Friday, September 25, 2009
Born in 1821 George Nixon would not achieve the level of importance that his great-grandson would as the 37th President of the United States. He served during the Civil War as a Private in Company B, 73rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. During the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg (July 2, 1863), he was wounded in the right hip and side during skimishing with the Confederates, and lay in the no-man's land between the Union position on Cemetery Hill and the Rebel's hold on the town. At night his cries of pain were such that it inspired Musician Richard Enderlin to crawl out during the constant firing between the two forces, drag Private Nixon back most of the way, then stand up with the wounded man in tow and dash the final distance to safty. This act won Richard Enderlin a instant promotion to Sergeant, and a Medal of Honor 34 years later. Despite his rescue, Private Nixon's wounds proved to be mortal, and he died in the XI Corps Hospital seven days later. His great-grandson, Richard Millhouse Nixon, would become a president and serve eight years as the nations vice-president. During the Presidential election of 1960 Nixon would also lose one of the most famous elections in American History to John F. Kennedy.
Currently, Nixon's remains lie in the National Soldiers Cemetery at Gettysburg. According to the NPS website Richard Nixon visited his great-grandfathers grave during his tenure as vice-president.