James Hard

James Hard
Born
James Albert Hard

July 15, 1843
Windsor, New York, U.S.
DiedMarch 12, 1953
(aged 109 years, 240 days)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
Military career
Allegiance United States
Branch
 Union Army
Service years
1861–1863
UnitNew York (state) 32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Conflicts
American Civil War

James Albert Hard (July 15, 1843 – March 12, 1953) was the last verified living Union combat veteran of the American Civil War and the third-to-last verified veteran overall; only drummer boys Frank H. Mayer and Albert Woolson post-deceased him. Though he claimed to have been born in 1841, research in 2006 found that the 1850 Census indicated a birthdate of 1843.

Hard was born in Windsor, New York on July 15, 1843. He enlisted in his town on April 16, 1861, very shortly after the start of the American Civil War. He then enlisted in New York City on May 14, joining the 32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment on May 31 upon its creation. Hard was initially assigned to Company K on May 31, before being transferred to Company E the same day; he served with the regiment as "Albert". He participated in the battles of First Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. He did not take part in the Peninsula campaign as he was recovering from a fever at the Fort Monroe hospital at the time. The regiment's term of service expired on June 9, 1863 before the Gettysburg campaign. He claimed to have met President Abraham Lincoln at a White House reception.

Hard subsequently worked in construction and law. He died in Rochester, New York, at the reported age of 111. Census research indicates, however, that he was two years younger and probably inflated his age in order to enter the military. He is recorded as having joined the Union Army on May 14, 1861, aged 19 (but in reality was 17). The 1850, 1910, and 1920 censuses,[non-primary source needed] however, suggest that he was born in 1843 and 1842 respectively.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Last Surviving Veterans of America's Wars - Obituaries, Biographies, Pictures and other Data
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Hard, Oldest Veteran, Dies at 111; He Spent Boyhood in Windsor". Binghamton Press. March 13, 1953. p. 12. Archived from the original on April 29, 2025. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  3. 1 2 Young, Robert D.; Desjardins, Bertrand; McLaughlin, Kirsten; Poulain, Michel; Perls, Thomas T. (2010). "Typologies of extreme longevity myths". Current Gerontology and Geriatrics Research. 2010 423087. doi:10.1155/2010/423087. ISSN 1687-7071. PMC 3062986. PMID 21461047.
  4. 1 2 3 "Thirty-second infantry" (PDF). dmna.ny.gov. p. 935. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 13, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Coddington, Ronald S. (2025). "Remembering the Boys in Blue: The Last Grand Army Vets and a Youthful Symbol of America's Fighting Men". Military Images. 43 (3 (233)). Ronald S. Coddington: 46. ISSN 1040-4961. JSTOR 27388690. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  6. ↑ Marvel, William (June 22, 2010). The Great Task Remaining: The Third Year of Lincoln's War. HMH. pp. 34–35, 72–73. ISBN 978-0-547-48714-4. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  7. ↑ "James Hard, 111, Oldest Vet of Civil War Dies". The Chicago Tribune. March 12, 1953. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  8. ↑ Peterson, Clarence Stewart (1951). Last Civil War veteran in each State. Baltimore, Maryland. pp. 29–30. Retrieved October 3, 2026.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)