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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

James M. Cumpston

Private James M. Cumpston, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions in August 1864 at Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private James M. Cumpston received the Medal of Honor for his actions in August 1864 at Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 91st Ohio Infantry. Cumpston was about 27 years old.

Cumpston was born in 1837 in Gallia County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. Cumpston died on May 24, 1888 in Coalton, Ohio, at the age of about 51. He is buried at Coalton Cemetery in Coalton, Ohio. Records also list him as Compston, James M..

Cumpston is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Gallia County — map
  • Died: Ohio — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. 1837
    Born in Gallia County, Ohio
  2. August 1864
    Act of valor — Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Virginia
    Age about 27. Company D, 91st Ohio Infantry
  3. May 24, 1888
    Died in Coalton, Ohio
    Age about 51.
  4. Resting place
    Coalton Cemetery
    Coalton, Ohio

Biography

James M. Cumpston (c. 1837 – May 24, 1888) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Valley Campaigns of 1864.

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

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Samuel Slavens Private · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ JS James (Ovid) Smith Private · Army Civil War · 1862 GB George Butts Gunner's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 Cyrus Sears First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Daniel Allen Dorsey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 GT George William Tyrrell 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.