Civil
War Museum
The Civil War Museum, including
the main
exhibit area, "The Fiery Trial," is open.
[Admission Fees]
Major Pond's Congressional Medal of Honor Donated to the Civil War Museum
October 7, 1863
Baxter Springs, Kansas
When I looked out, I saw the camp surrounded on all sides by mounted men two ranks deep. At the same time I ran through the enemy's ranks myself, and got safely inside, where I found the enemy's men as numerous as my own. In a moment every man was rallied, and we soon succeeded in getting the enemy outside the camp.
I called for men to get the howitzer, which stood just over the entrenchment on the north side. Whether the men heard me or not I am unable to say, as the volleys of musketry and the yells of the enemy nearly drowned every other noise, but no one came to my assistance. I got the howitzer at work myself, and after three shots into their ranks, succeeded in repulsing the main force, which retreated in good order over the hill north of the camp ...
James B. Pond
First Lieut., Co. C, Third Wis., Cav.
In
a slim, top-bound leather journal, Major James B. Pond recorded many of
his Civil War experiences, including the surprise attack by William Quantrill
and about 650 men at Baxter Springs. His valiant response to that attack
ultimately gained him the Medal of Honor. The Medal, his journal and a
number of additional artifacts and documents will be on permanent exhibit
at the Civil War Museum.
In March 2008, nearly 110 years to the day that Pond received the Medal of Honor, Gina Radandt, curator of collections for the Kenosha Public Museums, couriered the Pond Collection, including the Medal of Honor, from the home of Pond's grandson, James B. Pond III, of Exton, Pennsylvania to Kenosha's Civil War Museum. The Pond Collection also includes his journal, muster in and muster out papers, appointment papers, discharge paper, photographs and his autobiography.
James B. Pond III recalled the decision he and sister, Jean Woodford Pond Dever, made to donate the artifacts to the Civil War Museum. He wrote, "The Medal of Honor had been displayed in Wisconsin on two occasions with considerable interest. The Medal is rarely displayed for a number of reasons. However, the reaction of those who have viewed it convinced me that it should be displayed permanently as part of an exhibit, rather than stored in someone's bank vault for the next hundred years or so. It belongs to the people of Wisconsin!"
Often donors contribute an artifact to the Museum, but the artifact is not accompanied by any other material or documentation, Radandt said. "The value and significance of Pond's Medal is enhanced," she said, "because the Museum possesses accompanying documents."
Pond III said that he and Radandt had reviewed artifacts and supporting material required for a meaningful exhibit, including copies of two memoirs - The Early Years and the Civil War Years.
The trove of materials that the Museum received along with the Medal "adds to the story and helps to enrich the provenance of the record," Radandt remarked, and she added that the associated materials "help in the Museum's work as well as the work of others who may want to utilize the collection for scholarly research."
After the war, Pond worked as a lecture manager and eventually established his own agency in New York City in 1880. One of his clients was Samuel Clemens a/k/a Mark Twain, and he accompanied Clemens on speaking tours. In 1895 Clemens set out on a global lecture tour accompanied by his wife and daughter and Pond and his wife. Pond was also interested in photography and using a Kodak box camera, he documented the tour the group made from Elmira, New York to Victoria, British Columbia.
Pond's photographs and tour notes are preserved in "Overland with Mark Twain: James B. Pond's Photographs and Journal of the North American Lecture Tour of 1895" edited by Alan Gribben and Nick Karanovich. The Civil War Museum received an edition of this book, published in 1992, from the Pond family.
And while Radandt has not had time yet to read Pond's journal, she commented that simply holding the journal in her hands affects her in a visceral way. She said the emotions that are aroused are similar to those she experiences while holding, for example, documents in the Museum's collection signed by President Abraham Lincoln and his Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. "It still gives me goose bumps," Radandt admitted.
She said, "Collections are the lifeblood of the Museum and when you spend time with collections you gain more of an understanding and a knowledge of history."
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of the United States. The Medals are generally presented to the recipient by the President in the name of Congress.
Only 3,447 Medals of Honor have been awarded.
Major Pond's Medal of Honor and associated materials will soon be on exhibit in the Civil War Museum.