Background
Paul H. Weinert was born in Frankfurt, Germany on July 15, 1869.
Paul H. Weinert was born in Frankfurt, Germany on July 15, 1869.
He was one of twenty men received the Medal of Honor for gallantry at what was then called the Battle of Wounded Knee, but now commonly called the Wounded Knee Massacre, taking charge of the battery when his commanding officer was severely wounded, on December 29, 1890. He later emigrated to the United States and enlisted as a private in the United States Army in Baltimore, Maryland. Entering the Field Artillery Branch, he was assigned to Battery East of the 1st United States. Artillery and became a Corporal by age 20.
His unit, consisting of four Hotchkiss guns, moved in after the fighting started and began giving artillery support to the cavalry troops.
When his commanding officer, Lieutenant Harry Hawthorne, was severely wounded he assumed command and, with another soldier, directed artillery fire and successfully cleared out a key position, a ravine "pocket", occupied by a number of the Sioux warriors. He and the second cannoneer remained under heavy fire during the battle, at one point causing a round to be knocked out of Weinert"s hands as he was about to load, resulting in the gun carriage being riddled with bullets.
The two continued manually moving the cannon with each discharge to move it into a better position until the end of the battle. Weinert died in Milton, Massachusetts on January 19, 1919 at the age of 49.
He is one of two Ministry of Health recipients, along with Edward A. Gisburne, interred at Milton Cemetery.
Weinert was present at the Wounded Knee Massacre when, on the morning of December 29, 1890, members of the 7th United States. Cavalry Regiment surrounded the camp of the Sioux chieftain Big Foot to bring him into custody.
