George Henry Maynard (1836 - 1927)

Born 2 Feb 1836 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Died 26 Dec 1927 at age 91 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

George Maynard was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Brevet Major in the Union Army.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor as a Private in Company D, 13th Massachusetts Infantry for action on December 13, 1862 at Fredericksburg, Virginia.

His citation reads "A wounded and helpless comrade, having been left on the skirmish line, this soldier voluntarily returned to the front under a severe fire and carried the wounded man to a place of safety."

Maynard enlisted as a private in Company D of the 13th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry on July 20, 1861. He fought at the Battle of Fredericksburg in Virginia on December 13, 1862. During the battle he ran through enemy fire to rescue another soldier who had been severely wounded in action. He received the Medal of Honor for this action in 1898. He was mustered out of the 13th Massachusetts on February 17, 1863.

On January 17, 1864 he was commissioned a captain in the 82nd United States Colored Infantry. He was breveted to the rank of major on March 15, 1865 for meritorious service during the war. He was honorably mustered out of service on September 10, 1866.

PRIVATE GEORGE H. MAYNARD, of Company D, Thirteenth Massachusetts Volunteers, distinguished himself through exceptional courage in several of the great battles.

At the attack on Antietam, September 17, 1862, Maynard and one of his comrades remained at the front skirmishing after their regiment had been withdrawn. He assisted two of his comrades who were wounded, off the field, and when fresh troops were pushed on to the attack he attached himself repeatedly until at the end of the day he had served with no less than six regiments.

Three months later his regiment participated in the charge at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862, and suffered heavy loss. Maynard, who was in the skirmish line, went to the assistance of his wounded comrades and did not leave them till he had them in a place of safety. After his regiment had been removed to another position he learned that one of his friends had been left wounded on the field. Regardless of the great danger he ran, he returned to the spot under a heavy fire, found the wounded man, and carried him safely to the rear.

One of the most interesting incidents, however, in his military career occurred in the month of September, 1864. A mounted expedition under command of General Asboth and composed of detachments from several regiments, six hundred strong, left Pensacola, Fla., to capture or destroy the Confederate military stores at Marianna, Fla., a distance of 300 miles. After five days of rapid marches the destination was reached, but the enemy, having been advised of the approach of the detachment, was found to be prepared to offer a stout resistance.

The main road entering Marianna was narrow, with houses on both sides of the street. About 300 yards from where the detachment halted a barricade of wagons and carts of all descriptions was thrown across the street.

Maynard had been promoted after the battle of Fredericksburg and assigned to duty in Florida and Louisiana and held the rank of Captain in the Eighty-second U. S. Volunteers at the time, and was acting provost-marshal of that expedition. He and Captain Young, of the Seventh Vermont Infantry, acting assistant adjutant-general, were at the head and to one side of the column. Presently General Asboth gave orders to charge and two companies of cavalry advanced about two-thirds of the way to the barricade, when the rebels opened fire and drove the charging Federals back in disorder.

General Asboth was greatly disappointed and cried " For shame ! For shame ! " as the retreating cavalry rushed past. The men, however, soon re-formed and another charge was ordered.

"This charge," says Maynard, "was led by the general, Captain Young and myself.

"As our horses leaped the barricade, all three bunched together, the enemy fired, wounding General Asboth in the face and arm, and instantly killing Captain Young. I drew rein, faced a blacksmith shop full of Confederate soldiers, and fired, shooting their major through the shoulder. Our cavalry was detained by the barricade, and General Asboth's horse ran away when he was shot, so, for the time being, I was alone. When the cavalry came up I quickly directed as to the whereabouts of the general, and the location of the enemy. As soon as Colonel Zulavsky of the Eighty-second U. S. Volunteers had dismounted some of his men and they were apprised of the situation an active firing began.

"The enemy were posted behind houses on one side of the street, and behind the sheltering stones of a burial ground on the other, in the blacksmith shop, and in the church. Theirs seemed an impregnable position, but after an engagement of three-quarters of an hour they made overtures to surrender. No sooner had the Union troops ceased firing than they immediately reopened fire, killing one of our boys, which infuriated us.

Service Record: Enlisted in Company D, Massachusetts 13th Infantry Regiment on 22 Jul 1861.Promoted to Full 1st Lieutenant on 17 Feb 1863.Mustered out on 17 Feb 1863.Commissioned an officer in the U.S. Colored Troops 82nd Infantry Regiment on 17 Feb 1863.Promoted to Full Captain on 17 Jan 1864.Promoted to Brevet Major on 13 Mar 1865.Mustered out on 10 Sep 1866.

Occupation: Watchmaker

Married Harriet E. Henry of Boston on May 5, 1868. He became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts in 1875. He became the first sergeant of the company in 1879.

Maynard was an active mason and became a Knight Templar in the York Rite. He was also a companion of the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

Maynard died in 1927, at the age of 91 and was buried in the Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham.

Sources

• 1850, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 US census

• Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915

• Massachusetts, Death Index, 1901-1980

• U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._Maynard

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8201330

• http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/866/maynard-george-h.php

• http://www.ahac.us.com/newsarchives/2009WalthamHero_Maynard.pdf