Irish Recipients of the Medal of Honor

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Irish Recipients of the Medal of Honor

This thread will attempt to record all the Irish-born recipients of the Medal of Honor. The posts will be made on the date the medal was earned or, where that is uncertain, on the date it was awarded. Surnames are spelt as recorded by the US Army.

Thomas Kerr

Moorefield, West Virginia

7th August 1864

Thomas Kerr was born in Coleraine, Co. Derry on 24th April 1843. He joined the US Army on 18th November 1861, fought through the Civil War as a Captain in Company C, 14th Pennsylvania Cavalry and resigned his commission 17th June 1865.

On August 7th 1864 he was in action at Moorfield, West Virginia where, although seriously wounded, he captured the colours of the 8th Virginia Cavalry. Strangely his medal was not awarded until 13th June 1894.

Kerr died on 14th November 1926 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Account of the Moorefield battle here

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moorefield

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Patrick Rogan

Big Hole, Montana.

9th August 1877

Patrick Rogan was born in Co. Leitrim in 1847 and immigrated to the United States during the American Civil War. Rogan enlisted in Company E of the 76th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment at the age of 18 on February 21st, 1865 as a substitute volunteer for a man named Calvin Wheeler. Wheeler had been drafted but the law allowed a draftee to pay a substitute to serve for him. Wheeler paid Rogan $625 to serve for one year in his stead. With the end of the war only months later Rogan was discharged in July 1865. However he rejoined the army within a year and served for 30 years with Company A of the 7th Infantry Regiment.

Rogan served with the 7th for three years in Florida until his unit was posted to Utah in 1869 and on to Montana in 1870. He served in various forts in Montana for seven years until June 1877 when his company along with Company I was sent to build a new fort called Fort Missoula.

Meanwhile in Idaho the Nez Perce War had broken out. In July word was received at Fort Missoula that a large party of Nez Perce Indians under Chief Joseph were coming over the Lo Lo trail into Montana escaping from General Oliver Howard’s pursuing army. Colonel John Gibbon commanding the Seventh Infantry at Fort Shaw, ordered four additional companies of the regiment to concentrate at Fort Missoula to intercept the Nez Perce Indians. By August 8th after several forced marches the Nez Perce were discovered camped in the Big Hole Valley of western Montana. Overnight Gibbons deployed his men on a hill overlooking the Indian encampment and at dawn they advanced in Skirmish line towards it. As they approached the village an early riser of the Nez Perce came upon the soldiers and was shot dead. The whites rushed the village firing into teepees and causing panic. The Nez Perce were quickly driven from the village but were rallied by their leaders, Chief Joseph, Looking Glass and White Bird and counter attacked. Company A with First Sgt Patrick Rogan had been engaged for twenty minutes at the southern end of the village, crossing the river along with two other companies. During the fighting they lost several men including the Company Commander, Captain Logan. After a brisk firefight the Nez Perce beagn to surround the soldiers in the burning village and Gibbons, himself wounded, ordered a withdrawal across the river back to their start line on the hill. During this retreat Lieutenant Charles Coolidge of Company A, was severely wounded when he was shot through both legs. He nearly drowned crossing the river but was carried to a place of safety by Patrick Rogan. It was for this action that Rogan was awarded his Medal of Honor.

Having reached their hill top the troops dug in and held on until the Nez Perce withdrew on the following evening. The Seventh lost 31 men killed and 39 wounded. Had the Indian warriors pressed their attacks rather than holding the soldiers there while the rest escaped, they would probably have wiped out Gibbons command.

Patrick Rogan received his MOH on 2nd December 1878 one of several awarded for the Battle of the Big Hole. Two of his brothers in law also won an MOH in the battle. Rogan served until his retirment in 1895. He had married Margaret McLennon during his time in Florida. Margaret was the daughter of An Irish-born Sergeant in the 7th Regiment who had been wounded at Gettysburg. Together they had twelve children all born in various forts about the American west. Two of their sons served in the Army during the Spanish-American War. Patrick died in Rock Springs, Wyoming on 27th December 1912.

