War of 1812 Vet Fought at Battle of Gettysburg-- Part 2: John Burns

Many 69-year-olds would be content to spend their golden years taking it easy, but not John Burns.

John Burns fought in the War of 1812 and the Mexican War and even tried to work as a supply driver for the Union Army in the Civil War, but was sent back to his home in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  That's when the war came calling on him.

Burns was considered "eccentric" by the rest of his town.  When soldiers of Confederate General Jubal Early captured Gettysburg, Burns was the constable and jailed for interfering with Confederate military operations. When the Confederates were pushed out of town, Burns began arresting stragglers for treason.

In the morning of July 1, 1863, as the battle began unfolding, he picked up his flintlock musket and offered his services to the beleagured Union soldiers.  He borrowed a more modern musket from a wounded Union soldier then walked over to the commander of the 150th Pennsylvania Infantry and asked to join the regiment.

--Brock-Perry