The Congressional Medal of Honor was established by law for the army on July 12, 1862. It was originally intended for the period of the "insurrection" but was made permenant in 1863. The first recipients were a number of men who were members of the "Andrew's Raiders." I was able to dig a little deeper into the O.R. last night and find the order that generated what I discussed in my last post. This is a unit award and not the Congressional Medal of Honor. Although the term "medal of honor" is used it is not to be confused with the Congressional Medal of Honor that is presented by the President on behalf of the U.S. Congress. More detail on the Congressional Medal of Honor can also be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor
O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME LII/1 [S# 109]
Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Southwestern Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, West Florida, And Northern Georgia, From January 1, 1861, To June 30, 1865.--#14
Page 456.
GENERAL ORDERS No. 30.
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Vicksburg, Miss., October 2, 1863.
I. In order to encourage and reward the meritorious and faithful officers and men of this corps a medal of honor, with appropriate device, has been prepared and will be presented by a board of honor, of which the major-general commanding is the advisory member, ¢o all those who, by their gallantry in action and other soldier-like qualities, have most distinguished themselves or who may hereafter most distinguish themselves during the war.
O.R.--SERIES I--VOLUME LII/1 [S# 109]
Page 541.
GENERAL ORDERS No. 13.
Respectfully,
Gerald D. Hodge, Jr.
II. The following officers will constitute the board of honor hereby appointed: Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, commanding Third Division; Brig. Gen. John McArthur, commanding First Division; Brig. Gen. John E. Smith, commanding Second Division; Brig. Gen. M. M. Crocker, commanding Fourth Division; Brig. Gen. T. E.G. Ransom, commanding Second Brigade, First Division; Brig. Gen. M. F. Force, commanding Second Brigade, Third Division; Brig. Gen. W. Q. Gresham, commanding Third Brigade, Fourth Division; Brig. Gen. Alexander Chambers, commanding Third Brigade, First Division; Col. Gabriel Bouck, Eighteenth Wisconsin Infantry; Lieut. Col. A. M. Powell, chief of artillery.
III. Company commanders will forward to the commanding officer of their regiment a list of the names of the non-commissioned officers and men of their command whom they deem entitled to receive the medal, accompanied by a full and complete statement of facts to guide the board in their award. These lists will be revised by the regimental commander, who will forward them, with his remarks, to the commanding officer of the brigade.
IV. Regimental commanders will send similar lists of those officers of their command whom they believe entitled to the medal to the brigade commander, who, after revising the whole, will send them direct to the president of the board.
V. The board of honor will be convened upon the order of the president at such times and places as he may direct, and they are empowered to make all needful rules and regulations for the attainment of the
By order of Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson:
W. T. CLARK,
[30.] Assistant Adjutant-General.
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Union Correspondence, Orders, And Returns Relating To Operations In Southwestern Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, West Florida, And Northern Georgia, From January 1, 1861, To June 30, 1865.--#17
HDQRS. SEVENTEENTH ARMY CORPS,
DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Vicksburg, Miss., April 4, 1864.
The following awards of medals, by the board of honor, convened in accordance with General Orders, No. 30, series 1863, from these headquarters, have been made and are now published for the information of the command:
Sergt. Asel Childs, Company --, Fourteenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Herman Runge, D Company, Fourteenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Corpl. Moses Wynn, H Company, Fourteenth Wisconsin Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Shiloh, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Corpl. Adin Gibson, H Company, Fourteenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Shiloh, Vicksburg."
Private George W. Miller, E Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. William Andrews, E Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Daniel B. Cornell, G Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Vicksburg."
Private Eli Brainard, G Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Vicksburg."
Private John Q. Adams, H Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Corpl. Bishop B. Pettibone, I Company, Ninety-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Private Nicholas Kennedy, C Company, Seventeenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Corinth, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Duff G. Brunson, F Company, Seventeenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Siege of Corinth, Vicksburg."
Corpl. Thomas Healey, F Company, Seventeenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Siege of Corinth, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Private John Kitson, K Company, Seventeenth Regiment Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Corinth, Vicksburg."
Private William A. Green, E Company, Eighth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Corpl. Jesse W. Evans, G Company, Seventeenth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Guy L. McMickle, H Company, Thirtieth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of gold, inscribed, "Belmont, Fort Donelson, Britton's Lane, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. S. F. Crisler, C Company, Thirtieth Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Siege of Corinth, Britton's Lane, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Corpl. John Wilson, C Company, Thirtieth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Siege of Corinth, Britton's Lane, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Private Silas Taggart, C Company, Thirtieth Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Siege of Corinth, Britton's Lane, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Capt. Lyman N. Ayers, Twentieth Regiment Ohio Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Jackson (July 12), Jackson (May 14), Vicksburg."