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Thomas Kelly
Front Royal, Virginia.
16th August 1864

The Battle of Front Royal is also called the Battle of Guard’s Hill or the Battle of Cedarville. It was a short skirmish during Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign.
Maj-Gen Phil Sheridan (the son of immigrants from Cavan) assumed command of the Union forces in the Shenandoah Valley on August 7th 1864. Three days later his army advanced southward up the valley against Gen Jubal Early’s Confederate Forces. The outnumbered Confederates withdrew to a strong, natural defensive position at Fisher's Hill. The two armies then spent several days skirmishing. Early was reinforced by two divisions, one of Infantry and one of Cavalry, and an artillery battalion which reached Front Royal on the 14th. From here they threatened the Union Army’s rear and communications. Sheridan ordered Brig-Gen Wesley Merritt's cavalry division toward Front Royal. On the 15th, Merritt's pickets guarded the roads leading from Front Royal to the Union rear. Anderson responded to the presence of the Union cavalry by sending Brig-Gen William Wofford's infantry brigade and Brig-Gen Williams Wickham's cavalry brigade across the Shenandoah River to Guard Hill to cover the fording spots across the Shenandoah River.

On the afternoon of the 16th, Wickham charged the advance positions of Brig-Gen Thomas Devin's brigade at Cedarville. Devin counterattacked down the road with two regiments. A Confederate and a Union regiment crashed together in a sabre fight. The Confederates fell back until Wickham personally led a charge that blunted the Union drive until his troopers recrossed the river. Devin's cavalry had seized 2 flags and 139 prisoners and horses.

Wofford, meanwhile, held Guard Hill, coming under attack from Brig-Gen George Custer's brigade. Custer's 5th Michigan, armed with Spencer repeaters, shoved the Confederate infantry off the hill. Wofford's troops quickly streamed toward the river, where many of them drowned or were helplessly shot by the Union cavalry. While the Union army won the skirmish, the battle itself was indecisive. The presence of Confederate infantry, cavalry, and artillery at Front Royal forced Sheridan to order a withdrawal back down the Shenandoah valley.

Amongst the Union Cavalrymen was Pte Thomas Kelly of Company A, 6th New York Cavalry. Kelly was born in Ireland and he received the Medal of Honor on 26th August for the capture of a Confederate flag.

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Patrick Ginley

Reams Station, Virginia

25th August 1864

Patrick Ginley was born in Ireland on December 22nd 1822. In 1860 he was a Private in the 69th Regiment, New York National Guard. On the outbreak of the Civil War he volunteered for active service and was assigned to Company G, 1st New York Light Artillery. On 25 th August 1864 his unit was in action at Reams Station, Virginia.

In the summer of 1864 Gen Grant attempted to outflank Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and get in Lee’s rear at Petersburg in order to cut the Confederates off from their bases and supplies in the south. II Corps under Major General Winfield Hancock was advancing along the Weldon Railroad on that day when they were confronted by Confederate Major GeneralHenry Heth’s Division at Reams Station. During the fighting Ginley was a runner and was sent with a message back to Corps HQ. While he was gone the Confederates flanked the breastworks where the 1st New York was located. When Patrick returned in the company of a Col Walker they entered the breastworks unaware that they had been abandoned. Col Walker’s horse was shot underneath him and landed on Ginley who thought his leg was broken. It wasn’t and Ginley and another soldier crept for cover to an abandoned gun. The other guy was shot dead by the Confederates who were now advancing on the breastworks. Ginley pulled the lanyard of the gun and blew a hole in the Confederate ranks and then lit out for his own lines amid a hail of gunfire. When he reached the Union line, Ginley picked up a flag froma dead colour-bearer and led a charge on the abandoned positions which were recaptured.

Patrick Ginley didn’t receive his medal for 26 years. It was issued on 31st October 1890. He died in New York on April 5th 1917 and is buried at Calvary Cemetery, Queens.

