Gettysburg Campaign – Medals of Honor
How many men were awarded the Medal Of Honor for their action in the Gettysburg Campaign?
That question was raised on the Facebook Page “Test Your Knowledge On The Battle of Gettysburg”.
It is traditionally said that 64 Medals of Honor were awarded for service in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863. That includes two for actions in Fairfield and Millerstown, PA on July 3rd.1
But by almost all accounts, the Gettysburg Campaign started a month earlier, on June 3rd, as Robert E. Lee slipped away from Fredericksburg, VA and headed toward the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Historians commonly say that the Gettysburg Campaign ended with the Battle of Falling Waters on July 14th when the last Confederate brigade re-crossed the Potomac River2. But the National Park Service infers that it ended at the close of the Battle of Manassas Gap, VA on July 24th.3 The Official Records, however, say that the campaign ended on August 1 with the (2nd) battle at Brandy Station, VA.4
For the sake of completeness, therefore, we will use the range June 3 – August 1, 1863 for the Gettysburg Campaign and list the 75 recipients of the MOH during that period as follows:
| # | Name | Unit | Action |
| 1 | PMus. John T. Patterson | 122nd OH Inf. | 14 Jun 1863 Winchester, VA |
| 2 | Pvt. Elbridge Robinson | Co. C, 122nd OH Inf. | 14 Jun 1863 Winchester, VA |
| 3 | 2Lt. James R. Durham | Co. E, 12th WV Inf. | 14 Jun 1863 Winchester, VA |
| 4 | Pvt. Nathan M. Hallock | Co. K, 124th NY Inf. | 15 Jun 1863 Bristoe Station, VA |
| 5 | Col. Louis P. Di Cesnola | 4th NY Cav. | 17 Jun 1863 Aldie, VA |
| 6 | Pvt. Thomas Burke | Co. A, 5th NY Cav. | 30 Jun 1863 Hanover, PA5 |
| 7 | Sgt. James M. Rutter | Co. C, 143rd PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 8 | LtCol. Henry S. Huidekoper | 150th PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 9 | Cpl. J. Monroe Reisinger | Co. H, 150th PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 10 | Capt. Francis Irsch | Co. D, 45th NY Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 11 | Cpl. Francis A. Waller | Co. I, 6th WI Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 12 | Mus. Richard Enderlin | Co. B, 73rd OH Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 13 | Sgt. Jefferson Coates | Co. H, 7th WI Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 14 | 1Sgt. Edward L. Gilligan | Co. E, 88th PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 15 | Maj. Alfred J. Sellers | 90th PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 16 | Sgt. Harvey M. Munsell | Co. A, 99th PA Inf. | 1 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 17 | Cpl. Harrison Clark | Co. E, 125th NY Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 18 | Capt. John Lonergan | Co. A, 13th VT Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 19 | Capt. James Pipes | Co. A, 140th PA Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA6 |
| 20 | Lt. James J. Purman | Co. A, 140th PA Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 21 | 2Lt. Edward M. Knox | 15th NY Battery | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 22 | Capt. James Parke Postles | Co. A, 1st DE Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 23 | Cpl. Nathaniel M. Allen | Co. B, 1st MA Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 24 | Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain | 20th ME Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 25 | Sgt. Andrew J. Tozier | Co. I, 20th ME Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 26 | Capt. John B. Fassett | Co. F, 23rd PA Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 27 | Pvt. Charles Stacey | Co. D, 55th OH Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 28 | Cpl. Thaddeus S. Smith | Co. E, 6th PA Res. Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 29 | Cpl. Chester S. Furman | Co. A, 6th PA Res. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 30 | Sgt. John W. Hart | Co. D, 6th PA Res. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 31 | Sgt. Wallace W. Johnson | Co. G, 6th PA Res. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 32 | Sgt. George W. Mears | Co. A, 6th PA Res. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 33 | Cpl. J. Levi Roush | Co. D, 6th PA Res. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 34 | Sgt. Thomas Horan | Co. E, 72nd NY Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 35 | Sgt. Hugh Carey | Co. E, 82nd NY Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 36 | Bglr. Charles W. Reed | 9th Ind. Batt., MA Light Art. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 37 | 1Sgt. George W. Roosevelt | Co. K. 26th PA Inf. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA7 |
