1st Lt. Howard Mather Burnham - Longmeadow, MA
Posted by: Groundspeak Charter Member neoc1
N 42° 02.997 W 072° 34.735
18T E 700357 N 4658158
The tomb of 1st Lt. Howard Mather Burnham, who was killed in action during the Civil War at the battle of Chicamauga, GA, is located in Longmeadow Cemetery at 34 Williams St, Longmeadow, MA.
Waymark Code: WMYBMC
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member MountainWoods
Views: 1

The brownstone tomb of 1st Lt. Howard Mather Burnham is to the south of the brownstone family monument in Longmeadow Cemetery. The tomb has a relied sculpture of a crossed cannon and saber and the following inscription:

1ST LIEUT.
HOWARD MATHER BURNHAM
UNITED STATES ARMY,
COMMANDING BATTERY H,
FIFTH REGULAR ARTILLERY
KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF
CHICAMAUGA, GEORGIA
SEPT. 19, 1863,
WHILE GALLANTLY DEFENDING
HIS BATTERY
AGAINST OVERWHELMING
NUMBERS OF THE ENEMY.
AE. 21 YRS. 6 MOS.

The family monument is inscribed:

1ST LIEUT.
HOWARD MATHER BURNHAM
ONLY SON OF RODERICK H. &
KATHARINE L. BURNAM.
BORN MARCH 17, 1842
DIED IN BATTLE SEPT. 19, 1863.

From the Wikipedia website quoting from: That Body of Brave Men: The U.S. regular infantry and Civil War in the West. by Mark Wells Johnson (2003) ISBN 0-306-81246-0.:

"On the morning of September 19, 1863, Burnham was overseeing the his artillery battery in the thick woods near Jay's Mill at the Battle of Chickamauga. With Confederate troops charging his position, he attempted to bring his horses forward to haul off the guns, but alert Confederates shot the animals as soon as they were within sight. With no chance of escape, he ordered his gunners to load their four 12-pound Napoleons with double-shotted canister. Battery H opened up as soon as the 18th Infantry skirmishers were clear, causing the Confederates to take cover. The 16th Infantrymen in front of the guns occupied a slightly lower elevation and saw the shells flying over their heads. But Battery H did not have much infantry support and enemy fire quickly shot down their gunners. Burnham was shot in the chest, mortally wounded. When his second in command, Lt. Joshua A. Fessenden, asked Burnham if he was hurt, he responded: "Not much, but save the guns!".

Type of Death Listed: War related (Killed in Action)

Website (if available): [Web Link]

Cause of death inscription on headstone: Not listed

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