Jun 1, 2010 By Patty Yauger 7 min read

It was the early morning of Sept. 17, 1862. The war between the North and the South had moved to Sharpsburg, Md., near the Antietam Creek. Before the day would end, thousands of soldiers from both sides would lay dead in the Miller farm cornfield and neighboring roads where the fighting culminated, and one Connellsville man would be deemed a hero for his efforts in the battle.

According to historical documents, Samuel Johnson was born in Fayette County in January 1845 and listed Connellsville as his residence when he joined Company G, Ninth Regiment of the Pennsylvania Reserves in 1861 as a private at the age of 16.

Little is known about his family or upbringing, but the research conducted by three local Civil War enthusiasts, Harry Porter, Greg Ritch and John Brothers, indicates that Johnson is deserving of recognition by his hometown for his bravery at the Antietam battlefield.

The Pennsylvania Reserves was among the northern forces dispatched to the Antietam Creek area. As they moved into position, they encountered the enemy after crossing the waterway, according to a report filed by the commander of the Ninth Regiment, Capt. Samuel B. Dick, but the skirmishes were short-lived until the early hours of Sept. 17.

“All remained quiet on my line until 5 a.m., when I again received orders to mass my regiment in column of division and move forward,” wrote Dick in the Oct. 2, 1862, report, adding that the soldiers were in a wooded area next to the Miller farm cornfield. “I formed my line of battle close to the fence and instructed my men to lie down and await orders.

“We had not been long in this position when I discovered the New York 14th coming out of the corn in some confusion, hotly pursued by the enemy.

“We held our fire until the enemy had advanced to within 25 yards of us, when we delivered the entire volley of the regiment, driving them back in confusion.”

Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker described the scene in the cornfield as “dismal.”

“In the time I am writing every stalk of corn in the northern and greater part of the field was cut as closely as could have been done with a knife, and the slain lay in rows precisely as they stood in their ranks a few moments before,” he wrote. “It was never my fortune to witness a more bloody, dismal battle-field.”

Also engaged in the battle was the First Texas Infantry Regiment, which encountered the Ninth Pennsylvania Reserve soldiers in the cornfield. Smoke from the continuous rifle fire made it difficult for both sides. However, the Pennsylvania regiment took the upper hand in the battle and forced the retreat of the Texan soldiers.

According to historic records, over the course of the encounter, those who were charged to keep the Texas state colors raised fell to the ground and as the smoke cleared, Johnson recovered two of the flags carried by the fallen flag-bearers.

During the recovery of the flags, Johnson was struck by fragments of an artillery shell in his right leg, but managed to return to his commanding officers and turn over the Texas colors.

For his actions, Johnson was later awarded the nation’s highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, by then-Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and promoted to the rank of second lieutenant.

Porter, whose grandfather fought at Gettysburg during the Civil War, was the first to discover that a Connellsville native had been one of the first to ever receive the prestigious award.

He enlisted the aid of others across the country and was able to trace Johnson’s war records.

“I’ve been looking at him on and off for about seven years,” said Porter.

Ritch, a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel, Iraq War veteran and a history buff, said that he became knowledgeable of Johnson’s award while scrolling through an Internet listing of Fayette County medal winners.

He approached Connellsville Historical Society President Karen Hechler with the information and through other acquaintances learned of Porter’s interest in Johnson.

Brothers, a Herald-Standard photographer and Civil War re-enactor, who like Porter has family ties to the Civil War, was informed by Ritch about the Civil War hero, and the three are now working together to honor Johnson.

“We honor our sports heroes, and rightfully so,” said Ritch. “I believe we have a responsibility to also recognize our war heroes.”

The knowledge about Johnson has sparked a personal campaign for the three to learn about the Medal of Honor winner.

The Pennsylvania regiment was one of the first units to be organized in Pittsburgh, where Johnson and other enlistees were trained.

“The (regiment) took part in nearly every battle leading up to Antietam,” said Brothers.

The Union had scored a victory, unbeknownst to the South, when Gen. Robert E. Lee’s plans to invade the North were found wrap around several cigars lying at a campsite by soldiers traveling through the area.

“Within 24 hours, (Union commander, Gen. George) McClelland had the complete layout of Lee’s tactics,” said Brothers. “It turned out to be the bloodiest single-day battle in American history.”

Of the nearly 70,000 federal troops actually engaged in the battle, nearly 13,000 were killed, wounded or missing; the approximate 35,000 Confederates engaged lost almost as many, according to historic documents.

The capture of the colors, by Johnson, was significant, said Brothers.

“During the Civil War, the regiment’s colors were the rallying point; an extreme point of pride,” he said. “There were at least eight people that had the Texas regiment colors that day before Johnson was able to capture them.”

The battle continued until later in the day.

Johnson was taken to a nearby field hospital for treatment of his leg wounds.

His story then takes a path that leads to him different parts of the country, in and out of the military and from a shoemaker to physician.

“He retired four or five different times and applied for his pension four or five different times,” said Porter.

After spending several months in the hospital, Johnson was assigned to an invalid corps based in Harrisburg.

Records indicate that he then deserted, returned to Connellsville and enlisted with a Cavalry unit.

“I think he just wanted back in the fight,” said Brothers.

Officials discovered that he had deserted and court-martialed him.

“He was ordered to serve out the rest of his time in the Harrisburg invalid corps,” said Brothers, adding that he again deserted and enlisted for a third time in an attempt to rejoin the ongoing Civil War.

His story is again documented in November 1863, when he is dismissed from service by the War Department.

Some 15 years later, Johnson begins to apply for his pension and records indicate his movement across the country, multiple marriages and children.

In May 1912, he declares that he has lived in Arkansas, West Virginia, Ohio and Missouri since serving with the Pennsylvania regiment.

At the time of his death in 1915, records obtained by Porter state that he had four wives and five children in his lifetime.

A Fayetteville, Ark., newspaper account states that Johnson died as the result of injuries sustained when he was run over by a horse. In the article, Johnson is listed as a “prominent physician” in Onda, Ark.

The local historians are unable to explain how Johnson, a one-time shoemaker, became a physician.

“He became a roustabout,” said Porter in describing the war hero’s antics following the battle at Sharpsburg.

Two months ago, the town of Onda marked Johnson’s grave, located in The Baker Cemetery, with an emblem that denotes the Civil War soldier as a Medal of Honor recipient.

While his post-war activities are somewhat questionable, the three agree Johnson deserves to be honored by Connellsville and they have mounted a campaign to honor his wartime efforts.

Local veteran organizations will be asked to support the initiative and tentative plans are being formulated to erect a plaque at a suitable location in 2012, the 150th anniversary of the battle at Antietam.

“I think it would be fitting,” Brothers said.

Brothers, along with Ritch and Porter, continues to gather information about Johnson. Anyone with information or those who would like to help in their endeavor to honor the local hero, can contact Brothers at jbrothers@heraldstandard.com.