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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

James G. Grindlay

Colonel James G. Grindlay, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 1, 1865 in Five Forks, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 1, 1865Born in Scotland

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Colonel James G. Grindlay received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 1, 1865 in Five Forks, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 146th New York Infantry. Grindlay was 25 years old.

21 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 14, 1891, 26 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.

Grindlay was born on February 14, 1840 in Odinburgh, Scotland — one of 41 recipients born in Scotland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Utica, Oneida County, New York. Grindlay died on October 19, 1907 in Troy, New York, at the age of 67. He is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Utica, New York.

Grindlay is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

The first to enter the enemy's works, where he captured two flags.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: accountant

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Edinburgh — map
  • Died: Troy — map
  • Buried: Forest Hill Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. February 14, 1840
    Born in Odinburgh, Scotland
  2. April 1, 1865
    Act of valor — Five Forks, Virginia
    Age 25. 146th New York Infantry
  3. August 14, 1891
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 19, 1907
    Died in Troy, New York
    Age 67.
  5. Resting place
    Forest Hill Cemetery
    Utica, New York

Biography

James Glas Grindlay (February 14, 1840 – October 19, 1907) was a Union Army officer in the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of Five Forks. He served with the 146th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment and commanded that unit for the last year of the war. He twice briefly led his brigade after his superior officers became casualties, and was brevetted brigadier general shortly before the end of the conflict.

From the Wikipedia article “James G. Grindlay”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 1, 1865

William Henry harrison Benyaurd First Lieutenant, Engineers · Army Civil War · 1865 Wilmon Whilldin Blackmar Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Henry G. Bonebrake First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 HD Hiram Adolphus Delavie Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 DE David Edwards Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AE Adelbert Everson Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Albert E. Fernald First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 Eugene W. Ferris First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1865 Charles N. Gardner Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AK August Kauss Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Jacob Koogle First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 TM Thomas J. Murphy First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 22 recipients for April 1, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

RS Richard Smith Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WM William Martin Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1862 WJ Wallace W. Johnson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 GB Gurdon H. Barter Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Albert Marsh Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ET Eugene M. Tinkham Corporal · 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.