Sergeant Hugh Carey, a soldier in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 82d New York Infantry. Carey was about 23 years old.
30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 6, 1888, 24 years after the action.
Carey was born in 1840 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Carey died on March 26, 1886 in Brooklyn, New York, at the age of about 46. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Carey 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
Captured the flag of the 7th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.), being twice wounded in the effort.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
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Timeline
- 1840Born in Ireland
- July 3, 1863Act of valor — Gettysburg, PennsylvaniaAge about 23. Company E, 82d New York Infantry
- March 26, 1886Died in Brooklyn, New YorkAge about 46.
- February 6, 1888Medal of Honor presented posthumously
- Resting placeHoly Cross CemeteryBrooklyn, New York
Biography
Hugh Carey (1840–1886) was a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the Battle of Gettysburg on 2 July 1863. He acted with daring by capturing the flag of the 7th Virginia Infantry, and was twice wounded in the act. Carey was born in Ireland. He enlisted in the army from New York City in April 1861. He served as a sergeant in the 82nd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and was discharged in May 1864.
From the Wikipedia article “Hugh Carey (soldier)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
