Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Major & Aide-de-Camp Ernest von Vegesack received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 27, 1862 at Gaines' Mill, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S. Volunteers. von Vegesack was 42 years old.
6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 23, 1893, 31 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.
von Vegesack was born on June 18, 1820 in Gotland, Sweden — one of 17 recipients born in Sweden. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. von Vegesack died on January 12, 1903 in Stockholm, Sweden, at the age of 82. He is buried at North Churchyard Cemetery in Stockholm, Sweden.
von Vegesack is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
While voluntarily serving as aide-de-camp, successfully and advantageously charged the position of troops under fire.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
How he died
- Cause of death: senility
- Age at death: 82
- Resting place: North Churchyard Cemetery
Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.
Battles and campaigns
Battle of Gaines's Mill
Result: Confederate victory
2 Medal of Honor recipients
1863 · Civil WarBattle of Chancellorsville
Result: Confederate victory
8 Medal of Honor recipients
Also served in: American Civil War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Offices held: chairperson of the executive board; member of the First Chamber; member of the Riksdag of the Estates
- Occupations: politician
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- June 18, 1820Born in Gotland, Sweden
- June 27, 1862Act of valor — Gaines' Mill, VirginiaAge 42. U.S. Volunteers
- August 23, 1893Medal of Honor presented
- January 12, 1903Died in Stockholm, SwedenAge 82.
- Resting placeNorth Churchyard CemeteryStockholm
Biography
Ernst Mathias Peter von Vegesack (June 18, 1820 – January 12, 1903) was a Swedish Army officer and volunteer in the Union Army during American Civil War and later on was a member of the parliament of Sweden. After his return to Sweden, he was awarded the brevet grade of Brigadier general of volunteers and in 1893 he received the Medal of Honor for bravery in the Battle of Gaines's Mill.
From the Wikipedia article “Ernst von Vegesack”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
