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MAJ. HENRY A. BARNUM, 12th N.Y. VOLS, killed July 1, 1862, at Malvern Hill

This burial incident occurred in this wise: Gen. Griffin, a warm friend of the Major, on receiving orders to retreat from the battle field lat in the evening, sent an ambulance with a detail of men to bring away Major Barnum, dead or alive. The surgeons pointed out an unconscious wounded Major lying on the ground at the field Hospital, as Major B. and the detail brought away the officer, still alive. In the night march to Harrison's Landing he died, and the sergeant in charge reported to Gen. Griffin, who ordered the remains to be buried in the grave marked.

The Major was not dead. Another had been buried in his stead. The day following the battle and retreat he recovered consciousness, was taken prisoner, laid at the battle-field hospital eight days, and was then transferred in an old express wagon to Libby Prison in the City of Richmond, eighteen miles distant.

Emaciated and utterly helpless, his death hourly expected, he was, by the rebel authorities, duly exchanged, and on the 18th July, was sent in an ambulance seventeen miles to Aiken's Landing on the James and placed on board of the hospital transport steamer Louisiana. Thence carried to Fortress Monroe, and by the hospital ship Enterpe brought by sea to New York. From New York, at his request, instead of being placed in hospital, he was sent to his home at Syracuse, arriving there Jly 25th, 1862.

In October, Dr. Alden March, of Albany, operated on the wound and removed fourteen fragments of the left ilium, the ball having crashed through the center of that bone. Dec. 31 he left Syracuse, and on Jan. 19, 1863, still very feeble from his unhealed wound, he took command of the149th N.Y. Vol. Infantry at Fairfax Station, Virginia, having been commissioned Colonel of the new regiment. This regiment belonged to the Third Brigade, 2d division, 12th Army Corps.

At Brook's Station, near Fredericksburgh, a fearful abscess in the wound prostrated him, and he was sent to Washington for treatment.

As soon as able to travel, he obtained sick leave and went to Albany, where Dr. March again operated on the wound. He rejoined his command in time for the glorious battle of Gettysburg, was transferred with Hooker's forces to Tennessee, commanded his regiment in the front line at the battle of Lookout Mountain, receiving, above the clouds, a ball through his sword arm, the same bullet cutting the visor of his cap. His command took five of the eleven captured flags in the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, and vicinity, and Gen. Thomas, in a highly complimentary order, detailed his to convey all the captured flags to Washington, with permission to display them at the great Sanitary fair at Cincinnati, at Syracuse, and before the Legislature of the State of New York.

On this journey another abscess developed in his still unhealed body wound, and at New York Dr. Lewis A. Sayre operated upon it, and passed and oakum rope entirely through the body, following the track of the ball. Ever since he has worn a seton through the body, the same being now a perforated rubber tube. This is considered one of the remarkable wounds of the war, and is described, with portrait, in the Surgical and Medical History of the war, published by the government.

Col. Barnum had constant opportunity for garrison or other detail service at the rear, but preferred the highest duty of the soldier with his command at the front. He rejoined his troops, made the campaign of Atlanta, being again wounded by a fragment of a shell in the right breast, at the battle of Peach Tree Creek, before Atlanta, July 20th, 1864.

At Atlanta, Sept. 10, 1864, he succeeded to the command of the brigade with which he had served since he took command of his regiment in Jan., 1863, the brigade being now the Third of the 2d Div., 20th Army Corps, the 11th and 12th Army Corps having been consolidated and called the 20th.

With Sherman he made the march to the sea and the campaign of the Carolinas, and commanded his brigade in the great review at he close of the war, at Washington.

Nichol's story of the Great March, pages 96 and 97, says:

"An incident connected with our occupation of the city (Savannah) illustrates the watchfulness and daring of our officers and soldiers. Colonel Barnum, of New York, commanding a brigade in the 20th Corps, a brave soldier who bears scars and unhealed wounds from many a battle-field, was in command in the immediate front upon our extreme left, and near midnight crept out beyond the picket lines, which were only three hundred yards from the rebel works.

"Not hearing the voices of the enemy, and not seeing their forms passing before their camp fires, he suspected that they find evacuated their lines, notwithstanding that he could hear the boom of their guns, which echoed through the dark forest away off to the right. He selected ten of his best men, and cautiously scaled the parapets of the outside rebel line, passing rapidly and silently from these to the fortifications from whose bastions frowned the black muzzles of ponderous 64-pounders. Although their campfires still burned brightly, no rebels were to be seen. Sending for reinforcements, he marched from earthwork to earthwork, and finally entered the city just as the early morning light appeared in the eastern horizon; while the forms of the retreating enemy could be seen flying into the gray mist across the marshes on the other side of the river.