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Musician · U.S. Army

James Snedden

Musician James Snedden, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 5, 1864 in Piedmont, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 5, 1864Born in Scotland

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Musician James Snedden received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 5, 1864 in Piedmont, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 54th Pennsylvania Infantry. Snedden was 14 years old.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 11, 1897, 33 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Bugler.

Snedden was born on September 19, 1849 in Edinburgh, Scotland — one of 41 recipients born in Scotland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Johnstown, Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Snedden died on June 14, 1919, at the age of 69. He is buried at Odd Fellow Cemetery in Lexington, Mississippi.

Snedden 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

Left his place in the rear, took the rifle of a disabled soldier, and fought through the remainder of the action.

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

Places

  • Born: Edinburgh — map
  • Buried: Odd Fellows Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. September 19, 1849
    Born in Edinburgh, Scotland
  2. June 5, 1864
    Act of valor — Piedmont, Virginia
    Age 14. Company E, 54th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. September 11, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. June 14, 1919
    Died
    Age 69.
  5. Resting place
    Odd Fellow Cemetery
    Lexington, Mississippi

Biography

James Snedden (September 19, 1849 – June 14, 1919 (?)) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and emigrated to the United States at an unknown date. On February 23, 1864, during the Civil War, he was mustered in the Union Army at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, with the rank of Private, in Company E, 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He became a Musician, a non-combatant role, in that unit, rising to the rank of Principal Musician. On June 5, 1864, the Union and Confederate armies met at Piedmont, Virginia. Colonel Jacob M. Campbell, commander of the 54th, ordered Snedden to take his musicians to the rear.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on June 5, 1864

AB Alexander Mitchell Beatty Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 TE Thomas Evans Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JS Julius H. Stahel Major General · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

William Sully Beebe First lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 PL Pierre Leon Captain of the Forecastle · Navy Civil War · 1862 JG Joseph Gion Private · Army Civil War · 1863 GW George Washington Walton Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Anthony Taylor First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 Peter McAdams Corporal · Army 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.