American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award on August 2, 1897 for his actions as a 1st lieutenant in Company K, 93rd New York Infantry of the Union Army on May 8, 1864 at Corbins Bridge, Virginia, during the Wilderness Campaign. Born of Scottish ancestry in North Argyle, New York, he studied to become a lawyer and was admitted to the bar in New York City, New York in November 1860. In early 1862, following the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted as a private in Company I of the 93rd New York Infantry and in April 1862 he saw action at the Siege of Yorktown during the Peninsula Campaign in Virginia. He was promoted to the rank of 2nd lieutenant and participated in the Battle of Yorktown, after which he was assigned to Washington DC to guard war supplies, after which he returned to Virginia and served in the Wilderness Campaign. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of brevet colonel. Following the war, he remained briefly in Washington DC and practiced law until 1866, when he relocated to Fort Wayne, Indiana and entered politics. From 1887 until 1889 he served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Indiana. He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 67. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Robert Stoddart Robertson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 8 May 1864, while serving with Company K, 93d New York Infantry, in action at Corbins Bridge, Virginia. While acting as aide-de-camp to a general officer, seeing a regiment break to the rear, First Lieutenant Robertson seized its colors, rode with them to the front in the face of the advancing enemy, and rallied the retreating regiment."
American Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He received the award on August 2, 1897 for his actions as a 1st lieutenant in Company K, 93rd New York Infantry of the Union Army on May 8, 1864 at Corbins Bridge, Virginia, during the Wilderness Campaign. Born of Scottish ancestry in North Argyle, New York, he studied to become a lawyer and was admitted to the bar in New York City, New York in November 1860. In early 1862, following the outbreak of the American Civil War, he enlisted as a private in Company I of the 93rd New York Infantry and in April 1862 he saw action at the Siege of Yorktown during the Peninsula Campaign in Virginia. He was promoted to the rank of 2nd lieutenant and participated in the Battle of Yorktown, after which he was assigned to Washington DC to guard war supplies, after which he returned to Virginia and served in the Wilderness Campaign. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of brevet colonel. Following the war, he remained briefly in Washington DC and practiced law until 1866, when he relocated to Fort Wayne, Indiana and entered politics. From 1887 until 1889 he served as the Republican lieutenant governor of Indiana. He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 67. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Robert Stoddart Robertson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 8 May 1864, while serving with Company K, 93d New York Infantry, in action at Corbins Bridge, Virginia. While acting as aide-de-camp to a general officer, seeing a regiment break to the rear, First Lieutenant Robertson seized its colors, rode with them to the front in the face of the advancing enemy, and rallied the retreating regiment."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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