James Hard

{{Short description|Last surviving Union Army combat veteran of the United States Civil War}}

{{primary sources|date=June 2017}}

{{Infobox military person

| name = James Hard

| birth_name = James Albert Hard

| birth_date = July 15, 1843

| birth_place = Windsor, New York, U.S.

| death_date = March 12, 1953
(aged {{ayd|1843|7|15|1953|3|12|}})

| death_place = Rochester, New York, U.S.

|allegiance={{flagu|United States|1863}}

|branch={{Dodseal|Board}} Union Army

| serviceyears = 1861–1863

|battles=American Civil War

• First Battle of Bull Run
• Battle of Antietam
• Battle of Fredericksburg
• Battle of Chancellorsville

| unit ={{Flagicon|New York}} 32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment

}}

James Albert Hard (July 15, 1843 – March 12, 1953) was the last verified living Union combat veteran of the American Civil War and the third-to-last verified veteran overall; only drummer boys Frank H. Mayer and Albert Woolson post-deceased him. Though he claimed to have been born in 1841,[http://genealogytrails.com/main/lastveteranobits.html#hard The Last Surviving Veterans of America's Wars - Obituaries, Biographies, Pictures and other Data] research in 2006 found that the 1850 Census indicated a birthdate of 1843.

He died in Rochester, New York, at the claimed age of 111.[http://www.nycivilwar.us/jahard.html James A. Hard Obituary] Census research indicates, however, that he was probably a year or two younger and may have inflated his age in order to enter the military. He is recorded as having joined the Union Army on May 14, 1861, aged 19. The 1850, 1910, and 1920 censuses,{{Primary source inline|date=March 2016}} however, suggest that he was born in 1843 and 1842 respectively.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

Hard served with the 32nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment as "Albert," participating in the battles of First Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville. The regiment's term of service expired before the Gettysburg Campaign.https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/rosters/Infantry/32nd_Infantry_CW_Roster.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} He claimed to have met Abraham Lincoln at a White House reception.The Chicago Tribune, March 12, 1953, transcribed by K. Torp for [http://genealogytrails.com/main/lastveteranobits.html#hard genealogytrails]'Last Civil War Veteran in Each State,' 1951, by. C. Stewart Peterson, Baltimore, Maryland