DOB/DOD: April 19, 1845 (Bridgeport, CT) – January 17, 1917 (Bridgeport, CT); 71 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Adela/Adeline “Addie” Stuart (1849-1920) on November 8, 1870.
CHILDREN: Five sons, Victor S. (1871-1925), Henry S. (1873-1954), John K. (1877-1967), Clapp S. (1884-1889), and Eliot R. (1890-1966). Four daughters, Adeline “Addie” M. (1876-1881), Vera C. (1879-1962), Gladys H. Curtis Berrien (1881-1953), and Sarah G. Curtis Maugham (1886-1957).
ENLISTMENT: August 17, 1861, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, at just 16 years old.
DISCHARGE: Mustered out on October 29, 1864.
FAMILY: Born to Victory S. (1806-1891) and Susan J. Miles Curtis (1808-1871). Five brothers, Josiah M. (1828-1829), Elliot M. (1831-1894), Cornelius (1837-1918), Frederick (1841-1925), and Victory B. (1848-1929). Three sisters, Susan J. Curtis Beach (1830-1910), Louisa H. Curtis Clark (1834-1899), and Sarah E. Curtis Glover (1839-1903).
MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS DURING: Civil War
BRANCH OF SERVICE: Army
UNIT: 9th Connecticut Infantry
DATE OF ISSUE AND PRESENTATION: December 16, 1896 (34 years later)
AGE ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT: 17
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Major John Calvin Curtis, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 5 August 1862 while serving with the 9th Connecticut Infantry, in action at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Sergeant Major Curtis voluntarily sought the line of battle and, alone and unaided, captured two prisoners, driving them before him to regimental headquarters at the point of the bayonet.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, John Curtis enlisted as a Private in Company I, Ninth Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, and served until he mustered out at the close of the war. He rapidly rose through the various non-commissioned grades to the rank of Sergeant Major and at the time of his discharge, was a First Lieutenant.
From Beyer, W. F., & Keydel, O. F. (2000). Deeds of valor: How America’s Civil War Heroes won The Congressional Medal of Honor. Smithmark Publishers.
CAPTURED TWO REBELS
It was at the battle of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the 5th of August, 1862, that John C. Curtis, then a Second Lieutenant, performed an act of military daring, which won the plaudits of his comrades, the commendation of officers, and the official recognition of his Government.
Twenty-five hundred Federals faced a foe of twice this strength. For eight hours, the struggle continued with varying success until the Union gunboats Essex, Sumter, and Kineo came to the support of the troops and rendered most valuable assistance.
General Williams, who, in a brilliant charge, led the Yankees to victory, was shot in the chest and killed during this engagement. Under ordinary circumstances, the death of the commander might have caused panic among the troops. The presence of mind of the various officers, however, prevented any such disastrous effect. One of these was Second Lieutenant Curtis. His undaunted courage animated and inspired the men. He was always in the lead, once even approaching the enemy so closely as to be within their own rank. With great coolness and nerve, he captured two rebel soldiers and, at the point of the bayonet, marched them to the regimental headquarters.
From The Bridgeport Times and Evening Farmer January 18, 1917
JOHN C. CURTIS MADE AN ENVIABLE RECORD IN WAR
Prominent Bridgeport Who Died Yesterday Possessed Medal of Honor
SINGLE-HANDED, HE CAPTURED 2 OF HIS FOE
Enlisted at 16 and Performed Valiant Deeds Before He Reached 20
With the death yesterday afternoon of Lieutenant John Calvin Curtis, Civil War hero, former Superintendent of the New England Division of the Adams Express Company, and member of one of the first families to settle in this country, Bridgeport lost one of its most prominent citizens. Mr. Curtis was one of the few soldiers of the Civil War to receive a gold medal from Congress for conspicuous bravery.
Mr. Curtis’ health had been gradually failing for the last year. On Sunday, he contracted pneumonia against the ravages of which his enfeebled powers could not long battle, and death followed three days after his serious illness.
Mr. Curtis was born on April 19, 1845, in the house at Main and Arch Streets, built by his father, Victory Curtis, in 1824. His mother was Susan Miles Curtis, who was also of Colonial ancestry.
At the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, Mr. Curtis, then little past his 16th birthday, enlisted as a private in the Ninth Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers, Infantry.
When only 18 years old, he distinguished himself at Baton Rouge, winning the medal for his brave act. The Military Order, Congress Medal of Honor, Legion of the United States, gives the story of the young man’s conspicuous fighting:
“Baton Rouge, situated on the Mississippi River, 75 miles northwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, was captured by Federal forces on May 12, 1862. The city was the scene of a bloody fight on August 5 following, when the Union troops under General Thomas Williams were attacked by the Confederates. After a severe engagement, the enemy was repulsed with heavy loss.
“The Federals lost 200, among them General Williams. The Confederate Brigadier General Charles Clarke also lost his life. The Confederate ironclad gunboat ‘Arkansas,’ designed to engage the naval force in the river, proved useless and was attacked and destroyed the next day by vessels under the command of David D. Porter.
