Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was commissioned as an officer in the 115th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on September 16, 1862, and was mustered in as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company D. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on May 26, 1863, and Captain and company commander on December 9, 1863. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Buzzard's Roost Gap, Georgia on October 13, 1864. His citation reads “With only 41 men under his command, Captain Hymer (Company D, 115th Illinois Infantry) defended and held a blockhouse against the attack of Hood's Division for nearly ten hours on. This action checked the advance of the enemy and insured the safety of the balance of the regiment, as well as that of the 8th Kentucky Infantry, then stationed at Ringgold, Georgia”. After the end of his heroic stand he and many of his men were eventually captured by the Confederates, and he spent the winter months in Confederate prisons until he was paroled in March 1865. He served until the end of the war, received a brevet of Major, US Volunteers on May 13, 1865 and was honorably mustered out on May 15, 1865. His Medal was awarded to him on March 28, 1896, thirty-three years after his heroism. He was a successful post-war farmer and cattle rancher in Kansas before he spent the last years of his life in Rushville City, Illinois.
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was commissioned as an officer in the 115th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on September 16, 1862, and was mustered in as a 2nd Lieutenant in Company D. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant on May 26, 1863, and Captain and company commander on December 9, 1863. He was awarded the CMOH for his bravery at Buzzard's Roost Gap, Georgia on October 13, 1864. His citation reads “With only 41 men under his command, Captain Hymer (Company D, 115th Illinois Infantry) defended and held a blockhouse against the attack of Hood's Division for nearly ten hours on. This action checked the advance of the enemy and insured the safety of the balance of the regiment, as well as that of the 8th Kentucky Infantry, then stationed at Ringgold, Georgia”. After the end of his heroic stand he and many of his men were eventually captured by the Confederates, and he spent the winter months in Confederate prisons until he was paroled in March 1865. He served until the end of the war, received a brevet of Major, US Volunteers on May 13, 1865 and was honorably mustered out on May 15, 1865. His Medal was awarded to him on March 28, 1896, thirty-three years after his heroism. He was a successful post-war farmer and cattle rancher in Kansas before he spent the last years of his life in Rushville City, Illinois.
Bio by: Connie Nisinger
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