University to present commemorative concert
Lt. James Purman, a Waynesburg Colllege alumnus, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle at Gettysburg.
Lt. James Purman's Medal of Honor will be on display at a concert next month at Waynesburg University.
WAYNESBURG – A commemorative concert featuring the Wildcat Regiment Band will offer a glimpse into the past through authentic 19th-century brass band music, both military and social.
The concert, “From Waynesburg to Gettysburg,” will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 9. in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center at Waynesburg University. Admission is free and the public is invited but reservations are required.
In period uniform, the Wildcat Regiment Band of Home, plans to present an accurate portrayal of a Federal Regimental Band of the American Civil War. The concert will feature guest speakers, and members of the 140th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Co. A re-enactors will attend in uniform to interact with the public.
“On a November day 150 years ago, President Abraham Lincoln defined the significance of the conflict that engulfed our nation. This program will commemorate his Gettysburg address and recognize the contributions made by Waynesburg College students in that struggle,” said President Douglas G. Lee.
Honoring Waynesburg College’s students and Civil War veterans, the evening also will feature a Civil War exhibit in the Goodwin Performing Arts Center lobby. On loan from Gettysburg National Military Park, the Medal of Honor that was awarded to Lt. James Jackson Purman, an 1864 Waynesburg College alumnus, will be on display.
A member of Company A, 140th Pennsylvania Infantry, Purman was awarded the Medal of Honor for helping a wounded comrade during the second day’s fighting in the Battle of Gettysburg. In doing so, Purman was struck near his left ankle and laid overnight in the wheat field.
The next morning, though no major action took place where Purman lay, opposing pickets exchanged shots -one of which penetrated his right leg. Desperate for water, the lieutenant called out to the enemy for help. A lieutenant from a Georgia regiment brought him a canteen of fresh water and poured some of it on his enemy’s wounds. He also cut off his boots to relieve the throbbing pain. The Confederate officer would eventually sneak Purman off of the battlefield, carrying him on his back while crawling on all fours.
Near sundown, a Union stretcher party carried Purman off the field. The next day, a surgeon amputated his left leg below the knee.
Purman later went on to become a prominent lawyer, physician and medical director of the Grand Army of the Republic. In later years ,he was able to introduce the Confederate officer that aided him on the battlefield to his friend, President Theodore Roosevelt.
“The contributions of Waynesburg College and Greene County to the war effort are significant. We have identified at least 35 Waynesburg students and graduates who served during the war. We are excited and proud to be sharing these stories with the community through this event,” said Courtney Dennis, event organizer and assistant director of alumni relations at the university.
To reserve tickets, visit waynesburg.ticketleap.com/waynesburg-to-gettysburg or call Dennis at 724-852-7689.