Joseph Law
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Joseph Harrison Law (1840 - 1865)

Private Joseph Harrison "Harrison, Harry" Law
Born in Young Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvaniamap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 1860 in Pennsylvaniamap
Father of
Died at age 24 in Farmville, Cumberland County, Virginiamap
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Biography

Notables Project
Joseph Law is Notable.

Civil War Casualty, Killed in Battle of Cumberland Church, near Farmville, Cumberland County, Virginia. Buried by Jamestown Road

Bugler in Co E 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers, enlisted August 1862

Joseph Harrison Law was the last man of the 148th Regiment, so far as is known, killed in the war.

"Private John C. Moorehead [brigade flag carrier] buried Harrison by the wayside on the road to Amelia Court House. Moorehead’s death subsequently prevented the identification of his [Harrison's] grave and the removal of his body, and so this gallant but unfortunate soldier lies in an unknown grave. His bugle was given to one of his brothers and was brought home, covered with blood of the last man of the 148th Regiment, so far as is known, killed in the War. It was given to his wife but was destroyed by the burning of her house a few years later." (From The Story of Our Regiment, A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers)

Son of Robert Perry Law 1802–1881 and Margaret Beck 1805–1886

Husband of 20 year old Mary Law, father of 4 year old Carl Law

He was usually referred to as Harry, but also as Harrison.

Per his Bio on Find A Grave:

On 12 August 1862, Harrison and his two younger brothers, Charley (1843-1925) and Crawford [Daniel Crawford] (1846-1930), enlisted in the army at Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for a term of three years. A little over two weeks later the three brothers departed for Camp Curtin in Harrisburg. Harrison left behind his 20-year-old wife, Mary, and their only child, Carl, who had just turned one. (brothers, Charley and Crawford were not married.) The brothers arrived in Harrisburg on 31 August and over the next two days they and 95 other enlistees were mustered into service as Company E, 148th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

A description of Harrison as found in The Story of Our Regiment, A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers, pages 667-668:

“Harry Law was one of those neat, tidy soldiers, of cheerful disposition and abounding health, who was always ready for duty and always on the alert for frolic or adventure, whom it was a pleasure to see on inspection and who cheerfully met all the exacting requirements of military discipline and duty. It is said that he was never absent from duty for a single day during his entire service, except upon the occasion of a furlough of fifteen days which he secured in 1864 by reason of his cleanliness and tidiness in general excellence as a soldier, the furloughs during that winter having been granted to enlisted men for the most part upon competitive examination.”

An account of Harrison Law's death, based on the recollections of Private John C. Moorhead, mounted orderly with the Fourth Brigade of the First Division, Second Army Corps:

"As already stated, Harry Law was detailed as bugler at brigade headquarters and John C. Moorehead [sic], who is also referred to as having been detailed as mounted orderly at the same headquarters, carried the brigade flag. The latter, although gone to the great beyond, while living, many times detailed the dramatic facts attending Harry’s last bugle blast. He said that on the 7th of April, during the closing scenes of the hurried effort to block Lee’s passage south and secure the surrender which came two days later, the First Division of the Second Corps was warmly engaged. He and Harry were sitting on their horses, side by side, when the brigade commander ordered Harry to blow the call for a charge upon a battery of the enemy which was in position on commanding ground in front of the Fourth Brigade and causing considerable annoyance. The charge was sounded, the brigade obeyed with a will and just as Harry took the bugle from his mouth a shell or solid shot from the battery carried away the upper part of his head, leaving him erect but lifeless in his saddle. Notwithstanding the forward movement, Moorehead jumped from his horse, stuck his flag staff in the ground, pulled Harry from the saddle and buried him there by the wayside on the road to Amelia Court House. Moorehead’s death subsequently prevented the identification of his [Harrison's] grave and the removal of his body, and so this gallant but unfortunate soldier lies in an unknown grave. His bugle was given to one of his brothers and was brought home, covered with blood of the last man of the 148th Regiment, so far as is known, killed in the War. It was given to his wife but was destroyed by the burning of her house a few years later." (From The Story of Our Regiment, A History of the 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers)

Sources

Civil War Casualty, John Banks Civil War Blog

BURIAL: Lost at War. Specifically: Killed in action near Farmville, Virginia, on 7 April 1865. His body was never identified.

Find A Grave: Memorial #207605623 Joseph Harrison Law

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cumberland_Church





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