Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Eri Davidson Woodbury received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 1st Vermont Cavalry. Woodbury was 27 years old.
18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 26, 1864. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Captain.
Woodbury was born on May 30, 1837 in Francistown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. His Medal of Honor is credited to St. Johnsbury, Caledonia County, Vermont. Woodbury died on April 14, 1928 in Cheshire, Connecticut, at the age of 90. He is buried at St. Peter's Episcopal Cemetery in Cheshire, Connecticut. His medal is held by The Cheshire Historical Society, Cheshire, CT.
Woodbury is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 47 credited to Vermont.
Official Medal of Honor citation
During the regiment's charge when the enemy was in retreat, Sgt. Woodbury encountered four Confederate infantrymen retreating. He drew his saber and ordered them to surrender, overcoming by his determined actions their willingness to further resist. They surrendered to him together with their rifles and 12th North Carolina (C.S.A.) regimental flag.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Vermont →
Timeline
- May 30, 1837Born in Francistown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire
- October 19, 1864Act of valor — Cedar Creek, VirginiaAge 27. Company E, 1st Vermont Cavalry
- October 26, 1864Medal of Honor presented
- April 14, 1928Died in Cheshire, ConnecticutAge 90.
- Resting placeSt. Peter's Episcopal CemeteryCheshire, Connecticut
Biography
Eri Davidson Woodbury (May 30, 1837 – April 14, 1928) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Cedar Creek fought near Middletown, Virginia on October 19, 1864. The battle was the decisive engagement of Major General Philip Sheridan’s Valley Campaigns of 1864 and was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley. Woodbury graduated from Dartmouth College in 1863. He enlisted in the army in December of that year, and mustered out in June 1865 After the war, he taught at Cheshire Academy for 38 years, eventually becoming its headmaster from 1884 to 1903. He was married once.
From the Wikipedia article “Eri D. Woodbury”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
