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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

James Marvin Young

Private James Marvin Young, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 6, 1864 at Wilderness Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 6, 1864

Private James Marvin Young, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 6, 1864 at Wilderness Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 72d New York Infantry. Young was 20 years old.

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

Young was born on December 2, 1843 in Ellicott, Erie County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chautauqua County, New York. Young died on November 30, 1913 in Jamestown, New York, at the age of 69. He is buried at Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown, New York.

Young 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

With two companions, voluntarily went forward in the forest to reconnoiter the enemy's position; was fired upon and one of his companions disabled. Pvt. Young took the wounded man upon his back and, under fire, carried him to within the Union lines.

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

Battles and campaigns

1864 · Civil War

Battle of the Wilderness

Result: Inconclusive

8 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Ellicott — map
  • Died: Jamestown — map
  • Buried: Lake View Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. December 2, 1843
    Born in Ellicott, Erie County, New York
  2. May 6, 1864
    Act of valor — Wilderness Campaign, Virginia
    Age 20. Company B, 72d New York Infantry
  3. April 2, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 30, 1913
    Died in Jamestown, New York
    Age 69.
  5. Resting place
    Lake View Cemetery
    Jamestown, New York

Biography

James Marvin Young (December 2, 1843 – November 30, 1913) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Young received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Young's medal was won for his heroism in the Battle of the Wilderness during the Overland Campaign in Virginia on May 6, 1864. He was honored with the award on April 2, 1898. Young was born in Ellicott, New York, and entered service in Chautauqua County, New York. After the war, he worked as a policeman in Jamestown for 30 years. He died at his home there on November 30, 1913. He was buried in Lake View Cemetery.

From the Wikipedia article “James M. Young”, 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 James Madison Drake Second Lieutenant · 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

More Civil War recipients from New York

GS George William Schmal Blacksmith · Army Civil War · 1865 JS James Sheridan Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 ZN Zachariah C. Neahr Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Louis Palma di Cesnola Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 HW Henry S. Wells Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ CB Charles Bradley Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863
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.