Other Acts of Bravery in 1862

The last posting listed the twenty sailors who received the Medal of Honor for acts of bravery in the trans-Mississippi in 1862; the following lists the ten members of the army who received the Medal of Honor for acts of heroism west of the Mississippi in 1862.

As a side note, tomorrow marks the first anniversary of this blog. When I started this blog I had some topics in mind to write about, but I really had no idea how long I could sustain the blog. There have been times over the past year when I have not known what to blog about next, but it has been just at those times that one of you have stepped forward and suggested a topic. So, thank you everyone for your support and your comments!

1) FOLLETT, JOSEPH L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company G, 1st Missouri Light Artillery. Place and date: At New Madrid, Mo., 3 March 1862; at Stone River, Tenn., 31 December 1862. Entered service at: St. Louis, Mo. Birth: Newark, N.J. Date of issue: 19 September 1890. Citation: At New Madrid, Mo., remained on duty though severely wounded. While procuring ammunition from the supply train at Stone River, Tenn., was captured, but made his escape, secured the ammunition, and in less than an hour from the time of his capture had the batteries supplied.

2) BLACK, WILLIAM P.

Rank and organization: Captain, Company K, 37th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Pea Ridge, Ark., 7 March 1862. Entered service at: Danville, Ill. Born: 11 November 1842, Woodford, Ky. Date of issue: 2 October 1893. Citation: Single-handedly confronted the enemy, firing a rifle at them and thus checking their advance within 100 yards of the lines.

3) CARR, EUGENE A.

Rank and organization: Colonel, 3d Illinois Cavalry. Place and date: At Pea Ridge, Ark., 7 March 1862. Entered service at: Hamburg, Erie County, N.Y. Born: 10 March 1830, Boston Corner, Erie County, N.Y. Date of issue: 16 January 1894. Citation: Directed the deployment of his command and held his ground, under a brisk fire of shot and shell in which he was several times wounded.

4) HERRON, FRANCIS J.

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 9th Iowa Infantry. Place and date: At Pea Ridge, Ark., 7 May [March] 1862. Entered service at: Pittsburgh, Pa. Born: 17 February 1837, Pittsburgh, Pa. Date of issue 26 September 1893. Citation: Was foremost in leading his men, rallying them to repeated acts of daring, until himself disabled and taken prisoner.

5) POWER, ALBERT

Rank and organization: Private, Company A, 3d Iowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Pea Ridge, Ark., 7 March 1862. Entered service at: Davis County, Iowa. Birth: Guernsey County, Ohio. Date of issue: 6 March 1899. Citation: Under a heavy fire and at great personal risk went to the aid of a dismounted comrade who was surrounded by the enemy, took him up on his own horse, and carried him to a place of safety.

6) PIKE, EDWARD M.

Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company A, 33d Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Cache River, Ark., 7 July 1862. Entered service at: Bloomington, Ill. Birth: Casce, Maine. Date of issue: 29 March 1899. Citation: While the troops were falling back before a superior force, this soldier, assisted by one companion, and while under severe fire at close range, saved a cannon from capture by the enemy.

7) INGALLS, LEWIS J.

Rank and organization: Private, Company K, 8th Vermont Infantry. Place and date: At Boutte Station, La., 4 September 1862. Entered service an Belvidere, Vt. Birth: Boston, Mass. Date of issue: 20 October 1899. Citation: A railroad train guarded by about 60 men on flat cars having been sidetracked by a misplaced switch into an ambuscade of guerrillas who were rapidly shooting down the unprotected guards, this soldier, under a severe fire in which he was wounded, ran to another switch and, opening it, enabled the train and the surviving guards to escape.

8) BLODGETT, WELIS H.

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, Company D, 37th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Newtonia, Mo., 30 September 1862. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 29 January 1839, Downers Grove, Ill. Date of issue: 15 February 1894. Citation: With a single orderly, captured an armed picket of 8 men and marched them in prisoners.

9) NOLAN, JOHN J.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company K, 8th New Hampshire Infantry. Place and date: At Georgia Landing, La., 27 October 1862. Entered service at: Nashua, N.H. Born: 24 June 1844, Ireland. Date of issue: 3 August 1897. Citation: Although prostrated by a cannon shot, refused to give up the flag which he was carrying as color bearer of his regiment and continued to carry it at the head of the regiment throughout the engagement.

10) BLACK, JOHN C.

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 37th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Prairie Grove, Ark., 7 December 1862. Entered service at: Danville, III. Born: 27 January 1839, Lexington, Holmes County, Miss. Date of issue: 31 October 1893. Citation: Gallantly charged the position of the enemy at the head of his regiment, after 2 other regiments had been repulsed and driven down the hill, and captured a battery; was severely wounded.