Orion Perseus Howe

The Wounded Drummer Who Reached General Sherman

Orion Perseus Howe was a Union Army drummer boy whose extraordinary courage during the American Civil War earned him the United States Medal of Honor. Serving with Company C of the 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry, he became one of the youngest soldiers recognized with the nation's highest military decoration. On May 19, 1863, during the Union assault on Vicksburg, Mississippi, Howe carried an urgent request for ammunition through heavy Confederate fire. Although severely wounded in the leg, he continued until he reached Major General William Tecumseh Sherman and delivered his message.

Howe was born on December 29 in the late 1840s in Portage County, Ohio. Historical sources differ on his birth year, with 1848 and 1849 both appearing in published records. He was the son of William Harrison Howe, a veteran of the Mexican-American War and a musician. His father introduced Orion and his younger brother, Lyston Druett Howe, to music during their childhood.

Following the death of his mother in 1852, the family moved to Waukegan, Illinois. There, Orion spent much of his early life before entering military service.

When the Civil War began in 1861, Howe joined the 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry alongside his father and younger brother. Only about twelve years old, he entered the regiment as a musician. His father served as the regimental bandmaster, while both sons performed musical duties.

The 55th Illinois Infantry was mustered into federal service at Camp Douglas, Chicago, on October 31, 1861. The regiment subsequently moved to Missouri and Kentucky before entering active campaigning in the western theater.

Howe served as a drummer boy during these operations. Military musicians performed important functions within Civil War regiments, but their duties could also place them close to active fighting. Howe's experiences soon brought him into some of the most dangerous circumstances of the conflict.

In April 1862, the 55th Illinois participated in the Battle of Shiloh, serving in the command of Major General William T. Sherman. The regiment suffered significant casualties during the fierce two-day battle.

The 55th Illinois subsequently participated in operations around Corinth, Mississippi, before joining Sherman's forces during the campaign against Vicksburg.

By May 1863, Union forces under Major General Ulysses S. Grant had advanced toward Vicksburg, a heavily defended Confederate stronghold overlooking the Mississippi River. Capturing the city would provide the Union with a major strategic advantage.

On May 19, Grant ordered an assault against the Confederate defenses. Sherman's troops attacked positions north of the city, including the fortified Stockade Redan near Graveyard Road.

The 55th Illinois Infantry participated in this assault under Colonel Oscar Malmborg. Confederate forces occupied strong defensive positions, and the advancing Union soldiers encountered intense musket and artillery fire.

As the attack developed, the regiment suffered casualties and encountered serious difficulties advancing toward the Confederate works. Its ammunition supply began running dangerously low.

Orion Howe was already assisting the soldiers by gathering and distributing ammunition. According to historical accounts of the regiment, he collected cartridges from fallen soldiers and helped supply men who remained in the fight.

As the available ammunition diminished, Colonel Malmborg needed to communicate the regiment's urgent situation to higher command. Howe undertook the dangerous task of carrying a request for additional cartridges.

The young drummer began moving away from the regiment's exposed position and toward the rear, where he hoped to find a commander who could arrange the needed supplies.

His route took him across ground swept by Confederate gunfire. Soldiers from the 55th Illinois later recalled watching him struggle up the slope while musket balls and artillery projectiles struck around him.

During the journey, Howe was hit by a bullet that severely wounded his leg. Despite the injury, he continued toward the Union command position.

He eventually reached Major General William T. Sherman, who was observing the assault near the front of his lines.

Sherman later described the encounter in a letter to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. He remembered the young drummer arriving wounded and bleeding, urgently requesting ammunition for Colonel Malmborg's men.

When Sherman questioned him about his wound, Howe explained that he had been shot in the leg but insisted that the ammunition request be addressed.

Even after Sherman directed him to seek medical treatment, Howe remained concerned that the message had been properly understood. Before leaving, he repeated the requested ammunition caliber, .54, which Colonel Malmborg had instructed him to report.

Sherman promised to attend to the request and ordered the wounded boy to withdraw for treatment.

Although the ammunition was not successfully delivered to the regiment during the assault, Howe had completed his assigned mission by reaching Sherman and communicating the urgent need. His determination to deliver the message despite serious injury and enemy fire became the basis of his Medal of Honor recognition.

Sherman was deeply impressed by the young soldier's conduct.

On August 18, 1863, he wrote to Secretary Stanton recommending that Howe receive special recognition and educational opportunities. Sherman believed that the boy was too young for admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point but considered him a suitable candidate for appointment as a naval midshipman.

The letter preserved a rare firsthand account of Howe's battlefield courage from one of the Union Army's most prominent commanders.

After recovering from his wound, Howe returned to military service. He reenlisted in the 55th Illinois on December 25, 1863, and continued serving as the regiment participated in further operations.

Historical accounts record that Howe was wounded again during the Atlanta Campaign at the Battle of Dallas in May 1864. He eventually attained the rank of corporal, the highest rank identified in his Union Army service.

His Army service ended in November 1864.

Following his wartime service, Howe received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. He entered the academy as a midshipman and was associated with the Class of 1870.

Although later historical references sometimes identify him with that graduating class, Howe resigned from the academy in June 1867, before completing the course.

He subsequently pursued civilian education, studying dentistry at New York University. He established a career as a dentist and eventually settled in Springfield, Missouri, where he practiced for many years.

More than three decades after the events at Vicksburg, Howe's wartime courage received formal national recognition.

On April 23, 1896, Orion Perseus Howe was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 19, 1863. His official citation recognized his persistence in remaining on the battlefield despite being seriously wounded and exposed to heavy enemy fire until he had informed General Sherman of the urgent need for cartridges.

The award commemorated the bravery of a young musician who continued his mission under circumstances that would have tested an experienced soldier.

Howe spent his later years in Springfield, Missouri. He died there on January 27, 1930, and was buried at Springfield National Cemetery, where his grave is recorded as Section 9, Grave 207A in the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's records.

His actions have also been commemorated in Waukegan, Illinois, the community from which he entered military service. A National Guard armory was named in his honor in 1982, and a statue commemorating him was dedicated in Washington Park in 2006.

Orion Perseus Howe's life is remembered for more than his youth at the time of his Medal of Honor action. His wartime service included the dangerous responsibilities of a regimental musician, exposure to major Civil War battles, serious wounds, and continued military duty.

At Vicksburg, he placed the urgent needs of his regiment ahead of his own injuries. His determination to reach General Sherman and deliver the ammunition request on May 19, 1863, remains a remarkable example of courage during the American Civil War.