Medal of Honor
awarded to
Corporal John L Younker
Company A, 1st Battalion, 12th US Infantry
Entered Service: Lancaster, Ohio
Birth: 16 Nov 1836 Wurttemberg, Germany
Date Medal Issued: 1 November 1893
Date of Action: 9 August 1862
Cedar Mountain, Va.
Citation reads:
Voluntarily carried an order,
at great risk of life in the face of a fire of grape and canister;
in doing this he was wounded.
"Through a mistake the Regiment's own batteries in the rear were subjecting it to fire.
Younger was sent back to warn the batteries and though badly wounded he rushed between the guns and delivered the message."

In August 1864, Andrew J. Riddle photographed Pvt Younker as he participated in a burial detail while incarcerated at Andersonville Prison.
Pvt Younker is standing to the left in the burial trench.
Pvt Younker survived Andersonville and testified against Commandant Wirz

    
The 12th Regiment US Regular Infantry of the 
North-South Skirmish Association 
was founded by James Mahon in 1975 and continues  
to participate in numerous live-fire musket, 
carbine, revolver, smoothbore, and mortar team competitions, at "skirmishes", 
held throughout the year at Ft. Shenandoah. 
Ft. Shenandoah is the home range for the N-SSA, 
on approximately 670 acres, just north of Winchester, VA.  
N-SSA competitors shoot original or approved 
reproductions of Civil War period rifled-muskets, rifles, carbines, smoothbores, revolvers, 
breechloading rifles, mortars, and field artillery pieces. 
  
First and foremost, skirmishing is a Team sport.
  Each team works together under pressure to hit 
breakable targets in several timed events in the least
 amount of time.  The teams with the lowest cumulative 
times win medals or other awards.  
The excitement really begins when, upon hearing the
sound of the horn, a volley of musket fire 
fills the air with smoke and flame!      

Yet, skirmish activities entail considerably more than 
shooting original or reproduction Civil War era firearms. 
There are also competitions for authenticity of Civil War 
period dress, both military and civilian, 
in multiple categories.
Winning medals during individual or team competitions
 is great but the fun, both on & off the firing line,
 keeps you coming back! 
Current membership spans all level of ability, 
from novice to expert class.  

Contact us if you'd like more information!
  

  
Lt Walter Franklin          three musicians,         Lt William Andrews 
  company H, 12th US 
 at Ft Hamilton, NY




Capt. Henry Rathbone 


 A native of Albany, New York, Rathbone received three brevets 
for gallant and meritorious service 
during the Civil War.  
On the night of April 14, 1865, 
Major Rathbone and his fiancée, 
accompanied President & Mrs. Lincoln 
to Ford’s Theater and, in the struggle 
which ensued after John Wilkes Booth 
shot the President, Rathbone received 
a severe knife wound to the left arm.  
He was forever haunted by the events of the Lincoln assassination. 
Appointed U.S. Consul to Hanover, Germany, 
a position he held a number of years.  
Becoming suddenly insane, he murdered his wife, Clara Harris, in 1883 
and was sent to the Hildesheim Insane Asylum at Hanover, 
where he remained violently insane 
until his death in 1911.

 

Capt. Thomas M. Anderson twice wounded and twice brevetted, to Major for conduct in the Wilderness and to Lieutenant Colonel for Spotsylvania Court House.
In command of 2nd Battalion during Antietam & Fredericksburg campaigns. Promoted to Brigadier General in March 1899, retired in January 1900.
Died 8 May 1917, buried in Arlington National Cemetery.



Major Luther B. Bruen served as superintendent of Regimental recruitment service.
In command of the Regiment during the Wilderness campaign.
Mortally wounded 15 May 1864 at Laurel Hill, VA.; died of his wounds 21 July 1864.

  
Lt Edwin M. Coates                Capt Thomas S. Dunn                   Lt Charles F. VanDuzer



 Capt. Frederick Winthrop


Born in New York. 
Appointed Captain 12th US in Oct 1861. 
Engaged in the siege of Yorktown, 
operations on the Chickahominy, 
battles of Gaines Mill, Malvern Hill, second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Gettysburg.  
In command of the Regiment in the battles at Spotsylvania and North Anna.  
Served as Colonel of 5th NY Volunteers in Aug 1864 
and was engaged in front of Petersburg, VA.  
Killed in Action at Five Forks, VA. 1 Apr 1865.
 

Capt. William Sergeant



Born In Pennsylvania. Appointed Captain, 12th US in Oct 1861. Engaged in the siege at Yorktown, operations on the Chickahominy, battles of Gaines’ Mills, Malvern Hill, second Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam. On the staff of the Regular Brigade of Infantry, Army of the Potomac, in 1863. Engaged in the actions of Rappahannock Station and Mine Run, VA. Late in the War, appointed Colonel of the 210th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was mortally wounded on 31 March 1865 at Gravely Run, Virginia during the Army of the Potomac's final push onto the trenches of Petersburg Virginia and died 11 days later. Buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Phila., PA