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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Henry W. Wheeler

Private Henry W. Wheeler, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 21, 1861

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private Henry W. Wheeler received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 2d Maine Infantry. Wheeler was 19 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 5, 1898, 36 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Captain, U.S. Volunteers.

Wheeler was born on September 23, 1841 in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas. His Medal of Honor is credited to Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine. Wheeler died on April 18, 1904, at the age of 62. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Wheeler is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 66 credited to Maine.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily accompanied his commanding officer and assisted in removing the dead and wounded from the field under a heavy fire of artillery and musketry.

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

Places

  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Maine →

Timeline

  1. September 23, 1841
    Born in Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas
  2. July 21, 1861
    Act of valor — Bull Run, Virginia
    Age 19. Company A, 2d Maine Infantry
  3. April 5, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 18, 1904
    Died
    Age 62.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Henry W. Wheeler (September 23, 1841 – April 17, 1904) was an American soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor who fought in the American Civil War. He was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas on September 23, 1841. He joined the 2nd Maine Volunteer Infantry as a private on April 25, 1861. Wheeler earned his Medal of Honor on July 21, 1861, during the First Battle of Bull Run, Virginia. In August 1866, Wheeler received a brevet rank of captain for his actions during the war. Wheeler died on April 17, 1904, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in section 3, plot 1496.

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

Also honored for actions on July 21, 1861

Adelbert Ames First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861 WC Walter Howard Cooke Captain · Army Civil War · 1861 John Frederic Hartranft Colonel · Army Civil War · 1861 Abiather J. Knowles Private · Army Civil War · 1861 OM Owen McGough Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 JM John G. Merritt Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 CM Charles Joseph Murphy First Lieutenant & Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1861 Orlando Bolivar Willcox Colonel · Army Civil War · 1861 William Herbert Withington Captain · Army Civil War · 1861

More Civil War recipients from Maine

Albert E. Fernald First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 JM James McLeod Captain of the Foretop · Navy Civil War · 1862 TK Thomas Kendrick Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 MH Moses C. Hanscom Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 Charles Porter Mattocks Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 WP William B. Poole Quartermaster · Navy 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.