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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Charles F. Hopkins

Corporal Charles F. Hopkins, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 27, 1862 at Gaines' Mill, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 27, 1862

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Charles F. Hopkins received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 27, 1862 at Gaines' Mill, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company I, 1st New Jersey Infantry. Hopkins was 20 years old.

6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 9, 1892, 30 years after the action.

Hopkins was born on May 16, 1842 in Hope, Warren County, New Jersey. His Medal of Honor is credited to Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey. Hopkins died on February 14, 1934 in Boonton, New Jersey, at the age of 91. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Boonton, New Jersey.

Hopkins is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.

★ Wounded but Fought On

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily carried a wounded comrade, under heavy fire, to a place of safety; though twice wounded in the act, he continued in action until again severely wounded.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Voluntarily carried a wounded comrade, under heavy fire, to a place of safety; though twice wounded in the act, he continued in action until again severely wounded.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Hope — map
  • Died: Boonton Town — map
  • Buried: Greenwood Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →

Timeline

  1. May 16, 1842
    Born in Hope, Warren County, New Jersey
  2. June 27, 1862
    Act of valor — Gaines' Mill, Virginia
    Age 20. Company I, 1st New Jersey Infantry
  3. July 9, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. February 14, 1934
    Died in Boonton, New Jersey
    Age 91.
  5. Resting place
    Greenwood Cemetery
    Boonton, New Jersey

Biography

Charles Ferren Hopkins Sr. (May 16, 1842 – February 14, 1934) was the last surviving Union Civil War soldier in New Jersey that was a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He was elected in 1880 as Mayor of Boonton, New Jersey.

From the Wikipedia article “Charles Ferren Hopkins”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on June 27, 1862

Daniel Adams Butterfield Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1862 JK John Kaiser First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 John Henry Moffitt Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 George Dallas Sidman Private · Army Civil War · 1862 Ernest von Vegesack Major & Aide-de-Camp · Army Civil War · 1862 GW George C. Williams Quartermaster Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from New Jersey

WP William Porter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JD John Davis Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1862 EE Edmund English First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 WS William Joyce Sewell Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 Thomas Timothy Fallon Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Gabriel Grant Surgeon · 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.