In November 1861, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Townsend, adjutant general of the Army, sought to establish an award to motivate and inspire Northern soldiers in the aftermath of the early, morale-devastating defeats of the Civil War. The outcome of Townsend’s brainstorm was the Medal of Honor.
This reference book offers information about all recipients of the Civil War Medal of Honor, with details of their acts of heroism. The work then organizes recipients by a variety of criteria including branch of service; regiment or naval ship assignment; place of action; act of heroism; state or country of nativity; age of recipient; and date of issuance. Also included is information about the first winners of the medal, the first recipients of multiple medals, posthumously awarded medals and civilian recipients.

Robert P. Broadwater has written more than 35 books of military history and more than 100 magazine articles dealing with the American Civil War and the Revolutionary War. He lives in Bellwood, Pennsylvania.

Robert P. Broadwater
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 360
Bibliographic Info: 439 photos, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2012 [2007]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6906-2
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9174-2
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1
A Note on Sources      3
History of the Medal of Honor in the Civil War      4

The Recipients (with Descriptions of Their Actions)      7

Names by Branch of Service
U.S. Army      227
U.S. Marine Corps      235
U.S. Navy      235

Names by Regiment and by Naval Ship      239

Listing by Place of Action      259

Listing by Act of Heroism
Advancing the Colors      277
Capturing Artillery      278
Capturing Enemy Prisoners      278
Capturing an Enemy Flag      278
Capturing an Enemy Vessel      281
Carrying Water to Comrades      281
Delivering Messages Under Fire      281
Escaping from the Enemy      281
Fighting in the Big Shanty, Georgia, Raid      281
Killing a Confederate General      281
Killing the Murderer of Colonel Ellsworth      281
Pressing an Attack      281
Procuring Ammunition      282
Sacrificing One’s Safety to Save a Comrade      282
Saving Artillery from Capture      284
Saving the Command      284
Saving the Regimental Colors      284
Scouting the Enemy, or Behind Enemy Lines      284
Serving After Expiration of Enlistment      285
Showing Gallantry Under Fire      285

Listing by State or Country of Birth      289

Listing by Birth Year of Recipient      301

Listing by Year of Issuance      309

Appendices      321
A: First Six Winners of the Medal of Honor      321
B: Winners of More Than One Medal of Honor      322
C: Posthumously Awarded Medals of Honor      322
D: Civilian Recipients      322
E: Black Soldiers      323
Index      325

“valuable…recommended”—ARBA; “a serious reference work”—Blue & Gray Magazine.