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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

David H. Helms

Private David H. Helms, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private David H. Helms received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 83d Indiana Infantry. Helms was 24 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 26, 1894, 31 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.

Helms was born on September 21, 1838 in Dearborn County, Indiana. His Medal of Honor is credited to Farmers Retreat, Dearborn County, Indiana. Helms died on July 7, 1921 in Silverlake, Kansas, at the age of 82. He is buried at Silverlake Cemetery in Silverlake, Kansas.

Helms is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 75 credited to Indiana.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Dearborn County — map
  • Died: Kansas — map
  • Buried: Silver Lake Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Indiana →

Timeline

  1. September 21, 1838
    Born in Dearborn County, Indiana
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 24. Company B, 83d Indiana Infantry
  3. July 26, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. July 7, 1921
    Died in Silverlake, Kansas
    Age 82.
  5. Resting place
    Silverlake Cemetery
    Silverlake, Kansas

Biography

David H. Helms (1838–1921) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. Helms joined the army from Indiana in August 1862, and was discharged in June 1865.

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

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Indiana

LB Louis J. Bruner Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Peter J. Ryan Private · Army Civil War · 1864 OR Oliver P. Rood Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Absalom Jordan Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 JW John Milton Whitehead Chaplain · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas N. Graham Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863
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.