Anderson, Peter- Died 1900

ANDERSON

Posted By: Linda Linn (email)
Date: 1/4/2012 at 18:33:55

Humboldt County Independent
3-15-1900

Anderson.—At his home in Corinth township on Sunday, March llth 1900, Mr. Peter Anderson.

Mr. Anderson was a soldier and sailor in the Civil War and was one of those who answered the call of duty without asking the whys of it. A comrade hands us the following record of his service:
Peter Anderson enlisted in the 4th Illinois Cavalry August 1861. After some service in the Cavalry he was detailed for service in Captain Henshaw's Battery of Light Artillery. After some service in the battery he was detailed for marine service and was assigned to duty on the gun boat Cairo. In the month of December 1862 the gunboat was blown up by a torpedo in the Yazoo river near Haines Bluff. The concussion caused by the explosion so dazed Mr. Anderson that
he was rendered unconscious for some time. When he returned to consciousness he discovered that the boat was sinking, and that the water was almost to his mouth. He rose and found that the entire crew was gone except the captain, who said to him, "Peter, we must get out of this as soon as possible, but we have no weapons with which to protect ourselves when we reach the shore. Can you go below and bring up some of some of those cutlasses?" Anderson said, "I will try." Down he went into the hold of the sinking ship, [filling] his arms with cutlasses, came up and
with the Captain left the wreck which went to the bottom just as he stepped off. Greater heroism has never been displayed in the history of any country, Congress might have done itself honor by passing a vote of thanks and awarding a gold medal to Mr. Anderson for his heroic conduct.