Kelsey Frost

Edited by Ben Nichols

James H. Bronson was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. Before entering the service, Bronson worked as a barber.

Bronson enrolled July 4, 1863, in Trumbull County, Ohio. He then was mustered into the service as a private at Camp Delaware in Delaware, Ohio, on August 21, 1863. Bronson was later promoted to First Sergeant of Company D, 5th Regiment U.S.C.T.

During the battle at Chapins Farm, Virginia, September 29, 1864, First Sergeant Bronson took control of his company after all of his officers were dead or wounded. Fellow comrade Robert Pinn, who also won the Medal of Honor, remembered Bronson taking charge.

...(Bronson) was for more of the time in command of his company under the rank of First Sergeant...

While serving at the head of his company, Bronson also incurred injury.

…I was struck on the calf of left leg by a glancing lick. I was lame for a few days pained much. I have really large bunch of veins on left leg and pain around my heart also numbness and weakness of left-side so much so that if I exert myself to any extent my suffering about my heart and left side are so that I fall to the ground.

Later Bronson was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The official papers talk of Bronson and other soldiers in colored regiments.

…Hdqrs. Dept. Of Virginia and North Carolina, Army of the James, Before Richmond, October 11, 1864....Soldiers of the Army of James: The time has come when it is due to you that some word should be said of your deeds...In the charge on the enemy’s works by the colored division of the Eighteenth Corps at Spring Hill, New Market- better men were never better led, better officers never led better men. With hardly an exception officers of colored troops have justified the care with which they have been selected. A few more such gallant charges and to command colored troops will be the post of honor in the American armies. The colored soldiers by coolness, steadiness, and determined courage and dash have silenced every cavil of the doubters of their soldierly capacity, and drawn tokens of admiration from their enemies; have brought their late masters even to the consideration of the question whether they will not employ as soldiers the hitherto despised race. Be it so; this war is ended when a musket in the hands of every able-bodied negro who wishes to use one...James H. Bronson, first sergeant...all these gallant colored soldiers were left in command, all their company officers being killed or wounded, and led them gallantly and meritoriously through the day. For these services they have most honorable mention, and the commanding general will cause a special medal to be struck in honor of these gallant colored soldiers...The commanding general is quite conscious that in his endeavors to put in record the gallant deeds of the officers and soldiers of the Army of the James, he has almost necessity, because of the imperfection of reports, omitted many deserving of mention; yet, as these gallant men will on other occasions equally distinguish themselves, they can then take their due place in their country’s history. By command of Major-General Butler: Ed. W. Smith, Assistant Adjutant-General.

On November 30, 1864, Bronson requested to become a member of the Regiment Band. He mustered out of the service with his company September 20, 1865 at Carolina City, North Carolina as a musician.

After Bronson left the armed services he lived in Salem, Ohio and Mansfield Valley in Pennsylvania. His occupation at this time was as a Minister of the Gospel.

...stated his occupation five years before or immediately preceding his enlistment; was barber and hair dresser...from October 1873 to July 1881 he was in the ministry...

Bronson’s leg was still bothering him, so he tried to find a doctor to help him. He found a doctor to go to, but it turned out the man would not help him because they had different views with regard to the current elections.

...that he is unable to procure the affidavit of his family physician for the following reasons namely during the political campaign of 1882. We differed as to who I should vote for. I wishing to vote for Maj. McKinley. My said family physician wishing me to support and work for Peter A. Laubie which I refused to do, and he for that reason has refused to give me the desired affidavit and no other reason existing to the least of my knowledge and belief.

James H. Bronson died March 16, 1884. He is buried at Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

Maintained by the Washington Research History Class

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