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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Alexander H. Mitchell

First Lieutenant Alexander H. Mitchell, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 12, 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 12, 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Lieutenant Alexander H. Mitchell received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 12, 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 105th Pennsylvania Infantry. Mitchell was 23 years old.

34 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 27, 1890, 25 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Mitchell was born on November 13, 1840 in Perrysville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Hamilton, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Mitchell died on March 17, 1913, at the age of 72. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Mitchell is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag of 18th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.), in a personal encounter with the color bearer.

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

Places

  • Died: Harrisburg — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. November 13, 1840
    Born in Perrysville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
  2. May 12, 1864
    Act of valor — Spotsylvania, Virginia
    Age 23. Company A, 105th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. March 27, 1890
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 17, 1913
    Died
    Age 72.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Alexander H. Mitchell (November 13, 1840–March 7, 1913) was a United States military officer who fought with the Union army during the American Civil War as captain of Company A of the 105th Pennsylvania Infantry. Wounded multiple times in combat during the war, he was awarded the Kearny Cross for his distinguished service in the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863, and was then also awarded his nation’s highest award for valor, the U.S. Medal of Honor for his capture of a Confederate flag in hand-to-hand combat with the color-bearer of the 18th North Carolina Infantry during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 12, 1864.

From the Wikipedia article “Alexander H. Mitchell”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 12, 1864

FA Frederick Alber Private · Army Civil War · 1864 RA Robert Wesley Ammerman Private · Army Civil War · 1864 NB Nathaniel C. Barker Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 John P. Beech Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 FB Francis A. Bishop Private · Army Civil War · 1864 EB E. Michael Burk Private · Army Civil War · 1864 DC Dayton P. Clarke Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 CC Charles H. Clausen First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 CF Charles S. Fall Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Charles H. Fasnacht Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Archibald Freeman Private · Army Civil War · 1864 GH George W. Harris Private · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 35 recipients for May 12, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 CD Charles C. Davis Major · Army Civil War · 1863 WP William H. Paul Private · Army Civil War · 1862 RW Richard Willis Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 Jacob E. Swap Private · Army Civil War · 1864 DC Daniel G. Caldwell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865
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.