[John Lawrence]. American soldier, born in Burlington, NJ, on the 5th of September 1793; died in Gettysburg, PA, on the 7th of February 1872. He was one of the first volunteers of the War of 1812, and served at Plattsburg, Queenston and Lundy’s Lane. He was a volunteer of the Mexican War, and, when he offered his services on the outbreak of the Civil War, he was not accepted, on account of his age, but was given the place of teamster, and whenever an engagement took place, he would borrow a gun so as to take part. He was finally discharged from the service on account of infirmities, but was chosen constable of Gettysburg. In June 1863, when the Confederate scouts approached the town, he met them with a company of volunteers. June 26th, the Confederates held possession, and John Burns was locked up for exercising his authority in opposition to the Confederate officials. The Southern army went on toward York, and Burns, now being at liberty, began to arrest Confederate stragglers and scouts. On the 28th the Union army came to the assistance of the veteran, who, almost single-handed, had been contending against the army of northern Virginia. When the battle of Gettysburg was fought, Burns borrowed a gun from a wounded Union soldier, and went into the thickest of the engagement. He was wounded, and fell into the hands of the Confederates, to whom he told a plausible story, and then managed to be taken to his own house for medical treatment. He had a narrow escape from being shot for not wearing the army dress (Federal), but on the following day the Union army drove the opposing forces from the field, and John Burns was again in the hands of friends. The story of his patriotism was appreciated in the Northern states, and Bret Harte wrote a graphic poem about the incident. In his last years his mental faculties became clouded, and he frequently wandered from home. One cold night in December 1871, he was found in a destitute condition, wandering about in New York City. His wants were supplied, and he was taken home, but died soon after, from pneumonia.
