| The Story of Henry Murray |
| The Grave of Henry Murray |
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Dennis Smith / David Strichko
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In 1861 Henry Murray enlisted
into the 69th Pa as a private.
Before the war he had been a 21
year old bookbinder in
Philadelphia. In the first two years
of the war, he rose to the rank of
corporal and then Sergeant.
On July 2, during the attack of
Wright's Confederates on the
position of the 69th Pa, a rebel
bullet hit Murray in the left eye
and penetrated deep into the orbit
destroying the optic nerve. The
soldier would be blinded in both
eyes for life by the wound. As
the fight ended, he was led by his
good friend John Buckley back to
the aid station on Taneytown
Road. Buckley later wrote about
the event "I was in the one
position during both charges and
the only time I left it was when I
led Sergeant Murray to the rear,
with both eyes shot out, and
begging me to put an end to that
existence which he thought would
no longer endurable."
Murray would spend the next 12
months in military hospitals before
being discharged.
Returning to Philadelphia,
Murray was now blind with nerve
damage. He met and became
engaged to Hannah W. James.
On June 15 1867 the couple
married and later moved to
Cleveland Ohio to live on a farm.
Hannah had been raised in the
Cleveland area. By 1880
Murray's health was deteriorating
and he died December 10, 1884.
In 2005, the men of the 69th
Pa in the Cleveland area read
about his life story and search for
his grave. His final resting place
was located and a ceremony was
held. Today his gravesite is
considered the special providence
of the Whiskey Island Dog
people.
into the 69th Pa as a private.
Before the war he had been a 21
year old bookbinder in
Philadelphia. In the first two years
of the war, he rose to the rank of
corporal and then Sergeant.
On July 2, during the attack of
Wright's Confederates on the
position of the 69th Pa, a rebel
bullet hit Murray in the left eye
and penetrated deep into the orbit
destroying the optic nerve. The
soldier would be blinded in both
eyes for life by the wound. As
the fight ended, he was led by his
good friend John Buckley back to
the aid station on Taneytown
Road. Buckley later wrote about
the event "I was in the one
position during both charges and
the only time I left it was when I
led Sergeant Murray to the rear,
with both eyes shot out, and
begging me to put an end to that
existence which he thought would
no longer endurable."
Murray would spend the next 12
months in military hospitals before
being discharged.
Returning to Philadelphia,
Murray was now blind with nerve
damage. He met and became
engaged to Hannah W. James.
On June 15 1867 the couple
married and later moved to
Cleveland Ohio to live on a farm.
Hannah had been raised in the
Cleveland area. By 1880
Murray's health was deteriorating
and he died December 10, 1884.
In 2005, the men of the 69th
Pa in the Cleveland area read
about his life story and search for
his grave. His final resting place
was located and a ceremony was
held. Today his gravesite is
considered the special providence
of the Whiskey Island Dog
people.