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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Sergeant · U.S. Army

Charles Taylor

First Sergeant Charles Taylor, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 17, 1882 in Big Dry Wash, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns July 17, 1882

First Sergeant Charles Taylor was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 17, 1882 in Big Dry Wash, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company7 D, 3d U.S. Cavalry. Taylor was about 42 years old.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 16, 1882.

Taylor was born in 1840 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. His Medal of Honor is credited to St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. Taylor died on August 3, 1899 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of about 59. He is buried at Soldier's Home National Cemetery in Washington, District of Columbia.

Taylor is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 78 credited to Missouri.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in action.

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

Battles and campaigns

1882 · Indian Campaigns

Battle of Big Dry Wash

Result: United States victory

4 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: Apache Wars, American Indian Wars.

Places

  • Born: Baltimore — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Missouri →

Timeline

  1. 1840
    Born in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland
  2. July 17, 1882
    Act of valor — Big Dry Wash, Arizona Territory
    Age about 42. Company7 D, 3d U.S. Cavalry
  3. December 16, 1882
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 3, 1899
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age about 59.
  5. Resting place
    Soldier's Home National Cemetery
    Washington, District of Columbia

Biography

Charles Taylor (1840 – August 3, 1899) was an American cavalry soldier and Medal of Honor recipient. He was cited for "gallantry in action" in the Battle of Big Dry Wash in the Apache Wars in the Arizona Territory in 1882, for which he received the Medal of Honor. Three other men, First Lieutenant Frank West, Second Lieutenant Thomas Cruse and Second Lieutenant George H. Morgan were also awarded Medals of Honor in this action.

From the Wikipedia article “Charles Taylor (cavalryman)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 17, 1882

Thomas Cruse Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 George Horace Morgan Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 Frank West First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882

More Indian Campaigns recipients from Missouri

RS Robert B. Scott Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 AB Abram B. Brant Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 ✦ EW Enoch R. Weiss Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 HW Henry Wills Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1873 JA James Anderson Jr. Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870 George Geiger Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876
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.