Tombstone Tuesday – Robert Alexander Hanna

 

Robert Alexander Hanna

b. 16 June 1835

d. 20 May 1917

Age – 81 years, 11 months 4 days

Photo courtesy of Julious Burr

Robert Alexander was the son of Robert Hannah and Lydia Stone. Robert entered the Civil War on 1 July 1861 and served with Co. K, 26th North Carolina Infantry.  He was severely wounded at Gettysburg on 1 July 1863 resulting in the amputation of his left leg. He received a gunshot wound just below the knee joint. He also received a second wound on the left side of the head resulting in a fractured skull.  [Civil War records, LDS Family History Library Film # 1381326 and NC Pension Records Film #1535891].

Robert married Hannah Elizabeth Little; they are buried in burial in Hanna Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.

North Carolina was a leader in providing artificial limbs to Civil war amputees. They contracted with the Jewett’s Patent Leg Company and opened  a factory in the old Raleigh bayonet factory. (NC Historical Marker, H-112) [1]

“According to family members, he saved that leg (Jewett's Wooden artificial leg) for special occasions, having made other artificial limbs to help him do his farm work. (One homemade leg had a bull’s hoof for a foot!) The special care helped the Jewett’s Patent Leg last.”[2]

After his death on 20 May 1917 the family donated his artificial leg to the Civil War Museum, Bentonville Battlefield, North Carolina.

It remains on display in the Harper House at Bentonville Battlefield. Bennett Place State Historic Site, Durham, North Carolina.

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[1] http://bit.ly/TWAM3i

[2] http://ncpedia.org/history/cw-1900/amputations