Congressional Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the United States of America’s highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. The medal is normally awarded by the President of the United States in the name of the U.S. Congress. Because the medal is presented “in the name of Congress”, it is often referred to informally as the “Congressional Medal of Honor“. However, the official name of the current award is “Medal of Honor.” Within the United States Code the medal is referred to as the “Medal of Honor”, and less frequently as “Congressional Medal of Honor”. U.S. awards, including the Medal of Honor, do not have post-nominal titles, and while there is no official abbreviation, the most common abbreviations are “MOH” and “MH”.
There are three versions of the medal, one each for the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Personnel of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard receive the Navy version. The Medal of Honor was introduced for the Navy in 1861, soon followed by an Army version in 1862. The Medal of Honor is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration of the United States armed forces.
A “Congressional Medal of Honor” (CMOH) has been awarded to two men that were from Dansville, NY.
The Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to Union Navy Landsman Amos Bradley on April 3, 1863. Selection for this CMOH was for his bravery as described in the 11 General Orders of a Sentry, where no. 11 reads:
11. To be especially watchful at night, and, during the time for challenging, to challenge all persons on or near my post and to allow no one to pass without proper authority.
His citation reads “Served on board the USS Varuna in one of the most responsible positions, during the attacks on Forts Jackson and St. Philip, and while in action against the rebel ship Morgan 24 April 1862. Although guns were raking the decks from behind him, Bradley remained steadfast at the wheel throughout the thickest of the fight, continuing at his station and rendering service with the greatest courage until his ship, repeatedly holed and twice rammed by the rebel ship Morgan, was beached and sunk.”
Amos Bradley born in Dansville, NY, Livingston Co. was the grandson of Amos Bradley who operated paper mills with his sons in Dansville (1824-1844+). His father was Chester Bradley who was President (Mayor) of Dansville in 1846 and was one of the original trustees of the Dansville Cemetery Association.
See Amos Bradley Congressional Medal of Honor HERE
Burial Information
July 1-3 saw the war come to within 200 miles of Dansville, to a small Pennsylvania town where cavalryman Oscar Woodruff had spent an uneventful New Years Day back in 1862. 27 men of the 136th were killed or mortally wounded at Gettysburg, a battle in which a 21-year-old native of Geneva (and, years later, resident of Comminsville), Private Jerry Wall of New York’s 126th Infantry, ran into a Confederate camp and captured an enemy flag, a deed that earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor (although, by all accounts, he would have preferred to keep the flag). from Dansville turn’s 200 by David Gilbert
Many years later while he was living in Commonsville (also spelled Cumminsville), Mr. Wall’s occupation was a listed as being a miller in 1902.
See Jerry C. Well Congressional Medal of Honor HERE
Burial Information
