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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Charles M. Thatcher

Private Charles M. Thatcher, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 30, 1864 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 30, 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private Charles M. Thatcher received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 30, 1864 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters. Thatcher was about 20 years old.

21 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 31, 1896, 32 years after the action.

Thatcher was born in 1844 in Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan. Thatcher died on December 13, 1900, at the age of about 56. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Kalkaska, Michigan.

Thatcher is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Instead of retreating or surrendering when the works were captured, regardless of his personal safety, continued to return the enemy's fire until he was captured.

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

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of the Crater

Result: Confederate victory

5 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Coldwater — map
  • Buried: Evergreen Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. 1844
    Born in Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan
  2. July 30, 1864
    Act of valor — Petersburg, Virginia
    Age about 20. Company B, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters
  3. July 31, 1896
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 13, 1900
    Died
    Age about 56.
  5. Resting place
    Evergreen Cemetery
    Kalkaska, Michigan

Biography

Charles M. Thatcher (July 25, 1847 – December 13, 1900) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Thatcher received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Thatcher's medal was won for his heroism in the Battle of the Crater in Virginia on July 30, 1864. He was honored with the award on July 31, 1896. Thatcher was born in Coldwater, Michigan, and entered service On December, 1862, at Grand Haven, he enlisted giving his age as 18. His actual age was 15 years 4 months 12 days. He was buried in Kalkaska, Michigan.

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

Also honored for actions on July 30, 1864

Delavan Bates Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 Isaac Swartwood Catlin Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 AC Abraham Cohn Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1864 AD Andrew Davidson First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 CD Charles H. Depuy First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 RD Robert Fulton Dodd Private · Army Civil War · 1864 DD Decatur Dorsey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Nathaniel Mcclean Gwynne Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Sidney Haight Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 JH James Samuel Hill Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ FH Franklin Hogan Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 CH Conrad Homan Color Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 22 recipients for July 30, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Michigan

Patrick Irwin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 William Rufus Shafter First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 BM Benjamin Morse Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WW William Henry Ward Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 GC George Washington Clute Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 CB Charles L. Barrell First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865
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.