The "Civil War Hero Of Lititz, Pennsylvania" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a resident of nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania by the name of John G. Carpenter.  In 1863 John enlisted in the Union Army of the Republic, 79th Division of the Pennsylvania Volunteers at the age of 16.  His father also fought during the Civil War.  He was young and ready to defend the North in the Civil War.  After training, he and his fellow soldiers were sent to fill openings in Colonel Hambright's regiment at Chancellorsville, Virginia.  At the time, Congress had created the rank of General of the Army for Ulysses S. Grant, but then Grant became President and Sherman was appointed Commanding General of the U.S. Army and promoted to General.  

John G. Carpenter holding his Bible.

Carpenter then fought along with Shernam's army during the famous march to the sea.  He fought gallantly and escaped injury until the March at the Battle of Bentonville in 1865 when a bullet passed through his shoulder, luckily missing the bone.  Soon afterward one of his fingers was blown off and the loss of blood caused him to be captured by the Southern Army and sent to the Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.  Two years earlier John was given a Bible that was published by the American Bible Society which he carried into battle during his time as a soldier.  After spending time at Libby Prison and then Andersonville Prison, he lost the Bible.  Eventually, after the war ended, an officer found his Bible and it was reunited with Carpenter.  

Members of the final Memorial Day encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic in Lititz Springs Park in 1920.
John is sitting, front row, second from left with his leg crossed.

In May of 1918 John erected an American flag on an 18 foot pole over two brass cannons in the square in Lititz.  He has said that the cannons just didn't seem right without a flag flying over them.  So, every year, on the anniversary of the Battle of Bentonville, John would display the flag over the cannons.  During the rest of the year the flag was hung above his bed so he could always sleep under the stars and stripes.  

John standing on the Square in Lititz, PA, with his hand
on the flag pole which holds the U.S. flag.  

John G. Carpenter was a proud member of: The Sons of Veterans of the Civil War, Grand Army of the Republic and the POW Organi- zation.  John was a hero to the citizens of Lititz, PA.  He died at the age of 78 and his obituary was published in the Lititz Record Newspaper on Thursday, May 28, 1925.  It read, in part: 
CIVIL WAR VETERAN DEAD - WAS IN LIBBY PRISON.  John G. Carpenter, of Lititz, died of apoplexy at 9:15 o'clock on Saturday evening at his home on Center Street, aged 78 years.  He had been confined to bed since December 7.  He was born in West Earl Township and spent the greater part of his life in Lititz, being a carpenter by trade.  For 32 years he worked in William Amer's cigar box factory.  Mr. Carpenter was a veteran of the Civil War and was the youngest member of Stevens Post, No. 17, G.A.R., and the last survivor of the regiment residing in Lititz.  During his time in the Army he was shot and captured and taken to Libby Prison.  The food was lacking and the place unsanitary.  

John G. Carpenter's tombstone.

Mr. Carpenter related  that they lined up and each man's portion was poured out on the floor in front of him.  Mr. Carpenter was a mere skeleton when he was released.  He fought 11 battles, but was not wounded until the last one, Bentonville.  Mr. Carpenter had a deep reverence for the flag and it was through his efforts that the emblem was placed at the square.  Weekly he made a trip to the graveyard where members of his family were buried, regardless of weather conditions.  He was eventually buried in the Lutheran Cemetery.  He is survived by his children: Mrs. David Bowman, Ltittz, Sherman of Lancaster and John of Lititz; also 28 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
 John was a loyal soldier, husband and father.  Lititz can be proud of his life and his devotion to the town of Lititz, Pennsylvania.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.