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Agua Fria River and Seneca Mountain, Arizona

25th August 1869

I haven’t been able to find out anything about what happened at Agua Fria River or Seneca Mountain on this date. At the time the US Army was busy battling the Apache Indians led by Cochise in Arizona so I presume that the action was part of that campaign.

All the medals for this action were awarded on 3rd March 1870. It’s interesting to see that the majority of Irish MOH winners date from around the Civil War and Indian Wars indicating the high numbers of Irish immigrants in the army at the time. As time goeson the names are still Irish but the birhplaces are in the US.

Cornelius Donovan

Sergeant Donovan was a member of Company E, 8th U.S. Cavalry. His Medal of Honour Citation reads Gallantry in action. He was born in Co. Cork in 1839, joined the Army in New York and died in Washington DC on 20th July 1895. He is buried in the US Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery.

Frank Hamilton

Private Hamilton was born in Co. Tyrone in 1840. He was a member of Company E, 8th U.S. Cavalry and he won his Medal of Honour for Gallantry in action.

John Moran

John Moran is recorded by the US Army as having been born in Ireland. His Census records give his Date of Birth as January 1830 but his birthplace is recorded variously as Maine, Ireland and France depending on which records you are reading. On 25th August 1869 he was a Private in Company F, 8th U.S. Cavalry at Seneca Mountain, Arizona where he earned the MOH for Gallantry in action. He died in 1905 in Lidy Hot Springs, Idaho. His exact burial location is unknown but in 2010 a grave marker was placed in the cemetery where he is buried.

John Murphy

John Murphy was born in Ireland and was a Corporal in Company F, 8th U.S. Cavalry at Seneca Mountain, Arizona where he earned the MOH for Gallantry in action.

Phillip Murphy

Born in Kilkenny on November 1st 1844 and married Bridget Malone there 28th Sep 1864. He enlisted in Chicago. On 25th August 1869 he was a Corporal in Company F, 8th U.S. Cavalry at Seneca Mountain, Arizona where he earned the MOH for Gallantry in action. He died on 12th February 1923 and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, Walla Walla, Washington.

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Michael Thornton

At Sea near Boston, Massachusetts

26th August 1881

Michael Thornton was born in Ireland in 1856. Immigrating to the US he joined the Navy from Pennsylvania.

On 26th August 1881 he jumped into the sea from the tug USS Leyden to save a shipmate- Michael Drennan, from drowning. He was awarded a Medal of Honor on 18th October 1884.

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James Brown

Davidson Canyon, Arizona

27th August 1872

James Brown was born in Wexford in 1847. On 27th August 1872 he was a Sergeant in Company F, 5th U.S. Cavalry at Davidson Canyon near Camp Crittenden, Arizona.

A small group pf men under Lt. Reid T. Stewart left Camp Crittenden to travel to Tucson via Davidson Canyon despite warnings of frequent Apache ambushes there. In the group with Lt Stewart were Sgt James Brown, Cpl Joseph Black, four privates, two invalid soldiers and a civilian named Albert Banta. Stewart and Black riding together in a buckboard pulled ahead of the escort. When they entered Davidson Canyon they were ambushed by Chiricahua Apaches resulting in the death of Stewart and the wounding Black. When Brown and the escort arrived they saw Black tied to a burning tree being tortured. Brown ran to him, but 15 Apaches bore in on one side and 3 on the other, forcing the soldiers to abandon the attempt. Brown received the Medal of Honor on 4th December 1874 for attempting to rescue Black, securing Stewart's body, and driving the mail through to Tucson.

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Richard Heartery

Cibicu, Arizona

30th August 1881

On August 30th, 1881, a party of mounted Indians approached the 6th US Cavalry camp on the banks of Cibicu Creek in Arizona. Captain E. C. Hentig, seeking to avoid confrontation, urged the Indian party to go away, when one warrior opened fire. The cavalrymen were were on foot and were caught unprepared. Captain Hentig and his orderly fell in the first volley. Lieutenant William Carter began recovering the dead and wounded, dragging them back to the relative safety of the camp while Sergeant Alonzo Bowman led a small group of dismounted cavalrymen in a charge against more than 100 Indians. Involved in the fighting was Private Richard Heartery who was subsequently awarded a Medal of Honor for bravery in action.

