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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Sergeant · U.S. Army

Francis Marion Cunningham

First Sergeant Francis Marion Cunningham, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 6, 1865

First Sergeant Francis Marion Cunningham was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company H, 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Cunningham was 27 years old.

59 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1865. He later rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Cunningham was born on December 31, 1837 in Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Cunningham died on May 11, 1919, at the age of 81. He is buried at Sugar Grove Cemetery in Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. His medal is held by Fayette County Courthouse, Uniontown, PA.

Cunningham is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of battle flag of 12th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.) in hand-to-hand battle while wounded.

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

Battles and campaigns

1865 · Civil War

Battle of Sailor's Creek

Result: Union victory

21 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Somerset County — map
  • Died: Ohiopyle — map
  • Buried: Sugar Grove Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. December 31, 1837
    Born in Somerset, Somerset County, Pennsylvania
  2. April 6, 1865
    Act of valor — Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia
    Age 27. Company H, 1st West Virginia Cavalry
  3. May 3, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 11, 1919
    Died
    Age 81.
  5. Resting place
    Sugar Grove Cemetery
    Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania

Biography

Francis Marion Cunningham (December 12, 1837 – May 11, 1919) was an American soldier and native of Pennsylvania who fought with Company H of the 1st West Virginia Cavalry during the American Civil War. Cunningham received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Sailor's Creek in Virginia on April 6, 1865. The award was conferred on May 3, 1865.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on April 6, 1865

JB John Francis Benjamin Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 OB Orrin Bennett Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Hugh Patterson Boon Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Andrew Bringle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 IC Ivers S. Calkin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Chapman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AC Albert Adams Clapp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 TC Trustrim Connell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Thomas Ward Custer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 TD Thomas Davis Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WD Warren C. Dockum Private · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 60 recipients for April 6, 1865 →

Same unit

Wilmon Whilldin Blackmar Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

AC Alexander Crawford Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Thomas R. Kerr Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 JD John Henry Denig Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1864 GH George W. Harris Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JM John Calvin Matthews Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Solomon J. Hottenstine 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.