Abraham Jay Buckles (1846 - 1915)

Birth: Aug. 2, 1846, USA Death: Jan. 9, 1915, US Army Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. When war broke out in 1861, he joined Company E, 19th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which became a part the “Iron Brigade” First Division, First Army Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was wounded numerous times in several notorious Civil War battles - at the second Bull Run battle he was shot through the right thigh and taken prisoner, but escaped soon after. Prior to the Gettysburg campaign he had been detailed, at his own request, as one of the color guard, and during the Gettysburg battle he rescued the flag of his regiment, but was soon after struck in the right shoulder. He was so disabled that he could never after carry a knapsack. When he was sufficiently recovered, although the wound was not healed, he returned to his regiment, and was at once made the color-bearer. At the battle of the Wilderness, while carrying the flag he was shot through the body, and when carried to the rear was informed by the surgeon that he must die, as his wound was a fatal one. So certain were all that he would not recover the report went forth “Killed in the Wilderness.” For this action he was awarded the Medal of Honor on December 4, 1893. His citation, issued to Abram J. Buckle reads: “Though suffering from an open wound, carried the regimental colors until again wounded.” However, being of a strong constitution and possessed of an iron will he recovered sufficiently to return to the front where he found his regiment so depleted in numbers that it had been consolidated with the Twentieth Indiana, and in this regiment he was given a commission as Second Lieutenant, dated February 27, 1865. Buckles’ right leg was amputated after being shot through the knee at the Hatchin Run on March 25, 1865. In 1886 he recovered a small Bible, carried by him in that battle and lost there, which on the fly-leaf bore the words “Killed in the Wilderness.” After his discharge as a 2nd Lieutenant, he became a teacher. He was admitted to the Indiana Bar in 1875 and moved to Dixon, California. In 1879, he was elected District Attorney of Solano County and retained that position until 1884, when he became Judge of the Superior Court of Solano County. Governor Pardee named Buckles to the newly created Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, in April 1905 and served until 1907. He returned to practice in Fairfield, and in 1908 returned to the bench of the Superior Court of Solano County, where he served for the remainder of his life. He died 11 days after an operation in Ramona Hospital in San Bernardino County in 1915.

Medal of Honor Citation
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company E, 19th Indiana Infantry. Place and date: At Wilderness, Va., 5 May 1864. Entered service at: Muncie, Ind. Birth: Delaware County, Ind. Date of issue: 4 December 1893. Citation: Though suffering from an open wound, carried the regimental colors until again wounded.