October 17, 1864
MEDALS OF HONOR.
The accompanying list (marked D) shows the names of 106 enlisted men to whom medals of honor have been awarded, by order of the Secretary of War, for taking colors from the enemy in battle, and for other acts of distinguished bravery. It is respectfully recommended that the list be published with this report.
By resolution of Congress approved July 12, 1862, 2,000 "medals of honor" were authorized to be prepared for presentation "to such non-commissioned officers and privates as shall most distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldierlike qualities." By section 6 of the act making appropriations for sundry civil expenses, approved March 3, 1863, a new appropriation is made for striking from the dies already prepared an additional number of medals, to be presented not only to enlisted men but to officers.
The medal of honor is of bronze, of neat device, and is highly prized by those on whom it has been bestowed. Hitherto no medals have been conferred upon commissioned officers, apparently under the idea that at some future day their acts of distinguished bravery would be recognized by brevets. It is believed that in the majority of eases the award of a gold or a silver medal would be quite as acceptable as the brevet and of more substantial value, especially in the volunteer service. Under the act of March 3, 1863, brevet rank carries with it no increase of pay or allowances in the volunteer service, and at the expiration of the term of the officer the brevet will, of course, cease with his other rank. If an act were passed to authorize it, a prompt and gratifying acknowledgment of distinguished services could be made by publishing a general order awarding to the officer "the gold medal" or the "silver medal," with the privilege of engraving thereon the name and date of the battle in which his gallantry was conspicuous. In case of his again winning distinction, he would be authorized in general orders to add to the inscription upon his medal the name and date of his new exploit. If both gold and silver medals were authorized, there would be no objection to the same officer being the recipient of both if won by meritorious conduct at different times and different in degree. The system of medals need in nowise interfere with the conferring of brevet rank in cases where such rank might be actually exercised in high commands or at the discretion of the President, but it would relieve the pressure for brevets on the part of the many officers who justly believe they have won a title to some mark of honor and would avoid the many vexed questions likely to arise from the possession of brevet rank by so large a number of officers as can reasonably prefer a claim to reward.
(Note: Only the Medals of honor portion of the list is reproduced here)
Medals of honor.
No. | Name. | Rank. | Company. | Regiment. |
1 | Frederick C. Anderson | Private | H | 18th Massachusetts Veteran Volunteers. |
2 | Robert Buffum | .... | H | 21st Ohio Volunteers. |
3 | William Bensinger | .... | G | Do. |
4 | Wilson Wright Brown | Corporal | F | Do. |
5 | Chester B. Bowen | Color corporal | I | 1st New York Dragoons. |
6 | Philip Baybutt | Private | A | 2d Massachusetts Cavalry. |
7 | Gabriel Cole | do | I | 5th Michigan Cavalry. |
8 | John Creed | do | D | 23d Illinois Veteran Volunteers. |
9 | James Connors | do | E | 43d New York Volunteers. |
10 | Daniel A. Dorsey | .... | H | 33d Ohio Volunteers. |
11 | Henry M. Fox | Sergeant | M | 5th Michigan Cavalry. |
12 | John Gray | .... | B | 5th Ohio Volunteers. |
13 | Isaac Gause | Corporal | E | 2d Ohio Cavalry. |
14 | Martin J. Hawkins | .... | A | 33d Ohio Volunteers. |
15 | John C. Hesse | Corporal | A | 8th U.S. Infantry. |
16 | Franklin Hogan | do | A | 45th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. |
17 | Edward R. Hanford | Private | H | 2d U.S. Cavalry. |
18 | Samuel Johnston | .... | G | 9th Pennsylvania Reserves |
19 | Willie Johnson | .... | D | 3d Vermont Volunteers. |
20 | William Knight | .... | E | 21st Ohio Volunteers. |
21 | Thomas Kelly | Private | .... | 6th New York Cavalry. |
22 | Frank Leslie | do | .... | 4th New York Cavalry. |
23 | George W. Lucas | do | C | 3d Missouri Cavalry. |
24 | Andrew J. Lorish | Commissary-sergeant | .... | 1st New York Dragoons. |
25 | Elihu H. Mason | Sergeant | K | 21st Ohio Volunteers. |
26 | Harry Joseph Mandy | First sergeant | .... | 4th New York Cavalry. |
27 | Patrick H. McEnroe | Sergeant | D | 6th New York Cavalry. |
28 | George E. Meach | Farrier | I | do |
29 | George G. Moore | Private | D | [11th] West Virginia Volunteer Infantry. |
30 | Thomas Murphy | Corporal | K | 158th New York Volunteers. |
31 | Jacob Parrott | .... | K | 33d Ohio Volunteers. |
32 | William Pittenger | Corporal | G | 2d Ohio Volunteers. |
33 | John R. Porter | Sergeant | G | 21st Ohio Volunteers. |
34 | William Henry Reddick | Corporal | B | 33d Ohio Volunteers. |
35 | Otis O. Roberts | Sergeant | H | 6th Maine Volunteers. |
36 | George W. Reed | Private | E | 9th New York Cavalry. |
37 | George Reynolds | do | M | 11th Pennsylvania Volunteers. |
38 | James Smith | .... | I | 2d Ohio Volunteers. |
39 | John Shilling | First sergeant | H | 3d Delaware Volunteers. |
40 | John Wollam | .... | C | 33d Ohio Volunteers. |
41 | Mark Wood | Corporal | C | 21st Ohio Volunteers. |
42 | John A. Wilson | .... | C | Do. |
43 | David H. Scofield | Quartermaster sergt. | .... | 5th New York Cavalry. |
44 | T. M. Wells | Chief bugler | .... | 6th New York Cavalry. |
45 | James Sweeney | Private | A | 1st Vermont Cavalry. |
46 | Fred. A. Lyon | Corporal | A | Do. |
47 | Ulric Crocker | Private | M | 6th Michigan Cavalry. |
48 | John Walsh | Corporal | D | 5th New York Cavalry. |
49 | Daniel P. Reigle | do | F | 87th Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers. |
50 | E. D. Woodbury | Sergeant | E | 1st Vermont Cavalry. |
51 | Ira Hough | Private | E | 8th Indiana Veteran Infantry. |
52 | Jeremiah Parks | do | A | 9th New York Cavalry. |
53 | James Cumpston | do | D | 91st Ohio Volunteers. |
54 | Richard Taylor | do | E | 18th Indiana Volunteers. |
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
October 17, 1864.
The war of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies; Series 3 - Volume 4, 1900, U.S. Government Printing Office
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