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Sgt. Humiston, Where are You?
Background Information for Teachers

To locate helpful background information on the Gettysburg Campaign of 1863–the campaign in which Amos Humiston lost his life–refer to Gettysburg Campaign. Other helpful websites and resources include:

Key to a Mystery: the Death of Amos Humiston
This link to a three-page article from the American Civil War Magazine posted on HistoryNet is an excellent recounting of the Amos Humiston story. In the article, the author, Mark Dunkelman, synopsizes the story about which he has researched and written a book as well.

marker Dunkelman, Mark H. Gettysburg's Unknown Soldier: The Life, Death, and Celebrity of Amos Humiston. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1999.

Dunkelman's book explores in detail and depth the many facets of the Humiston story. The book uncovers a great number of interesting primary sources–ambrotypes, newspaper articles, illustrations, sheet music, poems, and letters, to name a few. It is an extensive and well-written source and was a critical resource for this lesson.

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To set the stage of what was going on in the Civil War at the time, the Army of Northern Virginia moved north out of Virginia, hoping to strike Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Army of the Potomac quickly pursued the Confederate Army. When looking at the official document records of the Itinerary of the Army, one has to remember this was the movement of thousands of men over a 4- 6 week time period. Issues come to mind, such as "How did they feed all these men? Where did they sleep? How did they transport anything? What about equipment?", plus a plethora of details, one can't begin to imagine in moving a body that large. To follow the movement of these men, read the marker Itinerary from the National Itinerary of the Army of the Potomac and co-operating forces, June 5-July 31, 1863 The Gettysburg Campaign O.R. - SERIES I - VOLUME XXVII/1 [S# 43]

Sgt. Amos Humiston was a foot soldier with the 154th New York. He was in Howard's 11th Corp of the Army of the Potomac. Their movements were recorded in the official record from June 5 - July 31, 1863. This lesson in part is concerned with the Eleventh Corp movements when Sgt. Humiston was alive with the 154th New York. The original transcript is labeled "Original Document" in the teacher resource section. Student Handout 2 is the modification of the primary document, "The Official Record", to show only dates in which the Eleventh Corp was involved in movement. Student Handout 3 is an adaptation of "The Official Record" to show only the Eleventh Corp information, all extraneous information was deleted.

Amos became famous for his last dying act at the battle of Gettysburg. Found after the battle, in a secluded spot in the town near the intersection of Stratton and York Streets, the soldier bore nothing on his person to identify him. Clutched in his hand was an ambrotype of three young children. In his final moments, he had fixed his gaze on the image of his beloved little ones, and carried the sight with him into death. The picture was freed from his frozen grip, and he was buried in an unknown soldier's grave. Dr. Bourne, a Philadelphian passing through the small town near which Amos Humiston was found, took an interest in the soldier and his children and sought to find his identity. The ambrotype image was made into a great number of carte-de-visites for the public to view. Newspapers, the first of which was the Philadelphia Inquirer, ran articles that described the image of the children and requested any helpful leading information to be sent to Dr. Bourne. After about a month, the surviving wife and children were located and Amos" identity was a mystery no more. The Humiston children became the picture of all children affected by the war and they became celebrities. Proceeds from the sale of the picture went to the Humiston family and eventually, a home for orphan children was opened in Gettysburg with Mrs. Humiston and children as residents. (For the more detailed and complete story of Sgt. Humiston see the HistoryNet article listed above.)

Further Reading

Anderson, Maxine. Great Civil War Projects You Can Build Yourself. White River Junction, VT: Nomad Press, 2005.

This interactive book explores the history and inventions of the Civil War with activities and building projects which can be done with simple classroom/household objects: cardboard tubes, aluminum foil, string, yarn, tape, markers, etc. In between the detailed diagrams of projects, historical facts, biographies, and information about the real artifact is given.

Clinton, Catherine. Scholastic Encyclopedia of Civil War: An Illustrated History. Scholastic Reference, 2004.

Effectively using eyewitness accounts, sidebars, profiles of both famous and ordinary people, and period art, this book–arranged chronologically–provides an accessible look at the issues at the conflicts and compromises that comprise the Civil War. Reading level ages 9-12.

