As we honor the military who served the nation in times of war, I call your attention to Riverside Cemetery, where a sailor lies at rest since 1880.

His ship, USS Lehigh, ran aground in front of Fort Moultrie in Charleston (South Carolina) Harbor in the Civil War and was being pounded with cannon shot while George Leland and others rowed under a hail of musket shot, risking their lives to pull lines from his ship to the USS Nahant to pull Lehigh off the sandbar.

After several lines were cut by chafing they finally pulled Lehigh to safer water, leaving a battered and dented ship and wounded sailor breathing a sigh of relief.

Leland was one of five men who received the Medal of Honor for that single action, yet there is a curious thing that he is credited to the state of Georgia.

Having searched, I find no one from Georgia in the Union Navy, but I do find a Nashua, New Hampshire, man who fits all the criteria to have been this hero to prevent the Confederacy from resupply through the South’s largest port.

I have contacted the MOH Society for a review of the records, but so far, no reply.

Perhaps we should remember others who represented Maine and lost their lives in many ways.

Stephen LT Marriner remains at Salisbury Confederate Prison, N.C.; Samuel Dwelley here from Gettysburg; Capt. William R. Ham killed at the battle of Cold Harbor.

All too many to just go our own way on such a day of remembrance!

Larry W. Mayes, U.S. Navy retired, Auburn