Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Edward Johnston 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 C, 5th U.S. Infantry. Johnston was 32 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. He later rose to the rank of Sergeant.
Johnston was born on February 8, 1844 in Pen Yan, Yates County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Johnston died on January 20, 1920, at the age of 75. He is buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Penn Yan, New York.
Johnston is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 210 credited to Illinois.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Gallantry in action.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Great Sioux War of 1876, American Indian Wars.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →
Timeline
- February 8, 1844Born in Pen Yan, Yates County, New York
- October 21, 1876Act of valor — Cedar Creek, etc., MontanaAge 32. Company C, 5th U.S. Infantry
- July 18, 1877Medal of Honor presented
- January 20, 1920DiedAge 75.
- Resting placeLakeview CemeteryPenn Yan, New York
Biography
Edward Johnston (February 8, 1844 – January 20, 1920) was an American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. He was one of thirty-one men received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during General Nelson A. Miles winter campaign against the Sioux in the Montana Territory from October 21, 1876, to January 8, 1877.
From the Wikipedia article “Edward Johnston (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
