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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

David P. Casey

Private David P. Casey, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 3, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 3, 1864Born in Ireland

Private David P. Casey, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 3, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company C, 25th Massachusetts Infantry. Casey was about 22 years old.

5 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 14, 1888, 24 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Corporal.

Casey was born in 1842 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Northbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Casey died on September 4, 1893 in Whitinsburg, Massachusetts, at the age of about 51. He is buried at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Northbridge, Massachusetts.

Casey is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Two color bearers having been shot dead one after the other, the last one far in advance of his regiment and close to the enemy's lines, this soldier rushed forward, and, under a galling fire, after removing the dead body of the bearer therefrom, secured the flag and returned with it to the Union lines.

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

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of Cold Harbor

Result: Confederate victory

4 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Ireland — map
  • Died: Whitinsville — map
  • Buried: Saint Patricks Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. 1842
    Born in Ireland
  2. June 3, 1864
    Act of valor — Cold Harbor, Virginia
    Age about 22. Company C, 25th Massachusetts Infantry
  3. September 14, 1888
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 4, 1893
    Died in Whitinsburg, Massachusetts
    Age about 51.
  5. Resting place
    St. Patrick's Cemetery
    Northbridge, Massachusetts

Biography

David P. Casey (1842 – January 4, 1893) was an Irish soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Casey received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Cold Harbor in Virginia on 3 June 1864. He was honored with the award on 14 September 1888.

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

Also honored for actions on June 3, 1864

TB Terrence Begley Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ Orlando Phidelio Boss Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 JS James M. Seitzinger Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ET Eugene M. Tinkham Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 Leroy Williams Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

Charles Wellington Reed Bugler · Army Civil War · 1863 JD Joseph H. Decastro Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 John Darling Terry Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 WP William Parker Captain of the Afterguard · Navy Civil War · 1862 CF Charles H. Foy Signal Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 PS Patrick Scanlan 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.