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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Charles Cunningham

Corporal Charles Cunningham, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 25, 1876 at Little Big Horn River, Montana during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns June 25, 1876

Corporal Charles Cunningham was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 25, 1876 at Little Big Horn River, Montana during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Cunningham was about 31 years old.

22 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 5, 1878, 2 years after the action.

Cunningham was born in 1845 in Hudson, Columbia County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York.

Cunningham is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Declined to leave the line when wounded in the neck during heavy fire and fought bravely all next day.

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

Timeline

  1. 1845
    Born in Hudson, Columbia County, New York
  2. June 25, 1876
    Act of valor — Little Big Horn River, Montana
    Age about 31. Company B, 7th U.S. Cavalry
  3. October 5, 1878
    Medal of Honor presented

Also honored for actions on June 25, 1876

NB Neil Bancroft Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 AB Abram B. Brant Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 ✦ Thomas Joseph Callen Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 BC Benjamin C. Criswell Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 FD Frederick Deetline Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 George Geiger Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 RH Richard P. Hanley Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 DH David W. Harris Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 WH William H. Harris Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 HH Henry Holden Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 RH Rufus D. Hutchinson Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 HM Henry W.b Mechlin Blacksmith · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876

See all 23 recipients for June 25, 1876 →

Same unit

MH Marvin C. Hillock Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890 Charles Albert Varnum Captain · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890 JW James Ward Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

PG Peter W. Gardiner Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1875 JM John McHugh Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 WE William D. Edwards First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 JO John Francis O'Sullivan Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 PL Patrick Thomas Leonard Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 HH Henry J. Hyde Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872
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.