Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

James Madison Drake

Second Lieutenant James Madison Drake, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 6, 1864 in Bermuda Hundred, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 6, 1864

Second Lieutenant James Madison Drake was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 6, 1864 in Bermuda Hundred, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 9th New Jersey Infantry. Drake was 27 years old.

12 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 3, 1873, 8 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.

Drake was born on March 25, 1837 in Washington Valley, Somerset County, New Jersey. His Medal of Honor is credited to Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey. Drake died on November 28, 1913 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, at the age of 76. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Hillside, New Jersey.

Drake is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Commanded the skirmish line in the advance and held his position all day and during the night.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Battle of Port Walthall Junction.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: writer, publisher

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Somerset County — map
  • Died: Elizabeth — map
  • Buried: Evergreen Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →

Timeline

  1. March 25, 1837
    Born in Washington Valley, Somerset County, New Jersey
  2. May 6, 1864
    Act of valor — Bermuda Hundred, Virginia
    Age 27. Company D, 9th New Jersey Infantry
  3. March 3, 1873
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 28, 1913
    Died in Elizabeth, New Jersey
    Age 76.
  5. Resting place
    Evergreen Cemetery
    Hillside, New Jersey

Biography

James Madison Drake (March 25, 1837, to November 28, 1913) was an American newspaper publisher who fought in the American Civil War. Drake received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Port Walthall Junction in Virginia on May 6, 1864. He was honored with the award on March 3, 1873.

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

Also honored for actions on May 6, 1864

Henry Harrison Bingham Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Henri Le fevre Brown Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 TB Thomas Burk Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 PD Patrick Delacey First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 EE Edmund English First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 HH Henry Hill Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 Leopold Karpeles Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Joseph Bell Kemp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 SR Stephen Rought Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 WT William P. Thompson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ Benjamin Franklin Tracy Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 JY James Marvin Young Private · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from New Jersey

DW Daniel Whitfield Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 Gabriel Grant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 John James Toffey First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 RC Richard Conner Private · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas Timothy Fallon Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JD John Davis Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1862
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.