The Battle of the Wilderness, was fought around Locust Grove, Virginia, on May 5 through May 7, 1864, during the Overland Campaign in the American Civil War. Nearly 30,000 soldiers, when combining counts for both sides, were killed, wounded, or captured. The battle marked Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's first appearance in a battle in the war's Eastern Theater.
Twenty Union Army enlisted men and three officers were awarded the Medal of Honor for acts of valor during the battle, which ended inconclusively when the Union army moved further south. All of the recipients were from the infantry, although cavalry were present. With one exception, all of the awards were for actions on the first two days of the battle. In two cases, extra action places were listed in addition to the Battle of the Wilderness.
Background
The Battle of the Wilderness was the first battle in Union Army Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign. The objective in this campaign was to eliminate Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It was fought in a dense woods known as "The Wilderness", located in Virginia's Orange and Spotsylvania counties—including the small community of Locust Grove.[1] Over 160,000 soldiers were engaged in the battle, and most of the fighting occurred on May 5 and May 6. Combined casualties were nearly 30,000. Although Grant withdrew from the battlefield (normally, defeated armies withdraw), he moved south where his infantry engaged Lee again at the Battle of Spotsylvania and his cavalry fought Confederate cavalry in the Battle of Todd's Tavern.[1][2]
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy of the United States.[3] A search for "Wilderness" under the National Park Service's Medal of Honor database returns 23 recipients, including two captains and a colonel.[4] Two soldiers have multiple places listed. In the case of Sergeant Abraham Cohn, actions at the Battle of the Wilderness and at the Siege of Petersburg are mentioned in his citation.[5] The citation for James Madison Cutts is for triple service.[6] It says "Gallantry in actions", and his Medal of Honor Action Place is Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Petersburg, Virginia.[7]
Recipients
| Image | Name | Rank | Unit | Date of action | Date of award | Notes and Citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Henry H. Bingham | Captain | 140th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | August 31, 1893 | Rallied and led into action a portion of the troops who had given way under the fierce assaults of the enemy.[8] |
 | Henri Le Fevre Brown | Sergeant | 72nd New York Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | June 23, 1896 | Voluntarily and under a heavy fire from the enemy, Brown three times crossed the field of battle with a load of ammunition in a blanket on his back, thus supplying the Federal forces, whose ammunition had nearly all been expended, and enabling them to hold their position until reinforcement arrived, when the enemy were driven from their position.[9] |
 | Abram J. Buckles | Sergeant | 19th Indiana Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | December 4, 1893 | Wounded while leading a charge.[10] Though suffering from an open wound, Buckles carried the regimental colors until again wounded.[11] |
— | Thomas Burk | Sergeant | 97th New York Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | August 24, 1896 | At the risk of his own life, Burk went back while the rebels were still firing and, finding Col. Wheelock unable to move, alone and unaided, carried him off the field of battle.[12] |
— | Abraham Cohn | Sergeant Major | 6th New Hampshire Infantry Regiment | July 30, 1864 | August 24, 1865 | During Battle of the Wilderness rallied and formed, under heavy fire, disorganized and fleeing troops of different regiments. At Petersburg, Virginia, 30 July 1864, bravely and coolly carried orders to the advanced line under severe fire.[5] Action date for Battle of the Wilderness is listed in the Official Record as May 6, 1864.[13] |
.png) | James M. Cutts[Note 1] | Captain | 11th Infantry Regiment (United States) | 1864 | May 2, 1891 | Gallantry in actions. (Wilderness campaign, Spotsylvania and Petersburg)[7] |
 | Patrick De Lacey | First Sergeant | 143rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | April 24, 1894 | Running ahead of the line, under a concentrated fire, he shot the color bearer of a Confederate regiment on the works, thus contributing to the success of the attack.[15] |
 | Edmund English | Sergeant | 2nd New Jersey Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | February 13, 1891 | Stopped his men from retreating.[16] During a rout and while under orders to retreat, seized the colors, rallied the men, and drove the enemy back.[17] |
