Hello Nancy,
It is 7 years later (as so often is the case when people finally see these threads), and I was wondering if you have ever found your ancestor Lt. of the 42nd Mississippi?

I have done extensive research over the last 6 years on the 42nd Mississippi and have spoken with or have emailed with many of the people/descendants of the 42nd that post here. Including Mr.Miller on this thread (although it has been some time). He is correct with his info about many bodies being exhumed and sent to Hollywood Cemetery, and many of those were 42nd Miss boys. There are many in their section of that cemetery placed in the unidentified section of plots. There are also a good handful that do have their own markers for the Regiment.

As for the locations of the hospitals the men were taken to, it all depends on which day they were wounded. If they were wounded on July 1. McPherson Barn and Lutheran Seminary of course are very likely. If it was July 3, then the Lohr farm or to one of a dozen Yankee hospitals because many of the 42nd were wounded from within 100 yards of the Federal lines and many of them were captured, even the wounded, including the 42nd Miss. Commander Col. Hugh Miller who after was taken to a field hospital and found mortally wounded, moved to a home in the town of Gettysburg to attempt some sort of recovery. That home I have just found out this winter was an orphanage at the time (the town had several). Nonetheless, there is a likelihood that if wounded he could also have been taken to a Baltimore hospital by the Yankees, and yes Letterman was opened weeks after the battle, but men were brought back from Baltimore after some recovery period to continue recovery at Letterman.

However, it is also possible that he was taken by his own Confederate corpsmen, to a Rebel field hospital and then put onto a wagon and sent south to Winchester Va. during the retreat and then again moved to a hospital in Richmond Va., like I have read from documents shared with me by descendents. In that case if he died of his wounds he would have been buried in Hollywood if his body was not sent home.

Prisoners of war were also sent from Gettysburg to Elmyra N.Y. and there are 42nd Mississippi soldiers who are buried in their cemetery there, near their prison camp.

I have read in the diary that I have transcribed for the family of Major R.W. Locke of the 42nd Miss. of your Lt. Harmon several times he is mentioned in it. Major Locke was the Captain of Company D at the time of Gettysburg and he spoke of so many soldiers he admired in his writings. He does not however mention Lt. Harmons whereabouts, but I will reread through it to see if he mentions anything about him at Gettysburg and report back.

There is still a possibility that he is still buried on the battlefield. Along Emmittsburg Road there are many graves where bodies were never removed along the rail fence area where they would have crossed during Pickett's Charge. Yes the NPS did remove many, but after time they stopped, opting instead to let their souls rest where they are and not disturb the land any more than necessary. Many of those boys still there in that section are 42nd Mississippi soldiers.

I research for the 42nd Mississippi so that my reenacting unit can know the true history of who we represent. The 42nd Mississippi. It has become an obsession of sorts to find anything I can on the unit for my men and their impressions. Over time I have come in contact with over 35 descendants of the 42nd and nearly all have been able to provide me with a great deal of info.

You or any descendant of the 42nd Miss can contact me at wileys5@comcast.net or toddcwiley@gmail.com anytime!

Sincerely and Respectfully,
Todd Wiley
Gettysburg/Harrisburg Pa.
42nd Mississippi Co. I Reenactor/Living Historian/Researcher/Writer