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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Ignatz Gresser

Corporal Ignatz Gresser, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 17, 1862Born in Germany

Corporal Ignatz Gresser, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 128th Pennsylvania Infantry. Gresser was 27 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 12, 1895, 33 years after the action.

Gresser was born on August 15, 1835 in Malach, Germany — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Gresser died on August 1, 1929 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 93. He is buried at West End Unoin Cemetery in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His medal is held by Lehigh County Historical Society Museum, Allentown, PA.

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

Official Medal of Honor citation

While exposed to the fire of the enemy, carried from the field a wounded comrade.

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

Timeline

  1. August 15, 1835
    Born in Malach, Germany
  2. September 17, 1862
    Act of valor — Antietam, Maryland
    Age 27. Company D, 128th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. December 12, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 1, 1929
    Died in Allentown, Pennsylvania
    Age 93.
  5. Resting place
    West End Unoin Cemetery
    Allentown, Pennsylvania

Also honored for actions on September 17, 1862

Hillary Beyer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 JC John Joice Carter Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 BC Benjamin Ham Child Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Charles Franklin Cleveland Private · Army Civil War · 1862 John Cook Bugler · Army Civil War · 1862 RC Richard J. Curran Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 Oliver Duff Greene Major & Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1862 TG Theodore W. Greig Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 MH Marcus M. Haskell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas Worcester Hyde Major · Army Civil War · 1862 SJ Samuel Johnson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 AL Adolph Libaire Captain · Army Civil War · 1862

See all 19 recipients for September 17, 1862 →

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

TC Trustrim Connell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Galusha Pennypacker Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 James Jackson Purman Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 CD Charles Day Private · Army Civil War · 1865 CI Charles Henry Ilgenfritz Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Isaac N. Fry Orderly Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.