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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

James Lemuel Carey

Sergeant James Lemuel Carey, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 9, 1865

Sergeant James Lemuel Carey was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 10th New York Cavalry (Porter Guard). Carey was 25 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Carey was born on December 24, 1839 in Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York. Carey died on May 15, 1919 in Grafton, Pennsylvania, at the age of 79. He is buried at Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

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

Daring bravery and urging the men forward in a charge.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Onondaga County — map
  • Died: Carnegie — map
  • Buried: Chartiers Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 24, 1839
    Born in Jamesville, Onondaga County, New York
  2. April 9, 1865
    Act of valor — Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia
    Age 25. Company G, 10th New York Cavalry (Porter Guard)
  3. May 15, 1919
    Died in Grafton, Pennsylvania
    Age 79.
  4. Resting place
    Chartiers Cemetery
    Carnegie, Pennsylvania

Biography

James Lemuel Carey (24 December 1839 – 15 May 1919) was a Union Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor in the American Civil War. He was born in Onondaga County, New York. Carey enlisted in the Army from Syracuse, New York in December 1861 (his name was misspelled as James C. Cary), and was assigned to the 10th New York Cavalry. He was promoted to Sergeant in March 1865. He transferred to the 1st New York Provisional Cavalry in June 1865, and mustered out with that regiment the next month. Carey was buried in Chartiers Cemetery in Carnegie, Pennsylvania

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on April 9, 1865

JC John H. Callahan Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JD John P. Donaldson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry S. Finkenbiner Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WF West Funk Major · Army Civil War · 1865 SM Samuel McConnell Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry Clay Merriam Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 HM Henry August Miller Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 DM Daniel B. Moore Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 WM William H. Myers Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HN Henry Clay Nichols Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 TP Thomas H. l Payne First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 Patrick Henry Pentzer Captain · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 19 recipients for April 9, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

JD John C. Donnelly Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 GP George Pyne Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 GM George E. Meach Farrier · Army Civil War · 1864 William Henry Freeman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JW John Woon Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 JN John H. Nibbe Quartermaster · Navy 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.