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Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Charles Pettit Heath Heyl

Second Lieutenant Charles Pettit Heath Heyl, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 28, 1876 at Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns April 28, 1876

Second Lieutenant Charles Pettit Heath Heyl, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 28, 1876 at Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with 23d U.S. Infantry. Heyl was 26 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 26, 1897, 21 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Colonel.

Heyl was born on July 22, 1849 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Camden, Camden County, New Jersey. Heyl died on October 12, 1926 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 77. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Heyl is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily, and with most conspicuous gallantry, charged with three men upon six Indians who were entrenched upon a hillside.

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

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →

Timeline

  1. July 22, 1849
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. April 28, 1876
    Act of valor — Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska
    Age 26. 23d U.S. Infantry
  3. October 26, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 12, 1926
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 77.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Charles Heath Heyl (July 22, 1849 – October 12, 1926) was a US Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Indian Wars. He was born in Philadelphia. Heyl was commissioned in the 23 Infantry Regiment in October 1873, and served as regimental adjutant from 1890 to 1891. During the Spanish–American War, he was promoted to major and assistant adjutant general in May 1898, and became an inspector general of volunteers in July. He was again promoted to lieutenant colonel in December 1899, and to colonel in July 1902. He retired in November 1904. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Order of the Indian Wars of the United States.

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

Also honored for actions on April 28, 1876

PL Patrick Thomas Leonard Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JL Jeptha L. Lytton Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876

Same unit

William Hampden Sage Captain · Army Philippine Insurrection · 1899

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New Jersey

Henry Remsen Tilton Major and Surgeon · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 JD John S. Donelly Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 TS Thomas Sullivan Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890
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.