Golden Thread MOH recipients A-B

[Mike Serpa]

Daniel A. Butterfield - "Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland," 1901

U.S. Volunteers at Gaines Mill, Va., 27 June 1862. Medal issued 26 September 1892.

Citation:
Seized the colors of the 83d Pennsylvania Volunteers at a critical moment and, under a galling fire of the enemy, encouraged the depleted ranks to renewed exertion.

Wikipedia says he has the 1896 version of the medal which doesn't make sense if it was issued in 1892. The photo shows him wearing the earlier version.

1862- 1895 Army

1896-1903 Army

The Armed Forces History, Division of History of Technology, National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute shows of photo of hs medal and it's the 1896 version. Confusing to me.

https://amhistory.si.edu/militaryhistory/collection/object.asp?ID=420


(Putting James N. on the spot for uniform info.)

 

[Mike Serpa]

Frank G. Butterfield - "History of Vermonters and Sons of Vermont," 1894

6th Vermont Infantry at Salem Heights, Va., 4 May 1863. Medal issued 4 May 1891.

Citation:
Took command of the skirmish line and covered the movement of his regiment out of a precarious position.

 

[Viper21]

Outstanding @Mike Serpa !!

Forgive me if someone already mentioned this, I haven't read every page yet. Have you considered contacting the National Infantry Museum (Ft Benning, GA)..? Inside the museum they have a room dedicated to every MOH recipient. There are many photographs, & every citation can be read. It's a hair on the back of the neck raising, experience for sure.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Outstanding @Mike Serpa !!

Forgive me if someone already mentioned this, I haven't read every page yet. Have you considered contacting the National Infantry Museum (Ft Benning, GA)..? Inside the museum they have a room dedicated to every MOH recipient. There are many photographs, & every citation can be read. It's a hair on the back of the neck raising, experience for sure.

Thanks. No, I never thought of contacting the National Infantry Museum. (Maybe I should.) I've sent 2,000 MOH recipient photos to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and 600 Civil War MOH recipient photos to the Civil War Trust. The CWT posted the photos online and the CMOHS supposed to post them online.
The National Medal of Honor Museum has about 375 and posted them online. I hope to send more in the future.

Some links below. My favorite is the CWT. (Only because I got photo credit!)

Congressional Medal of Honor Society | Official Website

www.cmohs.org

Search Our Medal of Honor Database

Search for Civil War Medal of Honor recipients by name, unit, or location or use our interactive map to explore. The Medal of Honor is the United States'...

www.battlefields.org

About Us - The National Medal of Honor Museum

mohmuseum.org

Here's a USMC photo from 1967 -

 

[General Butler]

View attachment 304247
Adelbert Ames - LOC

Rank and Organization: First Lieutenant, 5th U.S. Artillery. Place and Date: At Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1861. Entered Service At: Rockland, Maine. Birth: East Thomaston, Maine. Date of Issue: June 22, 1894.

Citation:

Remained upon the field in command of a section of Griffin's Battery, directing its fire after being severely wounded and refusing to leave the field until too weak to sit upon the caisson where he had been placed by men of his command.

I wonder if his father in law Genl Ben Butler had anything to do with him receiving the medal before Butler died?

 

[Mike Serpa]

I wonder if his father in law Genl Ben Butler had anything to do with him receiving the medal before Butler died?

Butler in died in January 1893. Ames' MOH was issued in June 1894. I'm guessing Ames would have received his medal years earlier if Butler had something to do with it.

 

[General Butler]

Butler in died in January 1893. Ames' MOH was issued in June 1894. I'm guessing Ames would have received his medal years earlier if Butler had something to do with it.

Maybe...not sure how long it takes for the wheels of government to turn so that a past due award gets to the hero.

 

[Virginia Dave]

@Mike Serpa if you come across any Shockley's I would be very interested. Thanks

 

[Mike Serpa]

@Mike Serpa if you come across any Shockley's I would be very interested. Thanks

I'll send you a PM

 

[Mike Serpa]

Maybe...not sure how long it takes for the wheels of government to turn so that a past due award gets to the hero.