| 38 | Pvt. Casper R. Carlisle | Co. F, Ind. PA Light Art. | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 39 | MG Daniel E. Sickles | U.S. Volunteers | 2 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 40 | Cpl. William H. Raymond | Co. A, 108th NY Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 41 | Capt. Morris, Jr. Brown | Co. A, 126th NY Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 42 | Sgt. George H. Dore | Co. D, 126th NY Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 43 | Pvt. Jerry Wall | Co. B, 126th NY Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 44 | 2Lt. George G. Benedict | Co. C, 12th VT Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 45 | Pvt. Elijah W. Bacon | Co. F, 14th CT Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 46 | Cpl. Christopher Flynn | Co. K, 14th CT Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 47 | SgtMaj. William B. Hincks | 14th CT Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 48 | Col. Wheelock G. Veazey | 16th VT Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 49 | Cpl. Joseph H. De Castro | Co. I, 19th MA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 50 | ColSgt. Benjamin F. Falls | Co. A, 19th MA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 51 | Sgt. Benjamin H. Jellison | Co. C, 19th MA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 52 | Maj. Edmund Rice | 19th MA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 53 | Pvt. John H. Robinson | Co. I, 19th MA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 54 | Pvt. John B. Mayberry | Co. F, 1st DE Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 55 | Pvt. Bernard McCarren | Co. C, 1st DE Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 56 | Cpl. Henry D. O’Brien | Co. E, 1st MN Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 57 | Pvt. Marshall Sherman | Co. C, 1st MN Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 58 | Sgt. James B. Thompson | Co. G, 1st PA Rifles | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 59 | Maj. William Wells | 1st VT Cav. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 60 | Pvt. Oliver P. Rood | Co. B, 20th IN Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 61 | Capt. William E. Miller | Co. H, 3rd PA Cav. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 62 | Sgt. James Wiley | Co. B, 59th NY Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 63 | Sgt. Martin Schwenk8 | Co. B, 6th U.S. Cav. | 3 Jul 1863 Millerstown, PA |
| 64 | Pvt. John E. Clopp | Co. F, 71st PA Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 65 | Cpl. John Miller | Co. G, 8th OH Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 66 | Pvt. James Richmond | Co. F, 8th OH Inf. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 67 | Sgt. Frederick Fuger | Battery A, 4th U.S. Art. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 68 | Pvt. George C. Platt | Troop H, 6th U.S. Cav. | 3 Jul 1863 Fairfield, PA |
| 69 | BG Alexander S. Webb | U.S. Volunteers | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 70 | 1Lt. Alonzo Cushing | Battery A, 4th U.S. Art. | 3 Jul 1863 Gettysburg, PA |
| 71 | Maj. Charles E. Capehart | 1st WV Cav. | 4 Jul 1863 Monterey Mt, PA |
| 72 | 1Sgt. Charles M. Holton | Co. A, 7th MI Cav. | 14 Jul 1863 Falling Waters, MD |
| 73 | 1Lt. Carle A. Woodruff | 2nd U.S. Art. | 24 Jul 1863 Newby’s C.R., VA9 |
| 74 | Capt. Smith H. Hastings | Co. M, 5th MI Cav. | 24 Jul 1863 Newby’s C.R., VA9 |
| 75 | 1Lt. John W. Clark | 6th VT Inf. | 28 Jul 1863 Warrenton, VA |
Sources
– Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS)
– National Park Service
Notes
1Updated to add 1Lt. Alonzo Cushing who was awarded the Medal of Honor on 6 Nov 2014.
2Coddington, Edwin B., “The Gettysburg Campaign: A Study in Command” (New York: Touchstone, 1997), p. vii.
3Civil War Battle Summaries by Campaign.
4OR s1, v27, pt2, pg 5-7.
5The record at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (and apparently the citation itself) says Hanover Courthouse, VA but the 5th NY Cavalry was in Hanover, PA on this date. The Battle of Hanover Courthouse, VA was on 27 May 1862.
6Also for service at Reams Station, VA on 25 August 1864.
7Also for service at Bull Run, VA on 30 August 1862.
8AKA Martin, George
9Newby’s Cross Roads, also known as Battle Mountain, Amissville, VA.
Related posts on this blog:
1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing – One Step Closer to the Medal of Honor, 11 March 2010.
Fun Facts about the Medal of Honor, 14 March 2010.