Richard Heartery was born in Ireland in 1847. He joined the Army in San Francisco and his medal was issued on 20th July 1888. Heartery died on 7th June 1912 and is buried in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Cook County, Illinois.

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Patrick Irwin

Jonesboro, Georgia

1st September 1864

Patrick Irwin was born in Co. Clare in 1838. His parents immigrated to the United States and settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Irwin worked as a blacksmith until the outbreak of the Civil War when he enlisted in the 14th Michigan Infantry.

On 1st September 1864 he was First Sergeant, Company H, 14th Michigan Infantry at Jonesboro, Georgia. In a charge by the 14th against the entrenched enemy he was the first man over the line of works of the enemy, and demanded and received the surrender of Confederate Gen. Daniel Govan and his command. His medal wasn’t issued until 28th April 1896.

Patrick Irwin died on 6th February 1910 and is buried in St. Thomas' Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Michael Madden

Mason’s Island, Maryland

3rd September 1861

Private Michael Madden was in Company K, 42nd New York Infantry at Mason’s Island, Maryland on 3rd September 1861. During an engagement with Confederate forces he assisted a wounded comrade to the riverbank and, under heavy fire of the enemy, swam with him across a branch of the Potomac to the Union lines.

Madden was born in Co. Limerick on 28th September 1841. He entered service at New York and his medal was issued on 22nd March 1898. He died on 7th August 1920 and is buried in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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Cornelius Leahy

Porac, Luzon

3rd September 1899

Cornelius Leahy was also born in Limerick in June 1872. He joined the US Army in San Francisco, California and by 1899 was serving in the Philippines with Company A, 36th Infantry.

From the spring of 1898 until early the following year, most battles in the Philippine Islands were sporadic ambushes of small American patrols in the jungles, as the U.S. Army sought to root out the rebel forces of Emilio Aguinaldo. Private Cornelius Leahy was on a scout patrol in the jungles near Porac, Luzon, Philippine Islands, when his patrol was ambushed by a superior force of Filipino insurgents. Private Leahy was himself killed in action in the Philippines three months later.

On 3rd September 1899 near Porac on the island of Luzon he was on patrol when they were attacked by a group of Filipino rebels. One American soldier was killed and another seriously wounded; both lying exposed to enemy fire. Without regard for his own safety Leahy and a comrade, Corporal James Gillenwater, went to remove the body of their dead comrade and carry the wounded man to safety. For this action, both men were awarded the Medal of Honor.

Leahy was killed in action in the Philippines on 1st December 1900 and is buried in San Francisco. His medal was awarded posthumously on 3rd May 1902.

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Hugh King

Delaware River

7th September 1871

Hugh King earned his MOH when, as an Ordinary Seaman on board the USS Iroquois in the Delaware River¸ he jumped overboard at risk of his life and rescued one of his shipmate from drowning.

He was born in Ireland in 1845, joined the navy in New York and received his medal on 9th July 1872. His date of death and burial place are unknown.

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USS North Dakota

8th September 1910

Smoke from the fire billowing from the deck of USS North Dakota

The USS North Dakota suffered a fire from an oil tank explosion while at sea on 8th September 1910. While tests using oil as fuel were being conducted an explosion occurred killing three sailors and endangering the ship. In the engine room pieces of hot coal and coke floated in waist-high hot water, oil was aflame above one of the boilers and the entire room was filled with smoke, steam, and fumes. Despite these dangers six men of the ship's engineering department entered the engine room to haul the boiler fires and perform other tasks necessary to prevent a boiler explosion. After ensuring the safety of the ship, they then searched for and removed the bodies of the three sailors killed in the initial explosion. The six men, two of whom were Irish, received Medals of Honor for their actions on the day. The medals were issued on 4th October 1910

Patrick Reid

Patrick Reid held the rank of Chief Watertender. He was born in Dublin on 17th June 1875. His date of death and place of burial are unknown.

