Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Isaiah Mays received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 11, 1889 at Cedar Springs, Arizona Territory during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company B, 24th U.S. Infantry. Mays was 31 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 19, 1890.
Mays was born on February 16, 1858 in Carters Bridge, Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Columbus Barracks, Franklin County, Ohio. Mays died on May 2, 1925 in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 67. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
Mays is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 256 credited to Ohio.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Gallantry in the fight between Paymaster Wham's escort and robbers. Mays walked and crawled two miles to a ranch for help.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Indian Wars.
Places
From the archives
Isaiah Mays was reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in 2009. He was originally buried in the Veterans Section at Arizona State Hospital's All Souls Cemetery in Phoenix, Arizona.
Timeline
- February 16, 1858Born in Carters Bridge, Virginia
- May 11, 1889Act of valor — Cedar Springs, Arizona TerritoryAge 31. Company B, 24th U.S. Infantry
- February 19, 1890Medal of Honor presented
- May 2, 1925Died in Phoenix, ArizonaAge 67.
- Resting placeArlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia
Biography
Isaiah Mays (February 16, 1858 – May 2, 1925) was a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions during the Wham Paymaster Robbery in Arizona Territory.
From the Wikipedia article “Isaiah Mays”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
