Andrew Jackson Male

Andrew Jackson Male served in the 7th West Virginia Regiment from his enlistment on October 28, 1861 until his death nearly 3 years later. The first few months of his service were relatively quiet – he was sick in a hospital in Cumberland, Maryland through December of 1861, but he would soon thereafter see more than his fair share of battle. The 7th West Virginia, though perhaps not receiving the fame of other regiments, possessed one of the most impressive participation records of any regiment in the Union Army. Andrew fought in the battles of Fredericksburg, Antietam and Chancellorsville before meeting his demise at the Battle of Gettysburg. After his death, the 7th would continue to fight at the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor and the Siege of Petersburg. In addition, the 7th was present to witness Lee’s surrender at Appomattox.

Andrew was wounded at Gettysburg when a bullet shattered his left ankle. This presumably happened on July 2nd, 1863 – day 2 of the Battle of Gettysburg. The 7th did not arrive on the battlefield until the morning of July 2, and from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM they waited in a position west of the Taneytown Road. At dusk, however, they were quickly called into action. The Union right flank on East Cemetery Hill came under assault from Confederate forces under General Harry Hays. Initially, the Confederate attack was successful; the Union infantry defending the base of the hill were driven back, and Hays’ men began capturing and spiking the artillery of the 11th Corps at the top of the hill. With the Confederates pressing forward, the entire Union flank was in danger.

General Winfield Scott Hancock quickly dispatched the 1st Brigade of his Third Division to repel the attack. This brigade, known as the “Gibraltar Brigade” for its fearless service in many of the war’s largest engagements to date, hurried through the cemetery and swept down the hill toward the advancing Confederates. Colonel Samuel Carroll would report, “It being perfectly dark, and with no guide, I had to find the enemy's line entirely by their fire. For the first few minutes they had a cross fire upon us from a stone wall... but, by changing the front of the Seventh West Virginia, they were soon driven back from there. The 7th charged down the hill into the Confederate forces – specifically, the famed “Louisiana Tigers” – and drove them from the hill.

On the 3rd, the 7th was kept in reserve and saw little action, save for a few shots from sharpshooters in town. Thus, it is most likely that Andrew’s wound was received in this brief but vital engagement on East Cemetery Hill during the evening of July 2nd. He entered the military hospital at Broad and Cherry streets in Philadelphia on July 13, 1863 and died in late July. His date of death was sometimes reported as July 28th, but most often was reported as July 25th. He was interred in the Glenwood Cemetery until its closing in 1921. Andrew was then reinterred in his final resting place at Philadelphia National Cemetery.

His father, Jesse, applied for Andrew’s pension when his own health became too poor to continue farming, but he passed away in 1883 before the claim could be adjudicated.

Andrew's military grave in Philadelphia National Cemetery