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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Elijah William Bacon

Private Elijah William Bacon, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 3, 1863Posthumous

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private Elijah William Bacon was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 14th Connecticut Infantry. Bacon was about 27 years old.

30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 6, 1864 — by Major General George G. Meade, at a review of the 2nd Army Corps Headquarters, Peebles' House, near Petersburg, Va.

Bacon was born in 1836 in Burlington, Hartford County, Connecticut. His Medal of Honor is credited to New Britain, Hartford County, Connecticut. Bacon died on May 6, 1864 in Wilderness, Virginia, at the age of about 28. He is buried at Maple Grove Cemetery in Berlin, Connecticut.

Bacon is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 57 credited to Connecticut.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag of the 16th North Carolina regiment (C.S.A.).

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

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of the Wilderness

Result: Inconclusive

8 Medal of Honor recipients

 1863 · Civil War

Battle of Gettysburg

Result: Union victory

21 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Burlington — map
  • Died: Virginia — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Connecticut →

Timeline

  1. 1836
    Born in Burlington, Hartford County, Connecticut
  2. July 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age about 27. Company F, 14th Connecticut Infantry
  3. May 6, 1864
    Died in Wilderness, Virginia
    Age about 28.
  4. December 6, 1864
    Medal of Honor presented posthumously
    By Major General George G. Meade, at a review of the 2nd Army Corps Headquarters, Peebles' House, near Petersburg, Va.
  5. Resting place
    Maple Grove Cemetery
    Berlin, Connecticut

Biography

Elijah William Bacon (c. 1836 – May 6, 1864) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Elijah W. Bacon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 3, 1863

George Greenville Benedict Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Morris Brown Jr. Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ HC Hugh Carey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ JC John E. Clopp Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Alonzo H. Cushing First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ JD Joseph H. Decastro Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 GD George H. Dore Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Benjamin Frank Falls Color Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ CF Christopher Flynn Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 Frederick W. Fuger Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 William B. Hincks Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863 Benjamin H. Jellison Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 31 recipients for July 3, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Connecticut

DB Daniel Webster Burke First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 JS James Sullivan Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 EB Elijah A. Briggs Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 DS David H. Scofield Quartermaster Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 AT Allen Tucker Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 NH Nathan E. Hickok Corporal · 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.