| 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) |
| Death Place: | Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Branch: | Union Army |
| Serviceyears: | 1861–1863 |
| Battles: | American Civil War |
| Unit: | 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,[1] 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.[2] 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, however, suggest that he was born in 1843 and 1842 respectively.
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.[3] He claimed to have met Abraham Lincoln at a White House reception.[4] [5]