James Hart Purdy

He was a school teacher in New York City and Junior-Principal at the Virginia Military Institute in Petersburg, VA. Immediatly before the War he was a medical student at the University of the City of New York. He enlisted as Private in Company I, 71st NY State Militia on 20 April 1861 and served to 30 July. He enrolled again, and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant of Company F, 59th New York Infantry on 16 August 1861, and was promoted to First Lieutenant on 12 October 1861.

He was severely wounded in the left elbow in action at Antietam on 17 September 1862.

He was promoted to Captain on 19 September 1862 and too Major of the Regiment on 8 January 1863, but he resigned his commission on 13 June 1863, incapacitated by his wound. He served as volunteer Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to General James Kiernan beginning in August 1863, and was at Vicksburg, MS. He was captured in action 12 October 1863 in Madison Parish, LA, and held a prisoner of war at Shreveport until 1 January 1864.

He studied the law and settled in St Louis, MO after the war.

Basic information from State of New York.1 Personal details from family genealogists. His gravesite is on Findagrave, source also of his picture, from a photograph contributed by Scott Hann from his collection.

02/02/1838; Shrub Oak, NY

11/03/1912; Chicago, IL; burial in Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery, Hillside, IL