Major General Adolphus Washington Greely was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 26, 1861 — a peacetime act of courage recognized in the Interim 1920 - 1940 period. Greely was 17 years old.
The medal was presented on March 27, 1935, 73 years after the action — by Secretary of War George Dern at the Greely home in Georgetown, D.C.
Greely was born on March 27, 1844 in Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts. His Medal of Honor is credited to Louisiana. Greely died on October 20, 1935 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 91. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. His medal is held by National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For his life of splendid public service, begun on 27 March 1844, having enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army on 26 July 1861, and by successive promotions was commissioned as major general 10 February 1906, and retired by operation of the law on his 64th birthday.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Adolphus Washington Greely received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: writer, explorer, botanical collector, polar explorer
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Louisiana →
Timeline
- March 27, 1844Born in Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts
- July 26, 1861Act of valorAge 17.
- March 27, 1935Medal of Honor presentedBy Secretary of War George Dern at the Greely home in Georgetown, D.C.
- October 20, 1935Died in Washington, District of ColumbiaAge 91.
- Resting placeArlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia
Biography
Adolphus Washington Greely (March 27, 1844 – October 20, 1935) was a United States Army officer and polar explorer. He attained the rank of major general and was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. A native of Newburyport, Massachusetts, and an 1860 graduate of Brown High School (now Newburyport High School), in 1861 he enlisted in the Union Army for the American Civil War. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in 1863 and was promoted to first lieutenant in 1864 and captain in 1865. At the end of the war he received a brevet promotion to major in recognition of his wartime accomplishments. After the war, Greely accepted a second lieutenant's commission in the regular army.
From the Wikipedia article “Adolphus Greely”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- Fort Greely — census-designated place in the United States
