Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Christopher W. Wilson

Private Christopher W. Wilson, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 12, 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 12, 1864Born in Ireland

Private Christopher W. Wilson was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 12, 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 73d New York Infantry. Wilson was about 18 years old.

34 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 30, 1898, 34 years after the action.

Wilson was born in 1846 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to West Meriden, New Haven County, Connecticut. Wilson died on September 12, 1916 in Seacliff, New York, at the age of about 70. He is buried at The Evergreens Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

Wilson is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 57 credited to Connecticut.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Took the flag from the wounded color bearer and carried it in the charge over the Confederate works, in which charge he also captured the colors of the 56th Virginia (C.S.A.) bringing off both flags in safety.

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

Places

  • Buried: The Evergreens Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Connecticut →

From the archives

Christopher Wilson's enlistment/accrediation place may be in error in official listings. His military paperwork indicates that he enlisted in Co. F of the 773rd New York Infantry in New York City, New York, in July 1861, and not in West Meriden, Connecticut. However, there is evidence that his residence was in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1861. His accreditation may have been given to his place of residence instead of his physical enlistment location.

Timeline

  1. 1846
    Born in Ireland
  2. May 12, 1864
    Act of valor — Spotsylvania, Virginia
    Age about 18. Company E, 73d New York Infantry
  3. December 30, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 12, 1916
    Died in Seacliff, New York
    Age about 70.
  5. Resting place
    The Evergreens Cemetery
    Brooklyn, New York

Biography

Christopher W. Wilson (c. 1846 - September 12, 1916) was an Irish born recipient of the Medal of Honor who fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Christopher W. Wilson”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 12, 1864

FA Frederick Alber Private · Army Civil War · 1864 RA Robert Wesley Ammerman Private · Army Civil War · 1864 NB Nathaniel C. Barker Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 John P. Beech Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 FB Francis A. Bishop Private · Army Civil War · 1864 EB E. Michael Burk Private · Army Civil War · 1864 DC Dayton P. Clarke Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 CC Charles H. Clausen First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 CF Charles S. Fall Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Charles H. Fasnacht Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Archibald Freeman Private · Army Civil War · 1864 GH George W. Harris Private · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 35 recipients for May 12, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Connecticut

RW Robert Wright Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Aaron Steven Lanfare First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 EN Edwin Michael Neville Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 WB Wallace A. Beckwith Private · Army Civil War · 1862 WH William Stone Hubbell Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 AT Allen Tucker Sergeant · 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.