I was reading a Veterans Day article on Harvard graduates who won the Congressional Medal of Honor and came across a familiar name in mountaineering history - Hazard Stevens, who together with PB Van Trump, made the first documented ascent of Mt. Rainier in 1870. Stevens has an interesting background in addition to his mountaineering first ascent.
Before climbing Rainier, he fought on the Union side in the US Civil War, in the second battle of Bull Run, Pope’s Campaign, the Battle of the Wilderness, Fredericksburg, James River Campaign, Petersburg and Richmond. He was brevetted to Brigadier General for his heroism at Petersburg and became the youngest brigadier general in the U.S. Army at age 23. He was awarded the medal of honor while serving as Captain, for bravery in leading a party the assaulted and captured Ft. Huger, VA. He eventually graduated from Harvard and also achieved a Law Diploma from there.
Interestingly, Harvard has 16 alumni who won Congressional Medals of Honor, which is more than any university except for the US Military Academy at West Point and the US Naval Academy at Annapolis.
