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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

George Ritter Burnett

Second Lieutenant George Ritter Burnett, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 16, 1881 in Cuchillo Negro Mountains, New Mexico during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns August 16, 1881

Second Lieutenant George Ritter Burnett was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 16, 1881 in Cuchillo Negro Mountains, New Mexico during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with 9th U.S. Cavalry. Burnett was 23 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 23, 1897, 15 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Burnett was born on April 21, 1858 in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Spring Mills, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Burnett died on November 1, 1908 in Lincoln, Nebraska, at the age of 50. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Burnett is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Saved the life of a dismounted soldier, who was in imminent danger of being cut off, by alone galloping quickly to his assistance under heavy fire and escorting him to a place of safety, his horse being twice shot in this action.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Indian Wars.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Lower Providence Township — map
  • Died: Lincoln — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. April 21, 1858
    Born in Lower Providence Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
  2. August 16, 1881
    Act of valor — Cuchillo Negro Mountains, New Mexico
    Age 23. 9th U.S. Cavalry
  3. July 23, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 1, 1908
    Died in Lincoln, Nebraska
    Age 50.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

George Ritter Burnett (April 23, 1858 – November 1, 1908) was a United States Army officer who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

From the Wikipedia article “George Ritter Burnett”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on August 16, 1881

AW Augustus Walley Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881 Moses Williams First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1881

Same unit

Matthias Walter Day Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1879 Robert Temple Emmet Second Lieutenant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1879

More Indian Campaigns recipients from Pennsylvania

WS William H. Strayer Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1872 ZW Zachariah Woodall Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 GS George Springer Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1869 WD William Dougherty Blacksmith · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 PR Patrick Rogan Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 SH Samuel Hoover Bugler · Army Indian Campaigns · 1873
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.