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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Henry D. O'Brien

Corporal Henry D. O'Brien, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 3, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Henry D. O'Brien received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 1st Minnesota Infantry. O'Brien was 21 years old.

30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 9, 1890, 26 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major.

O'Brien was born on January 21, 1842 in Calais, Washington County, Maine. His Medal of Honor is credited to St. Anthony Falls, Hennepin County, Minnesota. O'Brien died on November 2, 1902 in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 60. He is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.

O'Brien is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 45 credited to Minnesota.

★ Wounded but Fought On

Official Medal of Honor citation

Taking up the colors where they had fallen, he rushed ahead of his regiment, close to the muzzles of the enemy's guns, and engaged in the desperate struggle in which the enemy was defeated, and though severely wounded, he held the colors until wounded a second time.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Taking up the colors where they had fallen, he rushed ahead of his regiment, close to the muzzles of the enemy's guns, and engaged in the desperate struggle in which the enemy was defeated, and though severely wounded, he held the colors until wounded a second time.

Places

  • Born: Calais — map
  • Died: St. Louis — map
  • Buried: Bellefontaine Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Minnesota →

Timeline

  1. January 21, 1842
    Born in Calais, Washington County, Maine
  2. July 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age 21. Company E, 1st Minnesota Infantry
  3. April 9, 1890
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 2, 1902
    Died in St. Louis, Missouri
    Age 60.
  5. Resting place
    Bellefontaine Cemetery
    St. Louis, Missouri

Biography

Henry D. O'Brien (January 21, 1842 – November 1, 1902) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army in the American Civil War. O'Brien received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken on July 3, 1863, during the Battle of Gettysburg.

From the Wikipedia article “Henry D. O'Brien”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 3, 1863

EB Elijah William Bacon Private · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ George Greenville Benedict Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Morris Brown Jr. Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ HC Hugh Carey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ JC John E. Clopp Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Alonzo H. Cushing First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ JD Joseph H. Decastro Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 GD George H. Dore Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Benjamin Frank Falls Color Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 ✦ CF Christopher Flynn Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 Frederick W. Fuger Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 William B. Hincks Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 31 recipients for July 3, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Minnesota

Joseph Burger Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JF James Flannigan Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JB Jesse T. Barrick Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 JV John Vale Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JM John G. Merritt Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 Thomas Parke Gere First Lieutenant & Adjutant · 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.