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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

Denis Byrne

Sergeant Denis Byrne, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 21, 1876 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns October 21, 1876Born in Ireland

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Denis Byrne received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 21, 1876 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company G, 5th U.S. Infantry. Byrne was about 43 years old.

29 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 18, 1877.

Byrne was born in 1833 in Wexford, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Byrne died on December 31, 1905 in Birds Island, Minnesota, at the age of about 72. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Byrne is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in engagements.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Indian Wars.

Places

  • Born: Wexford — map
  • Died: Bird Island — map
  • Buried: Calvary Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1833
    Born in Wexford, Ireland
  2. October 21, 1876
    Act of valor — Cedar Creek, etc., Montana
    Age about 43. Company G, 5th U.S. Infantry
  3. July 18, 1877
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 31, 1905
    Died in Birds Island, Minnesota
    Age about 72.
  5. Resting place
    Calvary Cemetery
    St. Paul, Minnesota

Biography

Denis Byrne (c. 1833 – December 31, 1905) was an Irish-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Infantry during the Indian Wars. He was among the 31 soldiers who received the Medal of Honor for during General Nelson A. Miles "winter campaign" against the Sioux Indians in the Montana Territory between October 1876 and January 1877.

From the Wikipedia article “Denis Byrne (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on October 21, 1876

JB John Baker Musician · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 RB Richard Burke Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JC Joseph A. Cable Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JC James Spencer Calvert Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 AC Aquilla Coonrod Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JD John S. Donelly Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 CF Christopher Freemeyer Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JH John Haddoo Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 HH Henry Hogan Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 DH David Holland Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 EJ Edward Johnston Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 PK Philip Kennedy Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876

See all 30 recipients for October 21, 1876 →

Same unit

HH Henry Hogan First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

John Nihill Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872 Frank West First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1882 JM James McNally First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 JD John Denny Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1879 Michael McCarthy First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 MG Michael Glynn Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872
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.