James Winters, December 31st, 1868
On Wednesday night December 30, 1868, at about 11:00 p.m., the alarm was sounded for a fire in a large building at Broad and Cherry Streets. The building was the old Army Hospital used during the Civil War. It is owned by the Reading Railroad as a transfer warehouse and occupied by several businesses. This terrific blaze burned into the early hours of Thursday morning, December 31st. The Philadelphia Fire Company took up its position and went to work on the fire. At some point 23-year-old James Winter of the Philadelphia Fire Co. went into the building with a hose. That was the last anyone saw him. In the confusion he was forgotten. On Friday his wife became concerned when he hadn’t return home. Since the members did not remember seeing him, they concluded that he perished in the building. On Sunday the members of Philadelphia Fire Co. gathered at the burned ruins and started to search for their comrade. During the search, a man that was working to retrieve a safe from the ruins the day before told them that he saw what he thought was a dog hanging from the rafters on the second floor. The men immediately made their way through the debris and found the charred remains of young Winters. The only way he could be identified was by a key he carried in his pocket.
Previously, James Winters was awarded a Gold Medal from the Philadelphia Union League for his bravery in saving the American Flag which flew on the flagpole atop the Union League, during the fire on September 7, 1866. James Winter was a member of the 23rdPennsylvania Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He was 25 years old, married with three children. He was laid to rest at the Old Cathedral Catholic Cemetery.
James Winters, December 31st, 1868
On Wednesday night December 30, 1868, at about 11:00 p.m., the alarm was sounded for a fire in a large building at Broad and Cherry Streets. The building was the old Army Hospital used during the Civil War. It is owned by the Reading Railroad as a transfer warehouse and occupied by several businesses. This terrific blaze burned into the early hours of Thursday morning, December 31st. The Philadelphia Fire Company took up its position and went to work on the fire. At some point 23-year-old James Winter of the Philadelphia Fire Co. went into the building with a hose. That was the last anyone saw him. In the confusion he was forgotten. On Friday his wife became concerned when he hadn’t return home. Since the members did not remember seeing him, they concluded that he perished in the building. On Sunday the members of Philadelphia Fire Co. gathered at the burned ruins and started to search for their comrade. During the search, a man that was working to retrieve a safe from the ruins the day before told them that he saw what he thought was a dog hanging from the rafters on the second floor. The men immediately made their way through the debris and found the charred remains of young Winters. The only way he could be identified was by a key he carried in his pocket.
Previously, James Winters was awarded a Gold Medal from the Philadelphia Union League for his bravery in saving the American Flag which flew on the flagpole atop the Union League, during the fire on September 7, 1866. James Winter was a member of the 23rdPennsylvania Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. He was 25 years old, married with three children. He was laid to rest at the Old Cathedral Catholic Cemetery.
Career History
Volunteer with the Philadelphia Fire Company