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{{Short description|American Civil War military officer}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
|name= Hartwell Thomas Benton Compson
|name= Hartwell Thomas Benton Compson
|born= {{Birth date|1842|5|5}}
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1842|5|5}}
|died= {{Death date and age|1905|8|31|1842|5|5}}
|death_date= {{Death date and age|1905|8|31|1842|5|5}}
|placeofbirth= [[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]]
|birth_place= [[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]], US
|placeofdeath=[[Portland, Oregon]]
|death_place=[[Portland, Oregon]], US
|placeofburial=
|placeofburial=
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|placeofburial_label= Place of burial
|image=
|image=[[File:compson.jpg|200px|Hartwell Compson]]  [[File:US-MOH-1862.png‎|alt=Civil War era Medal of Honor]]
|medal=US-MOH-1862.png
|medal_size=75px
|medal_alt=Civil War era Medal of Honor
|caption=
|caption=
|nickname=
|nickname=
|allegiance= [[United States|United States of America]]<br/>[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]
|allegiance= United States<br/>[[Union (American Civil War)|Union]]
|branch= [[United States Army]]<br/>[[Union Army]]
|branch= [[United States Army]]<br/>[[Oregon National Guard]]
|serviceyears=
|serviceyears= 1861&ndash;1865 (US Army)
|rank= [[Major (rank)|Major]] and [[Brevet (military)|Brevet]] [[Colonel]] (US Army)<br>[[Brigadier General]] (National Guard)
|rank= [[Colonel]]
| commands = 8th New York Cavalry
|commands= [[8th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry|8th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry]]
|unit= {{flagicon|New York|1778}} [[8th Regiment New York Volunteer Cavalry|8th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry]]
|unit=
|battles= [[American Civil War]]
|battles= [[American Civil War]]
|awards= [[Medal of Honor]]
|awards= [[Medal of Honor]]
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==Biography==
==Biography==
[[File:Hartwell B. Compson Headstone.jpg|thumb|Hartwell B. Compson 1842-1905]]
Compson was born May 5, 1842, in [[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]] the second of thirteen children born to Jonas and Ruth Compson. He volunteered for the 8th Regiment New York Cavalry at the start of the Civil War. Rising rapidly through the ranks, he eventually became regimental commander. On March 2, 1865, he led his troops into battle at [[Waynesboro, Virginia]]. During fierce hand-to-hand combat, Major Compson personally captured the headquarters flag of Confederate general [[Jubal Early]]. For this action he would receive the Medal of Honor. In addition, Compson was breveted to colonel by General [[Philip Sheridan]]. Unlike many of the men whose bravery was not recognized for decades, Compson received his medal within a month of the battle. After the war, Compson worked as a U.S. Marshal and Postmaster and eventually moved to Oregon where he became Brigadier General of the [[Oregon National Guard]]. He died on August 31, 1905 in [[Portland, Oregon]] where he is buried in the [[Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery (Portland)|Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery]]. Following his death in 1905, Compson faded from memory and his grave went unmarked for 100 years until Civil War amateur historians Roy Vanderhoof and Mike Stephenson, along with the considerable assistance of Congresswoman [[Darlene Hooley]] of the 5th Congressional District, obtained a proper headstone from the Federal [[Veterans Administration]].
Compson was born May 5, 1842, in [[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]], the second of thirteen children born to Jonas and Ruth Compson. He volunteered for the 8th Regiment New York Cavalry in September 1861.<ref>[http://antietam.aotw.org/officers.php?officer_id=1204 Antietam on the Web Profile]</ref> Rising rapidly through the ranks, he eventually became regimental commander. On March 2, 1865, he led his troops into battle at [[Waynesboro, Virginia]]. During fierce hand-to-hand combat, Major Compson personally captured the headquarters flag of Confederate general [[Jubal Early]]. For this action he would receive the Medal of Honor. In addition, Compson was breveted to colonel by General [[Philip Sheridan]]. Unlike many of the men whose bravery was not recognized for decades, Compson received his medal within a month of the battle. After mustering out in June 1865, Compson worked as a U.S. Marshal and Postmaster and eventually moved to Oregon where he became Brigadier General of the [[Oregon National Guard]]. He died on August 31, 1905, in [[Portland, Oregon]], where he is buried in the [[Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery (Portland)|Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery]]. Following his death in 1905, Compson faded from memory and his grave went unmarked for 100 years until Civil War amateur historians Roy Vanderhoof and Mike Stephenson, along with the considerable assistance of Congresswoman [[Darlene Hooley]] of the 5th Congressional District, obtained a proper headstone from the Federal [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Veterans Administration]].


==Medal of Honor citation==
==Medal of Honor citation==
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Captain [[Christopher C. Bruton]] of the 22nd New York Cavalry is also credited with the capture of this flag.
Captain [[Christopher C. Bruton]] of the 22nd New York Cavalry is also credited with the capture of this flag.
The flag itself was a Confederate Second National flag measuring 4’ x 6’ and was presented by Compson to the Secretary of War. The Federal government returned the flag to Virginia in 1906. It is in the possession of The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.
The flag itself was a Confederate Second National flag measuring 4’ x 6’ and was presented by Compson to the Secretary of War. The Federal government returned the flag to Virginia in 1906. It is in the possession of The [[Museum of the Confederacy]] in Richmond.


