Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Lieutenant John Channing Gresham received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 29, 1890 at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with 7th U.S. Cavalry. Gresham was 39 years old.
18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 26, 1895, 4 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Colonel.
Gresham was born on September 25, 1851 in Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Lancaster Courthouse, Lancaster County, Virginia. Gresham died on September 2, 1926 in San Diego, California, at the age of 74. He is buried at San Francisco National Cemetery in San Francisco, California. His medal is held by West Point Museum (1863 & 1904 designs), West Point, NY.
Gresham is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 48 credited to Virginia.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Voluntarily led a party into a ravine to dislodge Sioux Indians concealed therein. He was wounded during this action.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
He was wounded during this action.
- Age at death: 74
- Resting place: San Francisco National Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Indian Wars.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Education: United States Military Academy
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Virginia →
Timeline
- September 25, 1851Born in Virginia
- December 29, 1890Act of valor — Wounded Knee Creek, South DakotaAge 39. 7th U.S. Cavalry
- March 26, 1895Medal of Honor presented
- September 2, 1926Died in San Diego, CaliforniaAge 74.
- Resting placeSan Francisco National CemeterySan Francisco, California
Biography
John Chowning Gresham (September 25, 1851 – September 2, 1926) was an officer in the United States Army who was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Wounded Knee Massacre as part of the Indian Wars. After graduating from the US Military Academy (West Point) he accepted a commission in the United States Army and saw combat in several battles during the American Indian wars including the Battle of Canyon Creek. He was assigned to the Department of Dakota until 1884 when he was assigned to the Virginia Agricultural College as a professor of Military Science and Tactics.
From the Wikipedia article “John Chowning Gresham”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
