James L. Baum, a 19 year old molder from Hamburg enlisted in the 128th Pennsylvania Infantry, a 9 month unit, on August 9th 1862.
After being mustered in in Harrisburg the James and the rest of the 128th headed to Washington DC. There they would work on fortifications around the capitol until the 6th of September where they were ordered north to Maryland to stop an invasion by Robert E Lee.
The 128th moved their way northward reaching South Mountain just after the battle there, then moved over the mountain and down into the valley crossing the Antietam Creek the evening of the 16th. The Confederates had drawn back and built up their defenses around the town of Sharpsburg.
Battle of Antietam
At 2am the 128th moved forward to a plowed field at the north end of town close enough to the enemy lines that they could hear the rattle of gear and muffled talking.
At Sunrise the next day the brigade was moved forward and the battle kicked off. The 128th was pushed to the edge of the "Cornfield" where it hurried to get into battle lines under fire. However since the regiment had only been in existence for five weeks they were disorganized and slow. This allowed the Confederates hiding in the corn to open fire on them which caused more confusion and panic. Both of their commanders Colonel Croasdale and Lt Colonel Hamersly were wounded and killed which added the the chaos.
Soon General Williams, division commander ordered them forward and they charged rebels in the cornfield. Just as the corn that surrounded them however they were quickly hewn down and retreated. In that short 10 minute fight 34 were killed and 85 were wounded and the regiment was sent to reserve.
After the Battle of Antietam they were sent to Sandy Hook and Maryland Heights with 12th Corps here they stayed until January of 1863 where they went into winter camp at Stafford Heights
On the 1st of May James and the rest of the 128th were involved in General Joe Hookers Chancellorsville Campaign. Their orders were to entrench on the Plank Road near Wilderness. The next day they moved out to United States Ford to open the way over the Rappahannock. That evening they returned to their entrenchments.
The next evening General Jacksons troops smashed the left wing of the Union army, in the darkness the regiment was surrounded and 225 men were captured. Corporal Baum was listed as missing when the regiment mustered out, because his end of enlistment was so close to the time when the majority of the regiment was captured he may have just went home.
48th Pennsylvania
In February of 1864 James joined the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry when they were home on furlough filling their ranks.
From this point James would join the 48th on General Grants Overland Campaign through Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Anna River, Cold Harbor and Petersburg. He would assist them in constructing the mine used to destroy the Confederate works in Petersburg known as the "Battle of the Crater" and participate in the final destruction of the Confederacy and capture of the Capitol of Richmond. He would be mustered out with the rest of the regiment in July of 1865 at the end of the war.
After the War
After the war James would join the 4th Regiment Company E of the National Guard Post of Hamburg as a Second Lieutenant.
He opened a goods store on the Corner of Main and State Streets in Hamburg (this was according to a newspaper article not sure what they are considering Main Street?)
He was a well known businessman and well liked.
Suffering from bouts of "Sadness" (depression?) James took his own life at the home of his niece, Mrs John Baer where he lived on May 12th 1901.
He was buried with full military honors at Greenwood Cemetery in Hamburg.
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