts, when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a landsman, at Boston, on May 9, 1861, and was mustered into the U.S. Navy. He was discharged on June 20, 1862 having served on the U.S.S. Ohio, the U.S.S. Mississippi and the U.S.S. Niagara respectively. He then decided to join the Union army and enlisted on September 15, 1862, and was mustered into Co. B, 50th Massachusetts Infantry. During the regiment's service at Port Hudson, Louisiana, Sergeant Hanna, was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry when he exposed himself to a heavy Rebel fire in order to get water for his comrades who were pinned down in their rifle pits. He was mustered out of the 50th Massachusetts Infantry on August 24, 1863, and was then mustered into Co. K, 2nd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. He served in this unit until his discharge at Wilmington, N.C., on September 3, 1865. In 1869, Hanna was appointed keeper of Pemaquid Point Light in his hometown of Bristol, Maine. In 1873, he was transferred to Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where he served as head light keeper. He was awarded the Congressional Gold Life Saving Medal in 1885 for single handedly rescuing sailors of a wrecked schooner while serving at Two Lights, Cape Elizabeth, Maine. According to the Official Coast Guard records Hanna braved a blizzard and freezing temperatures and risked his own life to save the doomed men. He successfully got the sailors off the ship and brought them to the nearby signal house where they were able to be warmed to save them from exposure and frostbite.
Marcus A. Hanna
Port Hudson, Louisiana
July 4, 1863
<u>BRAVE AND RESOURCEFUL</u>
"VOLUNTARILY exposed himself to a heavy fire to get water for comrades in rifle pits." This is the inscription on the Medal of Honor, the proud bearer of which is Marcus A. Hanna, sergeant of Company B, Fiftieth Massachusetts Infantry.
The incident occurred at Port Hudson, on July 4, 1863, and serves not only to illustrate the hero's feeling for his suffering comrades, but his courage and resourcefulness as well. Sergeant Hanna gives a detailed description of the occurrence, as follows:
"While our forces were closely investing Port Hudson, four days before its surrender, the Fiftieth Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was ordered into the rifle-pits to support a New York battery. It was early in the morning, and we had just been relieved from similar duty, performed during the night. The men went back to the pits without having time to replenish their haversacks or canteens. The day was intensely hot and by noon the men were suffering from thirst. How to get water was a problem, with the enemy on the alert and posted on works but a short distance from and considerably higher than our position.
"At about 2 or 3 o'clock P.M. the thirst of our men had become almost unbearable and Lieutenant William H. Hurd, in command of our company, gave some of us permission to go to the rear for water. Orderly Sergeant Blatchford and myself were the only sergeants present that day. I at once volunteered to go, and asked for a file of men to assist me. No one responded. I decided to try it alone. I took twelve or fifteen canteens-all I could conveniently carry-hung them about my neck, and placed them about my body to afford protection from rebel bullets. A dummy, made by rigging up a musket with a blouse and cap, was prepared, the idea being to raise it above our pit and, if possible, draw the fire of the enemy, and then, before they had time to reload, I was to take my chances. Carefully we raised the dummy until the cap only could be seen, then we ducked it out of sight, to
hoist it again at once, this time showing the head and body.
"The deception was a success, for at once there came a heavy volley, and before the smoke had cleared away, I was up and off as rapidly as my light but bulky load would permit. I steered across the level plains for the nearest cover some 600 yards away, but I had not gone far, before I could hear the patter of bullets all around me, and knew that I was within sight and range. Yet, I kept on my course, until about half the distance was covered when I realized that I could not escape being hit, and bethought myself of the ruse of throwing myself prostrate, as if killed or badly wounded. The trick was successful. The firing ceased, and, after lying prone until I was well rested, I sprang to my feet and ran like a deer for the blackberry hedge. In this second race, no further shots were sent after me by the enemy."
"I went about half a mile further to a spring, filled my load of canteens, not one of which, in spite of the firing, had been punctured, and began cautiously to work my way back to my company in the rifle-pits. Instead of making a bee-line for the pit, I made a detour to the left, in order to bring one of our batteries between myself and the enemy. After I had reached the battery I had still some sixty or seventy yards to go to the right, wholly exposed to the enemy's fire. However, I covered this distance
unmolested. Lieutenant Hurd and the men warmly congratulated me, and expressed gratitude for the partial relief I had brought them."
Source: "Deeds of Valor"
<u>Autograph Document Signed</u>: 6 x 8 3/4, in ink.
"Served in U.S. Navy from May 5th 1861 to June 20, 1862 [on] Frigates, Ohio, Mississippi and Niagara, rate landsman.
Served in Army, 50th Mass. Vols. from Aug. 15, 1862 to Aug. 24, 1863. Rank private, corporal, sergeant. Reenlisted as veteran Sept. 1st, 1863 as 1st Sergeant, Co. K, 2d Mass. H.[eavy] Arty. Mustered out as 2d Lieut. October 1st, 1865.
After the war he served for a period of 20 years in Light House service.
Awarded Congressional gold Medal of Honor for rescuing single handed crew of wrecked schooner Australia, Jan. 5th, 1885, Cape Elizabeth Lt. Station.
Awarded Army Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry before Port Hudson, July 4th, 1863.
For details of Life Saving Medal see Life Saving Report 1885, page 42.
For Army Medal, see (Circular) by War Dept. Medals of Honor published by direction of Secretary of War.
Marcus A. Hanna
I never saw President Lincoln."
Light age toning and wear. Very fine. Extremely desirable A.D.S. from this Civil War Medal of Honor recipient, who was also awarded the Gold Life Saving Medal, the only person in American history to receive both of these heroic awards!! Rare to find in this particular format detailing his military career and awards.](https://www.tias.com/stores/war/thumbs/auto4968a.jpg)
