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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Captain · U.S. Army

Edward Settle Godfrey

Captain Edward Settle Godfrey, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 30, 1877 at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns September 30, 1877

Captain Edward Settle Godfrey, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 30, 1877 at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with 7th U.S. Cavalry. Godfrey was 33 years old.

8 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 27, 1894, 17 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General.

Godfrey was born on October 9, 1843 in Kalida, Putnam County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Ottawa, Putnam County, Ohio. Godfrey died on April 1, 1932 in Mount Holly, New Jersey, at the age of 88. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. His medal is held by U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center, Carlisle, PA.

Godfrey is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Led his command into action when he was severely wounded.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Led his command into action when he was severely wounded.

Battles and campaigns

1876 · Indian Campaigns

Battle of the Little Bighorn

Result: Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho victory

7 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: Philippine–American War, American Civil War, Spanish–American War, American Indian Wars.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Kalida — map
  • Died: Cookstown — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. October 9, 1843
    Born in Kalida, Putnam County, Ohio
  2. September 30, 1877
    Act of valor — Bear Paw Mountain, Montana
    Age 33. 7th U.S. Cavalry
  3. November 27, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 1, 1932
    Died in Mount Holly, New Jersey
    Age 88.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Edward Settle Godfrey (October 9, 1843 – April 1, 1932) was a United States Army Brigadier General who received the Medal of Honor for leadership as a captain during the Indian Wars. He commanded a troop of U.S. Army cavalry soldiers at both the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876, and Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890.

From the Wikipedia article “Edward Settle Godfrey”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on September 30, 1877

George William Baird First Lieutenant, Adjutant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 Mason Carter First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 HH Henry Hogan First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 Oscar Fitzalan Long Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 EM Edward John McClernand Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 Myles Moylan Captain · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 Henry Romeyn First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 Henry Remsen Tilton Major and Surgeon · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877

Same unit

Ernest Albert Garlington First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890 John Channing Gresham First Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1890

More Indian Campaigns recipients from Ohio

AC Aquilla Coonrod Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 RS Rudolph Stauffer First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872 MW Milden H. Wilson Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 RH Rufus D. Hutchinson Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 Isaiah Mays Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1889 Edgar R. Aston Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868
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.