More than 500 MOHs for actions during the Civil War were issued in the 1890s. That's more than one-third of them. That's the way it was. The requirements weren't as strict back then.

It took 151 years for Alonzo Cushing to get his MOH.

 

[Mike Serpa]

I found several more photos since the last post.

Nathaniel C. Barker

11th New Hampshire Infantry at Spotsylvania, VA, May 12, 1864

Citation:
Six Color Bearers of the regiment having been killed, Sergeant Barker voluntarily took both flags of the regiment and carried them through the remainder of the battle.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Charles L. Barrell

102nd USCT near Camden, South Carolina, April 1865

Citation: Hazardous service in marching through the enemy's country to bring relief to his command.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Samuel N. Benjamin

2nd US Artillery from Bull Run to Spotsylvania

Citation: Particularly distinguished services as an artillery officer

 

[Mike Serpa]

Henry H. Bickford

8th New York Cavalry at Battle of Waynesboro, VA

Citation: Recapture of flag

 

[Mike Serpa]

Francis A. Bishop

57th Pennsylvania Inf at Battle of Spotsylvania, VA

Citation: Capture of flag

 

[Mike Serpa]

William R. Blackwood

48th Pennsylvania Artillery at Petersburg, VA

Citation: Removed severely wounded officers and soldiers from the field while under a heavy fire from the enemy, exposing himself beyond the call of duty, thus furnishing an example of most distinguished gallantry.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Andrew S. Bryant

46th Massachusetts Infantry at New Bern, NC, 1863

Citation: By his courage and judicious disposition of his guard of 16 men, stationed in a small earthwork at the head of the bridge, held in check and repulsed for a half hour a fierce attack of a strong force of the enemy, thus probably saving the city New Bern from capture

(This is the final post in MOH recipients A-B. I have more photos to add under MOH recipients C-D. I'll start those tomorrow.)

James N. and @captaindrew thanks for your support!

 

[captaindrew]

Always appreciate the work you put into these @Mike Serpa look forward to the next batch

 

[James N.]

Daniel A. Butterfield - "Reunion of the Society of the Army of the Cumberland," 1901

U.S. Volunteers at Gaines Mill, Va., 27 June 1862. Medal issued 26 September 1892...

(Putting James N. on the spot for uniform info.)

Sorry about the lag - I'd forgotten about it!

Of course since Butterfield is wearing the MOH the photo postdates the award. This is the official full-dress uniform for general officers per the Regulations of the 1880's before the Army converted to the more familiar 1902 Regulations which put everybody in kakhi except for full dress which remained blue. The double-breasted uniform coat is still the dark blue of the Civil War (but almost black by then) and unlike the uniforms of company grade (lieutenants and captains) or even field officers (colonels, lt. cols., and majors) it's still double-breasted. The dress epaulettes - even fuller than those previous - and sashes disappeared in the Regulations of 1872 for all officers except generals in full dress; though the sashes were still technically buff, they seem to have been of a distinctly yellow shade. Button groupings for general officers still helped determine their grade though it's hard to tell with all Butterfield's other medals (unknown to me, but I think at least a couple are likely those of veterans' organizations) and the sash.

 

[Mike Serpa]

View attachment 439135

Sorry about the lag - I'd forgotten about it!

Of course since Butterfield is wearing the MOH the photo postdates the award. This is the official full-dress uniform for general officers per the Regulations of the 1880's before the Army converted to the more familiar 1902 Regulations which put everybody in kakhi except for full dress which remained blue. The double-breasted uniform coat is still the dark blue of the Civil War (but almost black by then) and unlike the uniforms of company grade (lieutenants and captains) or even field officers (colonels, lt. cols., and majors) it's still double-breasted. The dress epaulettes - even fuller than those previous - and sashes disappeared in the Regulations of 1872 for all officers except generals in full dress; though the sashes were still technically buff, they seem to have been of a distinctly yellow shade. Button groupings for general officers still helped determine their grade though it's hard to tell what with all Butterfield's other medals (unknown to me, but I think at least a couple are likely those of veterans' organizations) and the sash.

Thanks. I always learn something from your comments.