Citations for MOH Recipients from the Civil War
 

Compared to the tomes written today these terse citations say very little but convey a lot in their silence. Here are a couple of examples.

[QUOTE]ADAMS, JOHN G. B.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, Company I, 19th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Fredericksburg, Va., 13 December 1862. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Groveland, Mass. Date of issue: 16 December 1896. Citation: Seized the 2 colors from the hands of a corporal and a lieutenant as they fell mortally wounded, and with a color in each hand advanced across the field to a point where the regiment was reformed on those colors.


BANKS, GEORGE L.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company C, 15th Indiana Infantry. Place and date: At Missionary Ridge, Tenn., 25 November 1863. Entered service at: Allen County, Ind. Birth: ------. Date of issue: 28 September 1897. Citation: As color bearer, led his regiment in the assault, and, though wounded, carried the nag forward to the enemy's works, where he was again wounded. In a brigade of 8 regiments this flag was the first planted on the parapet.

HOLLAND, LEMUEL F.
Rank and organization: Corporal, Company D, 104th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Elk River, Tenn., 2 July 1863. Entered service at: La Salle County, Ill. Birth. Burlington, Ohio. Date of issue: 30 October 1897. Citation: Voluntarily joined a small party that, under a heavy fire, captured a stockade and saved the bridge.

IRWIN, NICHOLAS
Rank and organization: Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1833, Denmark. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 45, 31 December 1864. Citation: On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee, in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Despite severe damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks from stem to stern, Irwin fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious battle which resulted in the surrender of the prize rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

LORD, WILLIAM
Rank and organization: Musician, Company C, 40th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Drurys Bluff, Va., 16 May 1864. Entered service at. Lawrence, Mass. Birth: England. Date �r issue. 4 April 1898. Citation: Went to the assistance of a wounded officer Iying helpless between the lines, and under fire from both sides removed him to a place of safety.
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[URL="https://history.army.mil/html/moh/civwaral.html"]Here's the link[/URL].