Capt. Harrison Wilson, Twentieth Regiment Ohio Infantry Volunteers, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. John Rinehart, B Company, Twentieth Regiment Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Iuka, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Private John Alexander, D Company, Twentieth Regiment Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. David Robbins, F Company, Twentieth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Raymond, Vicksburg."
Private Mathias Elliott, F Company, Twentieth Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Raymond, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Maj. William H. Struthers, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg?
Private Aaron P. Gilbert, A Company, Fifth Iowa Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "New Madrid, Island No. 10, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Private Richard M. Springer, K Company, Twentieth Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fredericktown, Mo., Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Britton's Lane, Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Siege of Vicksburg"
Sergt. Martin Mohrle, E Company, Twentieth Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fredericktown, Mo., Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Britton's Lane, Port Gibson, Raymond, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Capt. J. Henry Smith, A Company, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Shiloh, Iuka, Corinth, Vicksburg."
Second Lieut. Samuel Duffin, K Company, Sixteenth Iowa Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Iuka, Corinth, Vicksburg."
First Lieut. Henry Oderfield, E Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg."
First Lieut. William Rhode, adjutant, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry Volunteers, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Stuben Johan, A Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Grand Gulf. Chickasaw Bayou, Port Gibson, Vicksburg."
Private David Orbansky, B Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Arkansas Post, Chickasaw Bayou, Grand Gulf, Port Gibson, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Fredrick Mueller, C Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed. "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Phillip Froebe, D Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg."
Private Guckert Frank, G Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg."
Sergt. Benoni B. Blosser, K Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Chickasaw Bayou, Grand Gulf, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Vicksburg."
First Sergt. David Jenkins, K Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Grand Gulf, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Vicksburg."
Corpl. James A. Brown, K Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh. Chickasaw Bayou, Vicksburg."
Private Thomas Disbennett, K Company, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Chickasaw Bayou, Arkansas Post, Grand Gulf. Port Gibson. Vicksburg."
Capt. William B. Holbrook, E Company, Seventy-second Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
First Lieut. Charles D. Beegle, G Company, Seventy-second Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Sergt. William Dawson, K Company, Seventy-second Illinois Infantry, medal of silver, inscribed, "Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Lieut. Col. William T. Clark, assistant adjutant general and chief of staff, Seventeenth Army Corps, medal of gold, inscribed, "Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Surg. J. H. Boucher, medical director, Seventeenth Army Corps, medal of gold, inscribed, "Efficiency in the Medical Department."
Capt. A. Hickenlooper, chief engineer, Seventeenth Army Corps, medal of gold, inscribed, "Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Lieut. Col. A. M. Powell, chief of artillery, Seventeenth Army Corps, medal of gold, inscribed, "New Madrid, Island 10, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Lieut. Col. J. C. Cox, chief commissary of subsistence, Seventeenth Army Corps, medal of gold, inscribed, "Efficiency in the Commissary Department."
Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson (presented by board of honor), medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Surg. Edwin Powell, Seventy-second Regiment Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Efficiency in Medical Department."
Lieut. Col. L. D. Waddell, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Vicksburg."
Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, medal of gold, inscribed, "Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Siege of Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Brig. Gen. John E. Smith, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, and Missionary Ridge."
Brig. Gen. M. D. Leggett, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Vicksburg."
Brig. Gen. C. L. Matthies, medal of gold, inscribed, "Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge."
Brig. Gen. E. S. Dennis, medal of gold, inscribed, "Britton's Lane, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Brig. Gen. John McArthur, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Corinth, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg, Jackson."
Brig. Gen. T. E. G. Ransom, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Brig. Gen. M. M. Crocker, medal of gold, inscribed, "Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Corinth, Iuka, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
Brig. Gen. M. F. Force, medal of gold, inscribed, "Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Iuka, Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson, Champion's Hill, Vicksburg."
The general commanding is requested by the board to state that a large number of medals intended for the several divisions of this corps yet remain to be distributed, upon the recommendation of commanding officers, who are hereby directed to forward to the board the names of officers and men whom they deem entitled to wear this badge of distinction for "gallantry in action and other soldierly qualities."
By order of Maj. Gen. James B. McPherson:
W. T. CLARK,
[32.] Assistant Adjutant-General.
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M.A. Military History - Civil War Concentration
War Between the States Historian
Historian: 39th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment