Memorial Day 2020

Two of my great-great-grandfathers served the Union during the Civil War. In fact, I inherited a carbine that I believe was used by one of them, most likely by Private Patrick Flynn of the 2^nd New York Cavalry. Today is a day for remembering the fallen from our nation’s wars and, though neither Private Flynn nor Private Jacob Gorth (18^th Indiana Infantry) lost their lives during their service, the former was apparently wounded during the Gettysburg campaign. In fact, as I wrote in a July 2010 post, Private Flynn may have actually won the war for the Union.

In that post, inspired by a spirit of fun, I made light of cavalryman Flynn’s Gettysburg service, and I think – though I don’t exactly owe him an apology – that I do feel I shouldn’t fail to keep in mind the sacrifices he made for the Union’s cause. These sacrifices deserve more than the short shrift I gave him in my July 2010 blog. At the time I found it amusing that he was honored for his service at Gettysburg when, as I discovered, he never actually saw action on that storied battlefield.

This somewhat more serious regard for my ancestors’ Civil War service comes about because I learned that Private Flynn missed Gettysburg probably because he was wounded in a cavalry clash against Jeb Stuart’s rebels in June of 1863 just as Robert E. Lee was leading his army out of Virginia toward Pennsylvania. On top of this, I recently read five different diary-like accounts of Civil War veterans, one of which, Three Years in the Federal Cavalry, was actually about Private Flynn’s regiment. Reading about the experiences of these veterans has imbued me with a new respect for what they went through – all-around hardship, lousy food, lousy clothing (riddled with actual lice), sleeping in the rain, slogging through muddy, barely passable roads, and, of course, the frightening bloodshed of battle. I made a point to read both Yankee and Rebel accounts, but I naturally feel greater connection with the former, given that they were not defending slavery and they were, very much, fighting for us, the Americans of today.

So, hats off to you both, Privates Flynn and Gorth.

Hats off also to two of my most worthy Orlando-area neighbors, Major Dan Mullally of the U.S. Marines and Lt. General Mark Hertling of the U.S. Army, both now retired. Dan, who was kind enough to speak to my Vietnam War class, had led a company of marines at Khe Sanh just after the 1968 Tet offensive had subsided. He has said that one of his proudest achievements was bringing all of his marines home alive despite having led them during one of the hottest periods of combat in the Vietnam War. General Hertling’s many years of service included enough combat to teach any veteran humility and sobriety about the reality of going to war. He has recently served as a commentator on CNN and sometimes offers his thoughtful and informed opinions on that network’s website.

So, to all our good veterans, men and women who have served with courage and distinction, please know that you are not forgotten, and your service does not go unappreciated. Even today, 155 years after the fact, I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for what Privates Flynn and Gorth endured.

Jacob Gorth (aka Goerth), post-Civil War, when he rode with Buffalo Bill out west.