List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Second Battle of Petersburg

This is a complete list of Medal of Honor recipients for the Second Battle of Petersburg.

Medal of Honor

Main article: Medal of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government and is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "…conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States…" Due to the nature of this medal, it is commonly presented posthumously.

Seventeen men would receive the Medal of Honor for their actions in this battle.

Second Battle of Petersburg

The Second Battle of Petersburg, also known as the Assault on Petersburg, was fought June 15–18, 1864, at the beginning of the Richmond–Petersburg Campaign (popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg) in Petersburg, Virginia. Union forces under Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant attempted to capture Petersburg, Virginia, before Gen. Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia could reinforce the city.

The four days of the battle included repeated Union assaults against a substantially smaller Confederate force commanded by Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard. Beauregard's strong defensive positions and poorly coordinated actions by the Union generals made up for the disparity in the sizes of the armies. By June 18, the arrival of significant reinforcements from Lee's army made further assaults impractical. The failure of the Union to defeat the Confederates in these actions resulted in the start of the ten-month Siege of Petersburg.

During the battle as many as 38,000 Confederate forces under the command of Generals Robert E. Lee and P.G.T. Beauregard repelled a Union force of 62,000 led by Generals Ulysses S. Grant and George G. Meade. Casualties in the battle were high with 11,386 total Union casualties; 1,688 killed, 8,513 wounded and 1,185 missing or captured Confederate losses were lower with a approximately 4,000 casualties; 200 killed, 2,900 wounded and 900 missing or captured.

Name	Service	Rank	Date of action	Notes
Appleton, William H.William H. Appleton	Army	O-02First Lieutenant	000000001864-06-15-0000Jun 15, 1864	The first man of the Eighteenth Corps to enter the enemy's works at Petersburg, Virginia, 15 June 1864. Valiant service in a desperate assault at New Market Heights, Virginia, inspiring the Union troops by his example of steady courage. Also received from actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Virginia 000000001864-09-29-0000Sep 29, 1864
Brosnan, JohnJohn Brosnan	Army	E-05Sergeant	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Rescued a wounded comrade who lay exposed to the enemy's fire, receiving a severe wound in the effort.
Chandler, Henry F.Henry F. Chandler	Army	E-05Sergeant	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Though seriously wounded in a bayonet charge and directed to go to the rear he declined to do so, but remained with his regiment and helped to carry the breastworks.
Clark, James G.James G. Clark	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-18-0000Jun 18, 1864	Distinguished bravery in action; was severely wounded
Dickey, William D.William D. Dickey	Army	O-03Captain	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Refused to leave the field, remaining in command after being wounded by a piece of shell, and led his command in the assault on the enemy's works on the following day.
Gregg, Joseph O.Joseph O. Gregg	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-16-0000Jun 16, 1864	Received for actions near the Richmond & Petersburg Ry., Virginia. Voluntarily returned to the breastworks which his regiment had been forced to abandon to notify 3 missing companies that the regiment was falling back; found the enemy already in the works, refused a demand to surrender, returning to his command under a concentrated fire, several bullets passing through his hat and clothing.
Harbourne, John H.John H. Harbourne	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Capture of flag along with 3 enemy men.
Leonard, EdwinEdwin Leonard	Army	E-05Sergeant	000000001864-06-18-0000Jun 18, 1864	Voluntarily exposed himself to the fire of a Union brigade to stop their firing on the Union skirmish line.
Ludwig, CarlCarl Ludwig	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-18-0000Jun 18, 1864	As gunner of his piece, inflicted singly a great loss upon the enemy and distinguished himself in the removal of the piece while under a heavy fire.
Meyer, Henry C.Henry C. Meyer	Army	O-03Captain	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	During an assault and in the face of a heavy fire rendered heroic assistance to a wounded and helpless officer, thereby saving his life and in the performance of this gallant act sustained a severe wound.
Monaghan, PatrickPatrick Monaghan	Army	E-04Corporal	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Recapture of colors of 7th New York Heavy Artillery.
Plowman, George H.George H. Plowman	Army	E-05Sergeant Major	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Recaptured the colors of the 2d Pennsylvania Provisional Artillery.
Reid, RobertRobert Reid	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Capture of flag of 44th Tennessee Infantry (C.S.A.).
Rowe, Henry W.Henry W. Rowe	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	With 2 companions, he rushed and disarmed 27 enemy pickets, capturing a stand of flags.
Strausbaugh, Bernard A.Bernard A. Strausbaugh	Army	E-08First Sergeant	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Recaptured the colors of 2d Pennsylvania Provisional Artillery.
Wageman, John H.John H. Wageman	Army	E-01Private	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Remained with the command after being severely wounded until he had fired all the cartridges in his possession, when he had to be carried from the field.
Young, Benjamin F.Benjamin F. Young	Army	E-04Corporal	000000001864-06-17-0000Jun 17, 1864	Capture of flag of 35th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.)

Bibliography

• Bonekemper, Edward H., III. A Victor, Not a Butcher: Ulysses S. Grant's Overlooked Military Genius. Washington, DC: Regnery, 2004. ISBN 0-89526-062-X.
• Kennedy, Frances H., ed. The Civil War Battlefield Guide. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. ISBN 0-395-74012-6.
• Salmon, John S. The Official Virginia Civil War Battlefield Guide. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2001. ISBN 0-8117-2868-4.
• Trudeau, Noah Andre. The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864 – April 1865. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1991. ISBN 0-8071-1861-3.

External links

• "Medal of Honor recipients". Listing of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who received the Medal of Honor during World War II. United States Army Center of Military History. March 21, 2016. http://www.history.army.mil/moh/index.html. Retrieved April 22, 2017. 
  • "Medal of Honor recipients". Medal of Honor statistics. United States Army Center of Military History. July 16, 2007. http://www.history.army.mil//mohstats.htm. Retrieved April 22, 2017.