“At Baton Rouge, Louisiana, August 5, 1862, Lieutenant John Calvin Curtis gained a Congress medal for very conspicuous bravery. He was at the time Lieutenant of Company I in the Ninth Connecticut Infantry and, by his remarkable bravery and coolness in action during the battle, won the plaudits of his comrades. He not only displayed the sterling qualities of a commander, but during a charge on the enemy’s lines, during which General Williams was killed, he captured single-handedly two Confederate prisoners. He was a Sergeant Major when he went into the Battle of Baton Rouge. As his equipment only gave a short sword, he put on the equipment of one of the regiments who had fallen.
“When his own regiment was temporarily held in reserve, he requested to go into the engagement and firing line of the Sixth Michigan Regiment on the right. He advised him not to go and urged him to remain with his own regiment, but reluctantly consented, and away the young boy went and was in the midst of the fighting, which was very severe. The Sixth Michigan lost many men and officers. The fighting was in a dense fog, and both lines were very close, thus resulting in many hand-to-hand conflicts. A portion of the regiment was obliged to push back, and young Curtis was compelled to jump a fence and jumped right close to two Confederates, one of whom was a member of a Mississippi Regiment, the other of a Louisiana Regiment. His bayonet was on his gun, and he rushed at them, yelling at the same time to surrender, which they did, as they were so surprised and supposed he was only the forerunner of a larger force. They were taken aback by the sudden rush he made and were his prisoners before they had time to realize their position.
“He rushed them at the point of his bayonet to where the regiment was stationed, and the colonel and regiment set up a great cheer. The colonel first spied the three coming and shouted: ‘Great God, see what’s coming; see that boy coming in with two Confederate prisoners.’ He was commended by the colonel in the official report to the State and War Departments for bravery and, received a commission as Second Lieutenant, and later received the Congress medal.
“He was perhaps the youngest commissioned officer in the U.S. Army at the time. The next year, he was promoted to First Lieutenant and was in command of a company most of the time. He received very complimentary appointments while in the service, which seemed to come out of a clear sky. He was appointed and served as Judge Advocate of the military commission held in New Orleans for about a month. Later on, he was appointed and served as Acting Assistant Adjutant General of Brigadier General H.F. Kimberly’s brigade at Madisonville, Louisiana, for about six weeks. He left Louisiana and went to Virginia, and was before Petersburg and Deep Bottom and Malvern Hill, and went through the Shenandoah Valley with Sheridan. He was mustered out on the last day of October 1864, having served three years and two months and was then only 19 years and six months of age.”
When Mr. Curtis returned to Bridgeport, he entered the employ of the Adams Express Company as a clerk. Henry R. Parrott was at that time First Agent of the company here, and Mr. Curtis eventually worked his way up until he succeeded him. Later, he was made Superintendent of the New England Division of the company, a position which he held for 15 years. During that time, the family resided in Boston, where Mr. Curtis’ headquarters were. After his retirement in 1907, they returned to this city and have since made their home at 154 Coleman Street.
Mr. Curtis was very active in the affairs of the city. He was affiliated with the Republican Party and twice served the city as Alderman. He was also prominent fraternally and was a member of St. John’s Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons of Stratford, the Elias Howe Jr. Post Number 3, Grand Army of the Republic, the Loyal Legion, a society composed of commissioned officers of the Civil War and officers of the standing army, and the Army and Navy Club. He also belonged to the Sea Side Club. He was much interested in work among the boys of the city and was the founder and first President of the Boys’ Club.
John Curtis, who, with his mother Elizabeth and his brother William, came to Connecticut from England in 1639, was the direct ancestor of Mr. Curtis. The family has been prominent in the history of this section of the state ever since they first settled here. Augur Curtis Jr., Grandfather of Mr. Curtis and sixth in line from John Curtis, the original ancestor of the family in this country, was a resident of Stratford. The house, which he built in 1805 when he married Alice Peck, still stands on Booth Street in Stratford. Mr. Curtis was one of the oldest members of the South Congregational Church, of which he was a life-long member. His grandfather was a Deacon in the same church for more than 50 years.
Lieutenant Curtis was married to Miss Adeline Stuart of New Haven. Miss Vera Curtis, his daughter, has distinguished herself in music, having gained a prominent place in the Metropolitan Opera Co. She has the honor of being one of the few American-trained young women ever engaged by that great musical organization. Mr. Curtis is survived by his widow and seven children, all of whom are prominent in the community.
There are three daughters, Mrs. Gladys Curtis Berrien of Bronxville and Misses Vera Cameron Curtis and Sarah Glover Curtis. His four sons are Victor Stuart, Henry Sanford, John K., and Elliot Robertson Curtis.
The funeral will be held at 9:30 tomorrow morning from his late residence. Reverend Henry Dwight Tweedy of Yale, former Pastor of the South Congregational Church of this city, will conduct the services. Delegations will attend from the various organizations of which Mr. Curtis was a member. The services will be carried out simply, and burial will be at the convenience of the family. The bearers will include six of Mr. Curtis’ most intimate friends: Judge Morris B. Beardsley, Judge A.B. Beers, Edward W. Harral, William Fairchild, Dr. George L. Porters, and Colonel Richard Fitzgibbon.
Buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery, 2675 North Avenue, Bridgeport, Connecticut; Section 11, Plot 152. Photos by Jeff DeWitt.
END