Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

Albert O'Connor

Sergeant Albert O'Connor, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 1, 1865 at Gravelly Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 1, 1865Born in Canada

Sergeant Albert O'Connor was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 1, 1865 at Gravelly Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 7th Wisconsin Infantry. O'Connor was 21 years old.

21 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 27, 1917, 51 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.

O'Connor was born on July 15, 1843 in Herford, Canada — one of 60 recipients born in Canada. His Medal of Honor is credited to Lodi, Columbia County, Wisconsin. O'Connor died on April 3, 1928, at the age of 84. He is buried at Soldier's Home Cemetery in Orting, Washington.

O'Connor is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 50 credited to Wisconsin.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On 31 March 1865, with a comrade, recaptured a Union officer from a detachment of nine Confederates, capturing three of the detachment and dispersing the remainder, and on 1 April 1865, seized a stand of Confederate colors, killing a Confederate officer in a hand-to-hand contest over the colors and retaining the colors until surrounded by Confederates and compelled to relinquish them.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Canada — map
  • Died: Orting — map
  • Buried: Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Wisconsin →

Timeline

  1. July 15, 1843
    Born in Herford, Canada
  2. April 1, 1865
    Act of valor — Gravelly Run, Virginia
    Age 21. Company A, 7th Wisconsin Infantry
  3. February 27, 1917
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 3, 1928
    Died
    Age 84.
  5. Resting place
    Soldier's Home Cemetery
    Orting, Washington

Biography

Albert O'Connor (July 15, 1843 – April 3, 1928) served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor. O'Connor was born on July 15, 1843, in East Hereford, Canada East. His official residence was listed as Lodi, Wisconsin. He joined the US Army from West Point, Wisconsin, in June 1861, and mustered out in July 1865. He died in Orting, Washington, and was buried in Washington Soldiers Home Cemetery.

From the Wikipedia article “Albert O'Connor”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 1, 1865

William Henry harrison Benyaurd First Lieutenant, Engineers · Army Civil War · 1865 Wilmon Whilldin Blackmar Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Henry G. Bonebrake First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 HD Hiram Adolphus Delavie Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 DE David Edwards Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AE Adelbert Everson Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Albert E. Fernald First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 Eugene W. Ferris First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1865 Charles N. Gardner Private · Army Civil War · 1865 James G. Grindlay Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 AK August Kauss Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Jacob Koogle First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 22 recipients for April 1, 1865 →

Same unit

HE Horace Ellis Private · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Wisconsin

DM Dennis J. f Murphy Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Arthur MacArthur Jr. First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1863 William H. Sickles Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 DM Daniel B. Moore Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 PA Peter T. Anderson Private · Army Civil War · 1865 John Johnson Private · Army Civil War · 1862
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.