Charles Rand could be one of many extra well-known figures from Batavia’s previous.
In case you have heard the title, it’s most probably related with the celebrated awards he obtained for his service through the Civil Struggle.
Rand is hailed because the “First Volunteer of the Civil Struggle” and was awarded the Medal of Honor. Nevertheless, there may be extra to his story than simply these medals, as honored as they’re.
Rand was way more than only a soldier and went on to perform many different feats.
Charles Franklin Rand was born on Jan. 19, 1839 in Batavia. His household house stood at 4 Liberty St., now a parking zone.
His father died when Rand was simply 4 years outdated, leaving his mom as his solely household.
On the age of 16, he jumped into his first career, journalism. This took him far past the boundaries of Batavia and Genesee County.
Rand traveled to New Orleans and labored at one of many metropolis’s newspapers, the Picayune. In late 1860, he returned to Batavia as tensions grew between North and South.
On April 15, 1861, Rand was attending a journalism convention on the Eagle Tavern in Batavia, the day that President Abraham Lincoln referred to as for 75,000 volunteers. Main Henry Glowacki learn the telegram from Lincoln to the gang.
There are lots of legends surrounding how Rand turned the “First Volunteer,” however nonetheless, Charles Franklin Rand was on the high of record that was despatched again to Washington.
Rand reached Washington in Might and was positioned in Firm Ok of the twelfth Division New York State Volunteers. His unit was a kind of that fought on the opening battle of the warfare, Bull Run.
Throughout a skirmish at Blackburn’s Ford, his firm ordered a retreat, however Rand stayed and fought with one other firm. Whereas this was seen as a heroic motion, Rand claimed that it was resulting from his concern of getting his again stuffed with lead.
It was this motion that will finally result in him being awarded the Medal of Honor.
Rand’s time on the battlefield would finish, however not his time within the warfare, on June 27, 1862, on the Battle of Gaines Mill, when he was wounded in his proper shoulder. The harm value him a part of his proper shoulder and arm.
He was captured whereas recovering by Stonewall Jackson’s forces and brought to Richmond. Two weeks later he can be launched throughout an alternate of prisoners.
After ending his restoration in Batavia, he wished to return to the entrance, nevertheless, no officer would enable it resulting from his accidents.
Ultimately, Rand wrote to the president, and was given a place within the Struggle Division and was promoted to lieutenant and finally captain. Throughout the Reconstruction interval, Charles Rand continued his service as a supervising governor in Gilmer, Texas, from 1867 to 1868. He would resign from the Military the next 12 months.
Charles Rand would then transition into the ultimate interval of his life as he left army service. In 1873 he graduated from Georgetown medical college and started his personal follow.
He stayed in Washington till 1879 after which returned to Batavia to open a brand new follow in his hometown. After the demise of his mom in 1882, Rand left Batavia for good and returned to Washington D.C., the place he continued his follow till 1904.
All through this time, it was petitioned that he must be awarded a Medal of Honor for his bravery at Blackburn’s Ford. He was awarded the medal in 1897 and a brand new medal in 1904 because the fashion was modified, which is on show on the Holland Land Workplace Museum.
Charles Franklin Rand died on Oct. 14, 1908, and was laid to relaxation in Arlington Nationwide Cemetery, Part 1, Grave 1.
(Duffy is director of the Holland Land Workplace Museum.)
