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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

James W. Parks

Corporal James W. Parks, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on December 16, 1864 in Nashville, Tennessee during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 16, 1864

Corporal James W. Parks was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 16, 1864 in Nashville, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 11th Missouri Infantry. Parks was about 24 years old.

15 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 24, 1865.

Parks was born in 1840 in Lawrence County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Xenia, Clay County, Illinois. Parks died on January 14, 1906 in Massac County, Illinois, at the age of about 66.

Parks is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 210 credited to Illinois.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

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

Timeline

  1. 1840
    Born in Lawrence County, Ohio
  2. December 16, 1864
    Act of valor — Nashville, Tennessee
    Age about 24. Company F, 11th Missouri Infantry
  3. February 24, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 14, 1906
    Died in Massac County, Illinois
    Age about 66.

Also honored for actions on December 16, 1864

Marion T. Anderson Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Franklin Carr Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 OC Oliver Colwell First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 WG William Garrett Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Thomas Parke Gere First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1864 DH Daniel Irving Holcomb Private · Army Civil War · 1864 LK Luther Kaltenbach Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 WM William C. May Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Charles H. McCleary First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 WM Wilbur F. Moore Private · Army Civil War · 1864 WS William Thomas Simmons First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 AS Andrew Jackson Sloan Private · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 16 recipients for December 16, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

Leverett Mansfield Kelley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JM John Wade McDonald Private · Army Civil War · 1862 MM Michael McCormick Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 Orion P. Howe Musician · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William Wallace Burritt Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Horace Capron Jr. Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦
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.