Charles W. Anderson – Medal of Honor, Civil War (1865)

Private Charles W. Anderson, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on March 2, 1865 in Waynesboro, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry. Anderson was 20 years old.

13 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 26, 1865.

Anderson was born on March 15, 1844 in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland. His Medal of Honor is credited to near Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. Anderson died on February 25, 1916 in Staunton, Virginia, at the age of 71. He is buried at Thornrose Cemetery in Staunton, Virginia. Records also list him as Pforr, George.

Anderson is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 48 credited to Virginia.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of unknown Confederate flag.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

Born: Baltimore — map
Buried: Thornrose Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Virginia →

From the archives

Charles W. Anderson's legal name was George Pforr. He had deserted the Confederate Army in 1864, dying his hair and finding other ways to change his appearance. He used the alias "Charles W. Anderson" when joined the New York Cavalry at its camp in Shenandoah Valley, Virginia.

Following the Civil War, he enlisted in the regular U.S. Army where he served an additional 12 years across the American west. He then settled in Annex (now part of Staunton), Virginia, not far from where he captured the flag that earned him his Medal of Honor. He married Sallie Smith Garber in 1878. They had 11 children together.

Timeline

March 15, 1844
Born in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland
March 2, 1865
Act of valor — Waynesboro, Virginia
Age 20. 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry
March 26, 1865
Medal of Honor presented
February 25, 1916
Died in Staunton, Virginia
Age 71.
Resting place
Thornrose Cemetery
Staunton, Virginia

Biography

Charles W. Anderson (born George Pforr from March 15, 1844 – February 25, 1916) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War.

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

Also honored for actions on March 2, 1865

HB Henry H. Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 CB Christopher C. Bruton Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 WC Warren Carman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HC Hartwell B. Compson Major · Army Civil War · 1865 MC Michael Crowley Private · Army Civil War · 1865 CG Charles Arthur Goheen First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 HH Harry Harvey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865

Andrew Kuder Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 GL George Ladd Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JM James Madison Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JM John Miller Private · Army Civil War · 1865

Robert Niven Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 14 recipients for March 2, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Virginia

JM James Mifflin Engineer's Cook · Navy Civil War · 1864 ER Edward Ratcliff First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 MJ Miles James Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 WW William H. Woodall Scout · Army Civil War · 1865

Benjamin Bennett Levy Private · Army Civil War · 1862 WB William Henry Barnes Private · Army Civil War · 1864

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.