James M. Pipes

James Milton Pipes (born November 10, 1840 in Dotysburg, Greene County , Pennsylvania , † December 1, 1928 in Washington, DC ) was an American officer in the US Army and politician of the Republican Party , who for his services during the Civil War in the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of Reams Station was awarded the Medal of Honor . Later he was also from 1869 to 1871 Secretary of State of the State of West Virginia .

Life

Pipes, the second oldest of seven children of Washington Pipes and Cynthia Ann Clark, joined the A Company of the 140th Infantry Regiment Volunteers in Jacksonville on August 18, 1862 as a volunteer during the Civil War . After the regiment was structured into a combat unit, he took part in various missions as a sergeant and later as a first sergeant before the 140th Infantry Regiment Volunteers was assigned to the 3rd Brigade under Brigadier General Samuel K. Zook in July 1863 . The 3rd Brigade took part in the Battle of Gettysburg as part of the 2nd Division under Major General John C. Caldwell .

On July 2, 1863 Pipes was wounded in this battle, and still in the hospital on July 30, 1863 lieutenant (Second Lieutenant) transported. After the company commander of A Company had fallen, Pipes himself was in June 1864, Captain (Captain) promoted and appointed as head of the company. A few weeks later he also took part in the Battle of Reams Station, where he was so badly wounded on August 25, 1864 that his right arm had to be amputated at Emory Hospital in Washington, DC . He spent the following months in military hospitals before being released from active military service on February 17, 1865 at his own request.

After the war ended, Pipes settled in West Virginia in 1865 and was elected Treasurer of Marshall County . Pipes was elected fourth Secretary of State of West Virginia to succeed John Witcher in 1869 and held this office until his replacement by John M. Phelps in 1871. In 1878 he moved to Washington, DC, and joined the War Department's pensions department. Later he was still a member of the Senate .

For his military service in the battles of Gettysburg and Reams Station, Pipes was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 22, 1898 , the highest military distinction of the US government. In May 1916 he was awarded an additional pension by the US Congress due to his military service. At the end of November 1928 he fell ill with pneumonia and died on December 1, 1928 in the Walter Reed Hospital. After his death he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Pipes was married to Martha Rowena Purdy from November 10, 1870 until her death in 1923. From this marriage a daughter and four sons were born.

Web links

• Short biography on the West Virginia Secretary of State homepage
• James M. Pipes in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• Entry on the homepage of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society
• Entry on the homepage of the Pipes family