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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

Alfred L. Pearson

Colonel Alfred L. Pearson, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on March 29, 1865 at Lewis' Farm, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War March 29, 1865

Colonel Alfred L. Pearson, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on March 29, 1865 at Lewis' Farm, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 155th Pennsylvania Infantry. Pearson was 26 years old.

4 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 17, 1897, 32 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major General.

Pearson was born on December 28, 1838 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Pearson died on January 6, 1903 in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, at the age of 64. He is buried at Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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

Official Medal of Honor citation

Seeing a brigade forced back by the enemy, he seized his regimental color, called on his men to follow him, and advanced upon the enemy under a severe fire. The whole brigade took up the advance, the lost ground was regained, and the enemy was repulsed.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Pittsburgh — map
  • Died: Sewickley — map
  • Buried: Allegheny Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. December 28, 1838
    Born in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
  2. March 29, 1865
    Act of valor — Lewis' Farm, Virginia
    Age 26. 155th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. September 17, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 6, 1903
    Died in Sewickley, Pennsylvania
    Age 64.
  5. Resting place
    Allegheny Cemetery
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Biography

Alfred Lawrence Pearson (December 28, 1838 – January 6, 1903) was a lawyer and Union Army general in the American Civil War. He was awarded the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Lewis's Farm.

From the Wikipedia article “Alfred L. Pearson”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on March 29, 1865

CH Charles Higby Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JS Joseph E. Sova Saddler · Army Civil War · 1865 ET Edward Parsons Tobie Jr. Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1865 WW William H. Woodall Scout · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

HT Hampton Sidney Thomas Major · Army Civil War · 1865 FB Felix Brannigan Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JW Joseph White Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 IG Ignatz Gresser Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Francis Jay Herron Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 Robert Alexander Reid Private · Army Civil War · 1864
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.