Thomas Stanton

Thomas Stanton was born on 11th August 1869 and joined the Navy in New York. At the time of his award he held the rank of Chief Machinist's Mate. Stanton died 7th May 1950 aged 80 and was buried at Saint Columba Catholic Cemetery, Middletown, Rhode Island.

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Upper Washita, Texas

9th-11th September 1874

On the morning of September 9th 1874, a supply train with a small escort, began a long trek in Texas to General Nelson Miles expedition force camped at Battle Creek. The supply train was attacked by a large Indian war party as it emerged from a canyon on the Upper Washita River. Though vastly outnumbered by several hundred Kiowa and Comanche warriors, the soldiers fought fiercely as the train continued onward in what became a daylong fight. Six soldiers were cited for "Gallantry in action" on the first day of the three-day running battle. Seven other soldiers were similarly cited for continuing acts of heroism over the three days of desperate struggle for survival, and the valiant efforts to reach General Miles with the supplies his 650-man force desperately needed. On the second day, though reinforced by a battalion from the Eighth Cavalry, the "Lyman Train" was subjected to continuous fire and two major attacks by waves of Indians numbering more than 400. During the day temperatures rose above 100 degrees and water began running out. Efforts to reach a watering hole met with immediate fire from Indian forces barricaded there. Firing continued on September 11th, when water finally ran out. Still surrounded, the Lyman Train held out for three more days until relief arrived on September 14th.

Thomas Kelly

Thomas Kelly was a Private in Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry. He was born in Mayo in June 1837. He was awarded the MOH for gallantry in action on 9th September. His medal was issued on 23rd April 1875. Kelly died 25th March 1919 and is buried in Lansing, Kansas.

John Mitchell

John Mitchell was born in Dublin in 1846. In September 1874 he was a First Sergeant, Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry. His MOH citation was for gallantry in engagement with Indians 9th to 11th September 1874. Date of issue 23rd April 1875. He died 1st May 1904 and is buried in San Francisco National Cemetery, California.

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James Allen

Battle of South Mountain

14th September 1862

South Mountain is the name given to the continuation of the Blue Ridge Mountains when they enter Maryland. The Battle of South Mountain was fought as part of the Maryland Campaign and was a covering action by part of Lee’s Army to cover the withdrawal of the rest through three mountain passes into Virginia and also to cover the rear of the army besieging Harper’s Ferry. It was sometimes referred to as the Battle of Boonesboro Gap.

For our purposes we can concentrate on the southernmost gap, Crampton’s Gap, where the 16th New York Infantry was deployed on the day as part of Franklin’s VI Corps. On the morning of the 14th Franklin slowly deployed his corps and marched across the Middletown Valley towards the Confederate positions entrenched on the sides and summit of South Mountain. Franklin’s troops reached Burkittsville around noon whereupon the Confederate artillery immediately opened fire on them. In Burkittsville, Franklin deployed his troops into three columns, a manoeuvre that took three hours to complete. At 3 pm Franklin resumed the advance and simply marched his men to the top of the hill. A 15 minute fight at the summit ended in heavy casualties for the Confederates, who retreated down into Pleasant Valley. They had however delayed Franklin sufficiently that he felt disinclined to attack the rear of the troops besieging Harper’s Ferry which surrendered the following day while Franklin’s Corps sat on its hands.

Back to James Allen who was a Private in Company F, 16th New York Infantry at Crampton’s Gap. Allen was born on the 6th May 1843. His MOH citation says that he single-handed and slightly wounded accosted a squad of 14 Confederate soldiers bearing the colors of the 16th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.). By an imaginary ruse he secured their surrender and kept them at bay when the regimental commander discovered him and rode away for assistance. His medal was issued on 11th September 1890. James Allen died on 31st August, 1913 in St. Paul, Minnesota where he is buried in Oakland Cemetery.

Read a more detailed account by Damian Shiels here
irishamericancivilwar.com/2011/12/19/medal-of-honor-private-james-allen-16th-new-york-infantry/