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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Charles Mortimer Rockefeller

Lieutenant Charles Mortimer Rockefeller, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 9, 1865

Lieutenant Charles Mortimer Rockefeller, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 178th New York Infantry. Rockefeller was 20 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 2, 1897, 32 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major.

Rockefeller was born on September 18, 1844 in Gallatin, Columbia County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Rockefeller died on April 28, 1899 in Manila (declared dead), Luzon, Philippine Islands, at the age of 54.

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

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily and alone, under a heavy fire, obtained valuable information which a reconnoitering party of 25 men had previously attempted and failed to obtain, suffering severe loss in the attempt. The information obtained by him was made the basis of the orders for the assault that followed. He also advanced with a few followers, under the fire of both sides, and captured 300 of the enemy who would otherwise have escaped.

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

Places

  • Born: Gallatin — map
  • Died: Philippines — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. September 18, 1844
    Born in Gallatin, Columbia County, New York
  2. April 9, 1865
    Act of valor — Fort Blakely, Alabama
    Age 20. Company A, 178th New York Infantry
  3. August 2, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 28, 1899
    Died in Manila (declared dead), Luzon, Philippine Islands
    Age 54.

Biography

Charles Mortimer Rockefeller (1844–1899) was an officer in the United States Army, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for service at the final major battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Fort Blakeley, in Alabama (April 9, 1865). He was not closely related to the famous Rockefeller family.

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

Also honored for actions on April 9, 1865

JC John H. Callahan Private · Army Civil War · 1865 James Lemuel Carey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JD John P. Donaldson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry S. Finkenbiner Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WF West Funk Major · Army Civil War · 1865 SM Samuel McConnell Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry Clay Merriam Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 HM Henry August Miller Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 DM Daniel B. Moore Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 WM William H. Myers Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HN Henry Clay Nichols Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 TP Thomas H. l Payne First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 19 recipients for April 9, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

LA Lester Archer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ GG George Edward Gouraud Captain & Aide-de-Camp · Army Civil War · 1864 JH John H. Haight Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 HH Harry Harvey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 WW William Wells Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 TC Thomas Cullen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863
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.