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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Fitz W. Guerin

Private Fitz W. Guerin, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions between April 28 and 29, 1863 in Grand Gulf, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 28 - 29, 1863

Private Fitz W. Guerin, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry between April 28 and 29, 1863 in Grand Gulf, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Battery A, 1st Missouri Light Artillery. Guerin was 17 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 10, 1896, 32 years after the action.

Guerin was born on March 17, 1846 in New York, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. Guerin died on July 11, 1903 in San Francisco, California, at the age of 57. He is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Guerin is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 78 credited to Missouri.

Official Medal of Honor citation

With two comrades voluntarily took position on board the steamer Cheeseman, in charge of all the guns and ammunition of the battery, and remained in charge of the same for a considerable time while the steamer was unmanageable and subjected to a heavy fire from the enemy.

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

How he died

  • Manner of death: natural causes
  • Cause of death: myocardial infarction
  • Age at death: 57
  • Resting place: Bellefontaine Cemetery

Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: photographer

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: New York City — map
  • Died: St. Louis — map
  • Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Missouri →

Timeline

  1. March 17, 1846
    Born in New York, New York
  2. April 28 - 29, 1863
    Act of valor — Grand Gulf, Mississippi
    Age 17. Battery A, 1st Missouri Light Artillery
  3. March 10, 1896
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. July 11, 1903
    Died in San Francisco, California
    Age 57.
  5. Resting place
    Bellefontaine Cemetery
    St. Louis, Missouri

Biography

Fitz W. Guerin (March 17, 1846 – July 11, 1903) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor in the American Civil War. On returning to civilian life, he became a successful society photographer in St. Louis, Missouri.

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

Also honored for actions on April 28 - 29, 1863

HH Henry A. Hammel Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JP Joseph M. Pesch Private · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Missouri

James Edward Flynn Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 AP Ambrose Porter Commissary Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JW John W. Wagner Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 M. R. William Grebe Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Henry F. Frizzell Private · Army Civil War · 1863 CD Charles H. Depuy First Sergeant · 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.