Dunkelman, Mark H. Gettysburg's Unknown Soldier: The Life, Death, and Celebrity of Amos Humiston.. Westport, CT: Praeger, 1999.

Dunkelman's book explores in detail and depth the many facets of the Humiston story. The book uncovers a great number of interesting primary sources–ambrotypes, newspaper articles, illustrations, sheet music, poems, and letters, to name a few. It is an extensive and well-written source and was a critical resource for this lesson.

Herbert, Janis. The Civil War for Kids: A History With 21 Activities. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 1999.

This interactive book is a wonderful resource for students. Written at a 4-8 grade reading level, students learn about the Civil War and its leaders in more detail from the clear writing, informative side-bars, and historic drawings, maps, and photographs. In addition they have the opportunity to participate in activities such as making a coffee can drum, creating a code, or baking a recipe of the day.

Pfanz, Harry W. Gettysburg: The First Day. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina, 2001.

This book, written by retired Chief Historian of the National Park Service, looks in-depth at the first day of the Gettysburg battle. Included in his research, you will find the story of Sgt. Amos Humiston and his children.

Stanchak, John. Eyewitness: Civil War. New York, NY: DK Children, 2000.

This book includes a great variety of illustrations and artifacts associated with the Civil War. Divided into 29 chapters of specific topic, students learn about such topics as camp life, women during the war, and Gettysburg. Reading level: ages 9-12.

Trudeau, Noah Andre. Gettysburg: A Testing of Courage. New York, NY: HarperCollins, 2002.

Historian Trudeau gives the Battle of Gettysburg in-depth research and a new perspective. The Humiston story is mention several times through his book.

Vaughan, Donald. The Everything Civil War Book: Everything You Need to Know About the War That Divided the Nation. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2000.

This book is easy to read and includes informative side-bars and "factoids." Chapters cover such issues as causes of the war, great military leaders (of both north and south), major battles of the war, and camp life.

Web Sites

Amos Humiston Monument-Virtual Gettysburg http://www.virtualgettysburg.com/exhibit/monuments/pages/cm033.html

This site provides a searchable database of Gettysburg monuments. View Amos Humiston's plaque, the only monument given to an individual infantryman

Center for Civil War Photography/Battlefield Photographer http://www.civilwarphotography.org

Scroll down this newsletter to find the article, "Rare Tyson Gettysburg Stereo Published for the First Time." Published in January 2004, this article shows Stereo view No. 579, a photograph revealing where Amos Humiston fell (by the white picket fence.)

Gettysburg National Military Park Kidzpage http://www.nps.gov/gett/gettkidz/kidzindex.htm

This website answers to questions such as "What Caused the Civil War?", information on "The Battle of Gettysburg," "The Leaders of Gettysburg," and "The Soldier's National Cemetery at Gettysburg" at which Lincoln gave his famous address.

Gettysburg: Profiles in Courage/Amos Humiston http://www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/20030706get_amosl3.asp

This article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is a succinct version of the Amos Humiston story. It includes the ambrotype of his children and an image of Amos Humiston himself sporting a beard.

Key to a Mystery: the Death of Amos Humiston http://historynet.com/acw/blmysterydeathhumiston/index.html

This link to a three-page article from the American Civil War Magazine posted on HistoryNet is an excellent recounting of the Amos Humiston story. In the article, the author, Mark Dunkelman, synopsizes the story about which he has researched and written a book as well.

National Homestead Orphanage at Gettysburg http://www.abraham-lincoln.net/Gettysburg/homestead.htm

This site shows the current owner of the original orphanage which was funded by the sympathetic outpour of money in response to the Humiston children's story. Currently it appears to be incorporated in Gettysburg ghost lore.

The Civil War Archive: Union Regimental Histories http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unnyin10.htm

This website provides background information on the 154th New York regiment, the regiment to which Amos Humiston belonged. It shows the complete itinerary of the regiment.

The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies http://www.ehistory.com/uscw/library/or/index.cfm

This weblink contains primary documents of the Official Records of the Civil War.

Timeline of the Civil War- 1863 http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/tl1863.html

This Library of Congress link places the Gettysburg Campaign in context with the other events of 1863.

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