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

Captain · U.S. Army

James Milton Pipes

Captain James Milton Pipes, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 25, 1864 at Gettysburg & Reams Station, Pennsylvania & Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 25, 1864

Captain James Milton Pipes, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on August 25, 1864 at Gettysburg & Reams Station, Pennsylvania & Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 140th Pennsylvania Infantry. Pipes was 23 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 5, 1898, 33 years after the action.

Pipes was born on November 10, 1840 in Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania. Pipes died on December 1, 1928 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 88. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Pipes is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

While a sergeant and retiring with his company before the rapid advance of the enemy at Gettysburg, he and a companion stopped and carried to a place of safety a wounded and helpless comrade; in this act both he and his companion were severely wounded. A year later, at Reams Station, Va., while commanding a skirmish line, voluntarily assisted in checking a flank movement of the enemy, and while so doing was severely wounded, suffering the loss of an arm.

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

Places

  • Born: Greene County — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. November 10, 1840
    Born in Morrisville, Bucks County, Pennsylvania
  2. August 25, 1864
    Act of valor — Gettysburg & Reams Station, Pennsylvania & Virginia
    Age 23. Company A, 140th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. April 5, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 1, 1928
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 88.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

James Milton Pipes (November 10, 1840 – December 1, 1928) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army in the American Civil War. Pipes received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken on July 2, 1863 during the Battle of Gettysburg. After the war he had a brief political career including a term as Secretary of State of West Virginia from 1869 to 1871.

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

Also honored for actions on August 25, 1864

PG Patrick J. Ginley Private · Army Civil War · 1864 FR Ferdinand Frederick Rohm Chief Bugler · Army Civil War · 1864

Same unit

James Jackson Purman Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

AM Alexander H. Mitchell First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 OB Orrin Bennett Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JR Jacob F. Raub Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 IG Ignatz Gresser Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 AF Augustin D. Flanagan Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Robert Alexander Reid Private · 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.