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When I recently visited Gettysburg National Park, I was most surprised in finding a picture of "James Harvey Bump, Co. A, 111th New York Infantry, killed July 2, 1863, buried at Evergreen Cemetery." The picture could have been that of my uncle...
I visited James Harvey's gravestone at Evergreen Cemetery, the hallowed site and landmark at Gettysburg, where he and only 102 of his fellow soldiers rest (out of the 26,000 killed at Gettysburg). I made him a silent vow that I would find his story and tell it.
Returning home, I performed my research and found the story of Eleizabeth Thorn, caretaker of Evergreen during the battle, who, being seven months pregnant, dug his grave and buried him there with the others.
In my subsequent research, I found over 382 currently known Bompasse family descendants who enlisted, fought, bled, were maimed, and gae their lives for twhat they believed. There were about 1 Confederate Bompasse descendant for every two Union, and I discovered the amazing fact that 47 of them (at least)fought each other at Gettysburg itself.
I am the author of www.ehistory.com's Civil War Genealogy section, with methodology and links for research into any Civil War ancestors. This is the only comprehensive site on the internet with this specific information.
This site will be the result of this ongoing research. It is hoped that Bompasse family researchers will be able to fill in some blank spots in their research. It is also hoped that others will be able to find some needed infromation for their family trees as well.
I am planning to expand this site to include those that fought in all of the other American wars. Heroes like Captain "Fighting John" Bumpass of Noth Carolina, whose story parallels that of the main character in the movie, "The Patriot."
The Bompasse family is most unique, Eduard being the first of our line, who arrived at Plymouth Rock in 1621 on the ship, Fortune, one of the original Pilgrims. The Bompasse family since that time is a direct reflection of American Heritage. We have our heroes, many, many of them, and those that made a lot of impact on American History and our heritage.
As America is being attacked at New York, Washington DC, and we as a people are pulling together, our family heritage is most important to remember. It is difficult to surmise what our family descendants who fought and died and bled to protect this country and their beliefs would be thinking or feeling right now. I know they wouldn't like it, much as all of us are in rage on this attack on America's innocent civilians and our shores.
To James Harvey Bump, who died bravely in a charge on the second day of Gettysburg, for the other Bompasse family members, for the heritage of America, all of its families and heroes, I dedicate these pages.
Bruce Bump, Erie, Pennsylvania
On his 48th Birthday, September 12, 2001
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