— | James R. Evans | Private | 62nd New York Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | February 25, 1895 | Went out in front of the line under a fierce fire and, in the face of the rapidly advancing enemy, rescued the regimental flag with which the color bearer had fallen.[18] |
— | Peter Grace | Sergeant | 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | December 27, 1894 | Singlehandedly rescued a comrade from two Confederate guards, knocking down one and compelling the surrender of the other.[19] |
— | Henry Hill | Corporal | 50th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | September 23, 1897 | This soldier, with one companion, would not retire when his regiment fell back in confusion after an unsuccessful charge, but instead advanced and continued firing upon the enemy until the regiment re-formed and regained its position.[20] |
 | Leopold Karpeles | Sergeant | 57th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | April 30, 1870 | Stopped his men from retreating.[21] While color bearer, rallied the retreating troops and induced them to check the enemy's advance.[22] Official Record says "Gallantry in action...."[13] |
— | Joseph B. Kemp | First Sergeant | 5th Michigan Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | December 1, 1864 | Fought three Confederate soldiers while alone to capture their battle flag.[23] Capture of flag of 31st North Carolina (C.S.A.) in a personal encounter.[24] Listed for Medal of Honor in Official Record.[13] |
 | Cyrus B. Lower | Private | 13th Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment | May 7, 1864 | July 20, 1887 | Gallant services and soldierly qualities in voluntarily rejoining his command after having been wounded.[25] Listed in Official Record for Medal of Honor and wound described as received at the Wilderness, Virginia.[13] |
 | Charles E. Morse | Sergeant | 62nd New York Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | January 14, 1890 | Commanded company in absence of commissioned officer and shot in knee.[26] Voluntarily rushed back into the enemy's lines, took the colors from the color sergeant, who was mortally wounded, and, although himself wounded, carried them through the fight.[27] Official Record cites "Bravery in action".[28] |
— | John N. Opel | Private | 7th Indiana Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | December 1, 1864 | Capture of flag of 50th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.).[29] Official Record confirms capture of flag.[28] |
— | John H. Patterson | First Lieutenant | 11th Infantry Regiment (United States) | May 5, 1864 | July 23, 1897 | Under the heavy fire of the advancing enemy, picked up and carried several hundred yards to a place of safety a wounded officer of his regiment who was helpless and would otherwise have been burned in the forest.[30] The rescue was made near Saunders Field where fire, ignited by muzzle blasts, swept through the brush of the dry woods.[31][32] |
— | Carlos H. Rich | First Sergeant | 4th Vermont Infantry Regiment | May 5, 1864 | January 4, 1895 | Saved the life of an officer.[33] |
— | Stephen Rought | Sergeant | 141st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | December 1, 1864 | Capture of flag of the 13th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.).[34] Official Record confirms capture of flag.[28] |
 | Jacob E. Swap | Private | 83rd Pennsylvania Infantry | May 5, 1864 | November 19, 1897 | Joined in charge after being ordered to hospital. Wounded five times at Spotsylvania.[35] Although assigned to other duty, he voluntarily joined his regiment in a charge and fought with it until severely wounded.[36] |
— | William P. Thompson | Sergeant | 20th Indiana Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | December 1, 1864 | Capture of flag of 55th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.).[37] Official Record confirms capture of flag.[28] |
 | Benjamin F. Tracy | Colonel | 109th New York Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | June 21, 1895 | Seized the colors and led the regiment when other regiments had retired and then reformed his line and held it.[38] |
— | James M. Young | Private | 72nd New York Infantry Regiment | May 6, 1864 | April 2, 1898 | With two companions, voluntarily went forward in the forest to reconnoiter the enemy's position; was fired upon and one of his companions disabled. Pvt. Young took the wounded man upon his back and, under fire, carried him to within the Union lines.[39] |
Notes
- Footnotes
- Citations
- References