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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Captain · U.S. Army

Francis Irsch

Captain Francis Irsch, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 1, 1863Born in Germany

Captain Francis Irsch was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 45th New York Infantry. Irsch was 22 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 27, 1892, 28 years after the action.

Irsch was born on December 4, 1840 in Saarburg, Germany — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Irsch died on August 19, 1906 in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 65. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Tampa, Florida.

Irsch 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

Gallantry in flanking the enemy and capturing a number of prisoners and in holding a part of the town against heavy odds while the Army was rallying on Cemetery Hill.

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

Places

  • Born: Trier-Saarburg — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 4, 1840
    Born in Saarburg, Germany
  2. July 1, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age 22. Company D, 45th New York Infantry
  3. May 27, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 19, 1906
    Died in Tampa, Florida
    Age 65.
  5. Resting place
    Woodlawn Cemetery
    Tampa, Florida

Biography

Francis Irsch (December 4, 1840 in Landkreis Trier-Saarburg, Kingdom of Prussia – August 19, 1906 in Tampa, Florida, USA) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. He was held prisoner of war by the Confederate States Army until his release on March 1, 1865. In May 1892, Irsch received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1, 1863, including "gallantry in flanking the enemy and capturing a number of prisoners and in holding a part of the town against heavy odds while the Army was rallying on Cemetery Hill".

From the Wikipedia article “Francis Irsch”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 1, 1863

Jefferson Coates Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Richard Enderlin Musician · Army Civil War · 1863 Edward Lyons Gilligan First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Henry Shippen Huidekoper Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 Harvey May Munsell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 James Monroe Reisinger Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 James May Rutter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Alfred Jacob Sellers Major · Army Civil War · 1863 FW Francis A. Waller Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from New York

JG James H. Gribben First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 RG Robert Graham Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 RS Robert F. Shipley First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 WS Willard M. Smith Corporal · Marine Corps Civil War · 1864 Henry Seymour Hall Second Lieutenant & Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 PS Philipp Schlachter Private · 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.