On November 15, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed Public Law 101-564 establishing March 25th as Medal of Honor Day. The first public recognition of this day was the following year on March 25th. On this Medal of Honor Day 2016, I pay tribute to the four chaplains who were recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor for their service during the United States Civil War
Francis Bloodgood Hall
Chaplain – 16th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Presbyterian
b. 16 November 1827 New York, New York
d. 4 October 1903 Plattsburg, New York
Grave – Riverside Cemetery
Awarded the CMOH on 16 February 1897
Battle of Salem Church as part of the Chancellorsville Campaign, May 3, 1863
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Chaplain Francis Bloodgood Hall, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 3 May 1863, while serving with 16th New York Infantry, in action at Salem Heights, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Chaplain Hall voluntarily exposed himself to a heavy fire during the thickest of the fight and carried wounded men to the rear for treatment and attendance
Milton Lorenzo Haney – “The Fighting Chaplain”
Chaplain – 55th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Methodist
b. 23 January 1825 Savanah, Ohio
d. 20 January 1922, California
Grave – Mountain View Cemetery
Awarded the CMOH on 3 November 1896
Battle of Atlanta, Georgia July 22, 1864
Citation: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Regimental Chaplain Milton Lorenzo Haney, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 22 July 1864, while serving with 55th Illinois Infantry, in action at Atlanta, Georgia. Chaplain Haney voluntarily carried a musket in the ranks of his regiment and rendered heroic service in retaking the Federal works which had been captured by the enemy.
John Milton Whitehead
Chaplain – 15th Regiment Indiana Infantry
Baptist
b. 6 March 1823 Wayne County Indiana
d. 8 March 1909 Topeka, Kansas
Grave – Topeka Cemetery
Awarded the CMOH on 4 April 1898
Battle of Stones River, Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Chaplain John Milton Whitehead, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 31 December 1862, while serving with 15th Indiana Infantry, in action at Stone River, Tennessee. Chaplain Whitehead went to the front during a desperate contest and unaided carried to the rear several wounded and helpless soldiers.
James Hill
Chaplain – 21st Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Baptist
b. 6 December 1822 England
d. 22 September 1899 Cascade, Iowa
Grave – Cascade Community Cemetery
Awarded the CMOH on 15 March 1893
Battle of Champion Hill, Mississippi Vicksburg Campaign
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant (Chaplain) James Hill, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 16 May 1863, while serving with Company I, 21st Iowa Infantry, in action at Champion Hill (Baker’s Creek), Mississippi. By skillful and brave management First Lieutenant Hill captured three of the enemy’s pickets.
An additional five chaplains have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor:
Joseph Timothy O’Callahan, World War II
Emil J. Kapaun, Korea
Angelo J. Liteky, Vietnam
Charles Joseph Watters, Vietnam
Vincent Robert Capodanno, Vietnam
