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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

James M. Elson

Sergeant James M. Elson, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Sergeant James M. Elson was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company C, 9th Iowa Infantry. Elson was 24 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 12, 1891, 28 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Elson was born on November 6, 1838 in Coshocton, Coshocton County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Shellsburg, Benton County, Iowa. Elson died on March 26, 1894 in Vinton, Iowa, at the age of 55. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Shellsburg, Iowa.

Elson is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 55 credited to Iowa.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Carried the colors in advance of his regiment and was shot down while attempting to plant them on the enemy's works.

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

Timeline

  1. November 6, 1838
    Born in Coshocton, Coshocton County, Ohio
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 24. Company C, 9th Iowa Infantry
  3. September 12, 1891
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 26, 1894
    Died in Vinton, Iowa
    Age 55.
  5. Resting place
    Oakwood Cemetery
    Shellsburg, Iowa

Further reading

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Iowa

Calvary Morris Young Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 AP Albert Power Private · Army Civil War · 1862 EB Edgar A. Bras Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JH James Hill First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 NF Nicholas Fanning Private · Army Civil War · 1865 John Henry Hays Private · Army Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.