JOHN F. CHASE (1843-1914). Civil War Medal Of Honor Winner for The Battle of Chancellorsville, Severely Wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg - His CDV Size Printed Portrait "Calling Card," showing his Gettysburg Wounds - Plus together with his Printed Story of his Chancellorsville Heroism titled, “They Stood By Their Guns.,” Choice Very Fine.
John F. Chase has one of the more remarkable survival stories among Civil War Medal of Honor recipients. This is his rare printed "Calling Card" of Civil War veteran and hero John F. Chase. It has his engraved Portrait at center showing his amputated right arm, and numerous shrapnel scars, resulting from his wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg. The printed text above and below his portrait reads: "JOHN F. CHASE - Received 48 wounds at the Battle of Gettysburg, July 3d, 1863, and still lives, at - South Windsor, Maine." This rare Portrait card measures 2.75" x 4.5". Plus, together with his vintage Printed Story of his Chancellorsville Heroism titled, “They Stood By Their Guns.” The Calling Card is crisp, never folded, having scattered trivial light humidity tone.

His official Medal of Honor citation reads: "Nearly all the officers and men of the Battery having been killed or wounded, this soldier with a comrade continued to fire his gun after the guns had ceased. The piece was then dragged off by the two, the horses having been shot, and its capture by the enemy was prevented.” Twenty-eight members of the 5th Maine were killed or wounded that day; Chase came through unscathed. The Medal of Honor was finally awarded decades later, on February 7, 1888.

Two months later, Chase was severely wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg, when a Confederate shell exploded near him taking off his right arm, destroying his left eye, and sending 48 pieces of shrapnel into his body. He was dragged from the field presumed dead and stacked with other bodies; only later, when crews came to gather the dead for burial, was he found still alive and taken to a field hospital, where he lay alongside a barn for three days before finally being treated. Upon regaining consciousness he reportedly asked, "Did we win the battle?" After the Civil War, he worked in Maine as an inventor obtaining several patents, as a businessman and moved to St. Petersburg, FL in 1895 where he died at age 71.

Accompanied by a color photocopy of a 3 page article about his heroism at the Battle of Chancellorsville, taken from the book, "Deeds of Valor". The article is titled, "They Stood By Their Guns. (2 items)
Chase was only 19 when he volunteered, part of the first wave answering Lincoln's call for volunteers, expecting only 90 days of service. He fought at First Bull Run with the 3rd Maine Infantry, then reenlisted for three years and was assigned to the 5th Maine Light Artillery. He missed Antietam and Fredericksburg after falling ill with typhoid, returning to his unit in March 1863.

On May 3, 1863, the worst day of fighting at Chancellorsville, the 5th Maine Artillery was ordered into position in the orchard by the Chancellorsville tavern. While maneuvering into place, half their horses were killed, leaving only three of six guns usable. Confederate artillery on a ridge 600 feet away poured fire onto the battery's position, and within thirty minutes half the men were dead.

Nearly all the officers and men of the battery were killed or wounded, yet Chase, with a comrade, continued firing his gun after the other guns had gone silent. The two then dragged the piece off by hand after its horses were shot, preventing its capture by the enemy. Lieutenant Edmund Kirby, who'd arrived to take command, was struck in the hip by a shell burst near Chase's gun; before Chase carried the wounded officer to the rear, Kirby reportedly told him, "If ever two men have earned a Medal of Honor, you have, and you shall have it."

Kirby died of his wounds three weeks later. Twenty-eight members of the 5th Maine were killed or wounded that day; Chase came through unscathed. The Medal of Honor was finally awarded decades later, on February 7, 1888.

Two months after Chancellorsville, Chase fought at Gettysburg as part of General John Reynolds's I Corps. He was badly injured on Culp's Hill on July 3, 1863, when a Confederate shell exploded near him, taking off his right arm, destroying his left eye, and driving forty-eight pieces of shrapnel into his body.

He was dragged from the field presumed dead and stacked with other bodies; only later, when crews came to gather the dead for burial, was he found still alive and taken to a field hospital, where he lay alongside a barn for three days before finally being treated. Upon regaining consciousness he reportedly asked, "Did we win the battle?"

He is often described as having sustained more wounds than any other surviving soldier of the war.
[Civil War, Union Army, Battle of Gettysburg] [Medal of Honor, Military History, Veterans] [Ephemera, Photography, Calling Cards, Printed Americana]