Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private John C. Hunterson received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 5, 1862 on the Peninsula, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry. Hunterson was 20 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 2, 1897, 35 years after the action.
Hunterson was born on August 4, 1841 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Hunterson died on November 6, 1927 in New Haven, Connecticut, at the age of 86. He is buried at Gloria Dei Church Burial Ground in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Hunterson 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 under fire, between the lines of the two armies, voluntarily gave up his own horse to an engineer officer whom he was accompanying on a reconnaissance and whose horse had been killed, thus enabling the officer to escape with valuable papers in his possession.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →
Timeline
- August 4, 1841Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- June 5, 1862Act of valor — on the Peninsula, VirginiaAge 20. Company B, 3d Pennsylvania Cavalry
- August 2, 1897Medal of Honor presented
- November 6, 1927Died in New Haven, ConnecticutAge 86.
- Resting placeGloria Dei Church Burial GroundPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Biography
John C. Hunterson (August 4, 1841 – November 6, 1927) was a Medal of Honor recipient in the American Civil War. He mustered in with Company B of the 3rd Pennsylvania Cavalry as a Private on July 23, 1861. He mustered out with his company, August 24, 1864.
From the Wikipedia article “John C. Hunterson”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
