Leander T. "Lee" Herron (1846–1937) was a Corporal in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

for heroism near

Fort Dodge, Kansas Fort Dodge is a census-designated place (CDP) in Grandview Township, Ford County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97. It is located on U.S. Route 400, southeast of Dodge City. History From 1865 to 1882, F ...

on September 2, 1868.

Biography

Early life

Leander Herron was born on December 29, 1846, in

Fallsington, Pennsylvania Fallsington is an unincorporated community in Falls Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Geography The latitude of Fallsington is 40.187N. The longitude is -74.819W. It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is . His ...

. He was the son of Dr. George and Mary (Merrick) Herron. His father was a medical doctor in Philadelphia and practiced medicine before moving to Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he continued practicing his profession. Herron was only two years old when his mother died and he was placed in the care of his aunt. He attended the public schools of Fallsington until he moved to Hannahville, Canal Township, in Vanango County, Pennsylvania. From 1858 to 1862 Leander worked on a

packet boat Packet boats were medium-sized boats designed mainly for domestic mail and freight transport in European countries and in North American rivers and canals. Eventually including basic passenger accommodation, they were used extensively during t ...

on the canal between Erie and Pittsburgh.

Civil War service

When

Fort Sumter Fort Sumter is a historical Coastal defense and fortification#Sea forts, sea fort located near Charleston, South Carolina. Constructed on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor in 1829, the fort was built in response to the W ...

was attacked at the beginning of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Herron wanted to join the Union Army, but was rejected because he was only 14 at the time. On December 10, 1863, shortly before his 17th birthday, Herron enlisted in Company C, 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry in

New Brighton, Pennsylvania New Brighton is a borough in north-central Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Beaver River northwest of Pittsburgh. The population was 5,729 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Histor ...

. When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed slightly more than 100 pounds. He served with the 83rd Pennsylvania in the

Siege of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the siege of Petersburg, it was not a c ...

and at Appomattox Court House. He was mustered out with his regiment on June 28, 1865. After the war he enlisted in Company A of the

3rd Infantry 3rd Division may refer to: Air divisions *3d Air Division, United States * 3d Attack Wing, United States Anti-air divisions * 3rd Flak Division, Nazi Germany Armoured divisions *3rd Armoured Division (Australia) *3rd Armored Division (Fr ...

and was stationed at

Fort Larned Fort Larned National Historic Site preserves Fort Larned which operated from 1859 to 1878. It is approximately west of Larned, Kansas, Larned, Kansas, United States. History The Camp on Pawnee Fork was established on October 22, 1859, to pr ...

in Kansas.

Medal of Honor action

Herron left Fort Larned on the evening of September 1, 1868 to deliver mail to Fort Dodge - about 75 miles away. En route, he passed a labor detail of four soldiers from Fort Dodge gathering wood for use at the fort. The following day, Leander was supposed to make the return trip. Corporal Patrick Boyle of the 7th Cavalry accompanied Herron. After traveling about 12 miles, they heard gunfire. The labor detail Herron encountered the night before was being attacked by Indians. With pistols drawn, Herron and Boyle rode directly through the attackers and reached the imperiled soldiers. Herron took charge and the six men fought from behind a wagon confronting about fifty Indians. Herron decided to send Boyle to Fort Dodge for re-enforcements. The five remaining soldiers fought off repeated assaults through the night. As the night passed, the supply of ammunition diminished and all the soldiers, other than Herron, were wounded. Finally, Boyle and the reinforcements from Fort Dodge arrived. The attackers fled and the labor detail was saved. He did not receive the Medal of Honor until 1919 – 51 years after his heroic actions. He was the first Nebraskan to receive the Medal of Honor.

Later life

After being discharged from the Army in 1870, Herron settled in

St. Paul, Nebraska St. Paul or Saint Paul is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,290 at the 2010 census. St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area. History St. Paul ...

. In 1897 he claimed to be in a series of famous photographs taken on May 21, 1864, of General

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

and his staff at Massaponax Church in

Hanover County, Virginia Hanover County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover, Virginia, Hanover. Hanove ...

. On 11 November 1921, Herron served as one of the official mourners at the burial of the Unknown Soldier of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

. In the 1930s Herron made a recorded interview with Captain

Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker (born Edward Rickenbacher, October 8, 1890 – July 23, 1973) was an American fighter pilot in World War I and a Medal of Honor recipient.Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...

and the

Legion of Valor The Legion of Valor of the United States of America, commonly known as the Legion of Valor, is a war veterans' organization created to promote patriotic allegiance, fidelity to the United States Constitution, and popular support for civil libert ...

. Corporal Leander Herron died on April 5, 1937.

Awards

Civil War Campaign Medal The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States Armed Forces. The decoration was awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who had served in the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865. ...

Indian Campaign Medal The Indian Campaign Medal is a decoration established by War Department General Orders 12, 1907.

Medal of Honor citation

''While detailed as mail courier from the fort, voluntarily went to the assistance of a party of 4 enlisted men, who were attacked by about 50 Indians at some distance from the fort and remained with them until the party was relieved.''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Herron, Leander 1846 births 1937 deaths Military personnel from Bucks County, Pennsylvania Union army soldiers United States Army soldiers American Indian Wars recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People from St. Paul, Nebraska