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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

James B. Thompson

Sergeant James B. Thompson, 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, 1863Born in England

Sergeant James B. Thompson, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 3, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 1st Pennsylvania Rifles. Thompson was about 20 years old.

30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 1, 1864. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.

Thompson was born in 1843 in England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to Perrysville, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Thompson died on August 31, 1875 in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, at the age of about 32. He is buried at Old Churchill Cemetery in Port Royal, California. Records also list him as Bailey, George W..

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

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag of 15th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.).

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

Battles and campaigns

1863 · Civil War

Battle of Gettysburg

Result: Union victory

21 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Juniata County — map
  • Buried: Old Church Hill Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. 1843
    Born in England
  2. July 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age about 20. Company G, 1st Pennsylvania Rifles
  3. December 1, 1864
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 31, 1875
    Died in Port Royal, Pennsylvania
    Age about 32.
  5. Resting place
    Old Churchill Cemetery
    Port Royal, California

Biography

James B. Thompson (1843 – August 31, 1875) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Thompson received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Thompson's medal was won for capturing the flag of the Confederate's 15th Georgia Infantry at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. He was honored with the award on December 1, 1864. Thompson was born in Juniata County, Pennsylvania, entered service in Perrysville, and was later buried in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.

From the Wikipedia article “James B. Thompson”, 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 Pennsylvania

Charles Henry tucky Collis Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 CD Charles Day Private · Army Civil War · 1865 GM George Washington McWilliams Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WG William Ernest Goodman First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WL William Edman Leonard Private · 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.