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal box|Biography|United States Army|American Civil War}}
{{Portal|Biography|American Civil War}}
*[[List of Medal of Honor recipients]]
*[[List of Medal of Honor recipients]]
*[[List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F#C|List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F]]
*[[List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F#C|List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: A–F]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{Find a Grave|8040613|work=Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients|accessdate=2008-01-01}}
*{{Cite book
⚫
*{{Cite web |accessdate=September 29, 2010 |url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1862_cwa/compson.html |title=Medal of Honor citation}}
|last = Fletcher
*{{Cite web |accessdate=September 29, 2010 |url=http://oregonmag.com/Fletcher509.html |title=The Forgotten Hero}}
|first = Randol B.
|title = Hidden History of Civil War Oregon
|publisher = The History Press
|year = 2011
|location = Charleston, South Carolina
|isbn = 978-1609494247}}
⚫
*{{Cite web |access-date=September 29, 2010 |url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1862_cwa/compson.html |title=Medal of Honor citation}}


{{Persondata
|NAME = Compson, Hartwell
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = [[United States Army]] [[Medal of Honor]] recipient
|DATE OF BIRTH =May 5, 1842
|PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Seneca Falls (village), New York|Seneca Falls, New York]]
|DATE OF DEATH =August 31, 1905
|PLACE OF DEATH =[[Portland, Oregon]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compson, Hartwell}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Compson, Hartwell}}
[[Category:People from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Portland, Oregon]]
[[Category:People of Oregon in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:People of Oregon in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:People of New York in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:People of New York (state) in the American Civil War]]
[[Category:Army Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients]]
[[Category:Union Army officers]]
[[Category:Union army officers]]
[[Category:1842 births]]
[[Category:1842 births]]
[[Category:1905 deaths]]
[[Category:1905 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials in Oregon]]
[[Category:American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor]]
[[Category:People from Seneca Falls, New York]]


{{Oregon-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 22:42, 9 November 2024

Hartwell Thomas Benton Compson
Civil War era Medal of Honor
Born(1842-05-05)May 5, 1842
Seneca Falls, New York, US
DiedAugust 31, 1905(1905-08-31) (aged 63)
Portland, Oregon, US
AllegianceUnited States
Union
Service / branchUnited States Army
Oregon National Guard
Years of service1861–1865 (US Army)
RankMajor and Brevet Colonel (US Army)
Brigadier General (National Guard)
UnitNew York (state) 8th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry
Commands8th Regiment, New York Volunteer Cavalry
Battles / warsAmerican Civil War
AwardsMedal of Honor

Hartwell Thomas Benton Compson (May 5, 1842 – August 31, 1905) was an American military officer who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in the American Civil War.

Biography

[edit]
Hartwell B. Compson 1842-1905

Compson was born May 5, 1842, in Seneca Falls, New York, the second of thirteen children born to Jonas and Ruth Compson. He volunteered for the 8th Regiment New York Cavalry in September 1861.[1] Rising rapidly through the ranks, he eventually became regimental commander. On March 2, 1865, he led his troops into battle at Waynesboro, Virginia. During fierce hand-to-hand combat, Major Compson personally captured the headquarters flag of Confederate general Jubal Early. For this action he would receive the Medal of Honor. In addition, Compson was breveted to colonel by General Philip Sheridan. Unlike many of the men whose bravery was not recognized for decades, Compson received his medal within a month of the battle. After mustering out in June 1865, Compson worked as a U.S. Marshal and Postmaster and eventually moved to Oregon where he became Brigadier General of the Oregon National Guard. He died on August 31, 1905, in Portland, Oregon, where he is buried in the Grand Army of the Republic Cemetery. Following his death in 1905, Compson faded from memory and his grave went unmarked for 100 years until Civil War amateur historians Roy Vanderhoof and Mike Stephenson, along with the considerable assistance of Congresswoman Darlene Hooley of the 5th Congressional District, obtained a proper headstone from the Federal Veterans Administration.

Medal of Honor citation

[edit]

Rank and organization: Major, 8th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Waynesboro, Va., March 2, 1865. Entered service at: Seneca Falls, N.Y. Birth: Seneca Falls, N.Y. Date of issue: March 26, 1865.

Citation:

Capture of flag belonging to Gen. Early's headquarters.

Captain Christopher C. Bruton of the 22nd New York Cavalry is also credited with the capture of this flag. The flag itself was a Confederate Second National flag measuring 4’ x 6’ and was presented by Compson to the Secretary of War. The Federal government returned the flag to Virginia in 1906. It is in the possession of The Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Antietam on the Web Profile
  • Fletcher, Randol B. (2011). Hidden History of Civil War Oregon. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. ISBN 978-1609494247.
  • "Medal of Honor citation". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
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