Isaac⁸ Harrison Carman (William⁷, James⁶, John⁵, Caleb⁴, James³, Caleb², John¹) was born on 17 December 1841 in Monmouth County New Jersey; died 3 June 1919 at Washington Courthouse, Fayette County, Ohio; and is buried in the Washington Courthouse Cemetery.  He married on 6 February 1861 at Washington Courthouse to Rhoda Paul Hyer, born 25 February 1851 in Fayette County, Ohio; died there 29 March 1929, daughter of Aaron and Rachel (Wright) Hyer.

Isaac Harrison Carman served in the Civil War, enlisting on 9 September 1861 in Company A, 48th Ohio Volunteers. He was later captured and taken as prisoner of war in April of 1864 and released on December 1, 1864 at which time he returned home. But before his capture Isaac was part of Ulysses S. Grant's Army attacking Vicksburg.  The following statement (and comment) was gotten by Daniel Paul Carman in 1994 when he requested from the National Archives the Pension Records of Isaac:

 "At ten o'clock a.m. May 22, at Vicksburg, our brigade captured a fort, together with numerous prisoners. The colors of the 48th Ohio and 77th Illinois Infantry were ordered planted on the fort, which was done. We were then in a very desperate situation, and, in addition to the enemy's fire, received some of the shells of our own batteries, which fell short of their mark. To relieve myself somewhat of the uncomfortable situation, I unfixed my bayonet and dug a little trench near the top of the works, close by our flag. An Illinois man crawled beneath me into the excavation caused by a shell. we arranged that he should reload our guns, while I continued firing at the enemy whenever one of them would come within range. This lasted for several hours, when, the rebels brought a battery to bear on my position, and, for some time the shells were singing their song dangerously near my head. A little later the enemy began massing troops at this point. I was able to distinctly hear their commands and see their numerous bayonets. I noticed that our men were some distance behind, in the ditch, but I was determined to rescue the flag, so I rushed back. I seized it none to soon, for the terrific assault came sooner than I expected. I reached the top of the bastion and grasped the Ohio flag. The Illinois standard could not be saved. How I got down and paced the hundred feet to our ditch, through tremendous fire, I cannot tell. In my great haste I ran right into a bayonet of one of our own company, who was in the charging position, driving it's entire length into my right leg and thigh. Although I almost dropped into a faint, I had enough presence of mind to run the shaft of the flag into the dust and hang on to it. My comrades pulled me down into the ditch and got the bayonet out of my leg, then I was taken to the rear" - Isaac Harrison Carman"  (omitted from his story is that he also saved the lives of a number of his comrades by seizing a shell with a burning fuse, and throwing it back at the rebels, whence it came, slaughtering them with their own weapon of death.)

For his part in that battle at Vicksburg, Isaac Harrison Carman was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

"Two Fayette County soldiers of the Civil War were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary deeds of valor during that conflict. They were Corporal Issac H. Carman of the 48th Ohio Infantry, .... I know both these men well but they never discussed their part in the war which brought them distinction - a distinction shared only by 1400 others down through the years until the Spanish American War when only 25 of the medals were issued Isaac Carman lived near Jasper, and was a well known farmer, corn breeder, and poultry raiser. He originated Carman's Corn, and always took a prominent part in the Farmer's Institutes and other rural gatherings..." - "Medals of Honor for Local Soldiers", B.E. Kelley, 'The Record Herald', published at Washington, Court House, Fayette, Ohio, October 10, 1959.

 

 

Children of Isaac and Rhoda (Hyer) Carman:

08/01/2007