American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on August 9, 1894 for his actions as a private with company E, 127th Illinois Infantry, US Army, on May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He joined the Union Army in August 1862 On that day, General Ulysses S. Grant ordered an assault on the Confederate heights at Vicksburg, Mississippi. The plan called for a storming party of volunteers to build a bridge across a moat and plant scaling ladders against the enemy embankment in advance of the main attack . The volunteers came under enemy fire immediately and were pinned down in the ditch they were to cross. Despite repeated attacks by the main Union body, the volunteers were unable to retreat until nightfall. Of the 150 men in the storming party, nearly half were killed. He was one of the 79 survivors who were awarded the Medal of Honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party on 22 May 1863."
American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was issued the award on August 9, 1894 for his actions as a private with company E, 127th Illinois Infantry, US Army, on May 22, 1863, during the Siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi. He joined the Union Army in August 1862 On that day, General Ulysses S. Grant ordered an assault on the Confederate heights at Vicksburg, Mississippi. The plan called for a storming party of volunteers to build a bridge across a moat and plant scaling ladders against the enemy embankment in advance of the main attack . The volunteers came under enemy fire immediately and were pinned down in the ditch they were to cross. Despite repeated attacks by the main Union body, the volunteers were unable to retreat until nightfall. Of the 150 men in the storming party, nearly half were killed. He was one of the 79 survivors who were awarded the Medal of Honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party on 22 May 1863."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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