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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

John Frederic Hartranft

Colonel John Frederic Hartranft, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 21, 1861

Colonel John Frederic Hartranft, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 4th Pennsylvania Militia. Hartranft was 30 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 26, 1886, 25 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major General.

Hartranft was born on December 16, 1830 in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Hartranft died on October 17, 1889 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 58. He is buried at Montgomery Cemetery in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Hartranft 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

Voluntarily served as an aide and participated in the battle after expiration of his term of service, distinguishing himself in rallying several regiments which had been thrown into confusion.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: New Hanover Township — map
  • Died: Norristown — map
  • Buried: Pennsylvania — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. December 16, 1830
    Born in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
  2. July 21, 1861
    Act of valor — Bull Run, Virginia
    Age 30. 4th Pennsylvania Militia
  3. August 26, 1886
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 17, 1889
    Died in Norristown, Pennsylvania
    Age 58.
  5. Resting place
    Montgomery Cemetery
    Norristown, Pennsylvania

Biography

John Frederick Hartranft (December 16, 1830 – October 17, 1889) was an American politician and military officer who read the death warrant to the individuals who were executed on July 7, 1865, for conspiring to assassinate American President Abraham Lincoln. Previously having achieved the rank of major general of the Union Army during the American Civil War, he had also been awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor for his actions in the First Battle of Bull Run. Post-war, he served as the 17th governor of Pennsylvania from 1873 to 1879.

From the Wikipedia article “John F. Hartranft”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 21, 1861

Adelbert Ames First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861 WC Walter Howard Cooke Captain · Army Civil War · 1861 Abiather J. Knowles Private · Army Civil War · 1861 OM Owen McGough Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 JM John G. Merritt Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 CM Charles Joseph Murphy First Lieutenant & Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1861 HW Henry W. Wheeler Private · Army Civil War · 1861 Orlando Bolivar Willcox Colonel · Army Civil War · 1861 William Herbert Withington Captain · Army Civil War · 1861

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

WL William Edman Leonard Private · Army Civil War · 1864 James May Rutter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JM John Calvin Matthews Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Francis Jay Herron Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 JL John Lilley Private · Army Civil War · 1865 EB Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont Major and Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1865
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.