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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Charles Alvin Orr

Private Charles Alvin Orr, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 27, 1864 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War October 27, 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private Charles Alvin Orr received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 27, 1864 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 187th New York Infantry. Orr was 16 years old.

15 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 1, 1898, 33 years after the action.

Orr was born on June 28, 1848 in Holland, Erie County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Bennington, Wyoming County, New York. Orr died on October 28, 1923 in Buffalo, New York, at the age of 75. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York.

Orr is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

This soldier and two others, voluntarily and under fire, rescued several wounded and helpless soldiers.

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

Timeline

  1. June 28, 1848
    Born in Holland, Erie County, New York
  2. October 27, 1864
    Act of valor — Hatcher's Run, Virginia
    Age 16. Company G, 187th New York Infantry
  3. April 1, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 28, 1923
    Died in Buffalo, New York
    Age 75.
  5. Resting place
    Forest Lawn Cemetery
    Buffalo, New York

Also honored for actions on October 27, 1864

SB Sylvester Bonnaffon Jr. First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 Jeremiah Z. Brown Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 LD Lorenzo Denning Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 AE Andrew Henry Embler Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Daniel Griffin George Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 RH Richard Hamilton Coal Heaver · Navy Civil War · 1864 Bernard Harley Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 EH Edward J. Houghton Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Robert Henry King Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 DM Daniel J. Murphy Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Alonzo Smith Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Joseph Sewall Smith Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 16 recipients for October 27, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

TB Thomas Bourne Seaman and Gun Captain · Navy Civil War · 1862 Martin Schubert Private · Army Civil War · 1862 CB Christopher C. Bruton Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 GB George H. Bell Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Civil War · 1861 RW Robert Williams Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 HW Henry S. Webster Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.