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Private · U.S. Army

John Francis O'Sullivan

Private John Francis O'Sullivan, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on December 8, 1874 in Staked Plains, Texas during the Indian Campaigns.

Private John Francis O'Sullivan, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 8, 1874 in Staked Plains, Texas during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company I, 4th U.S. Cavalry. O'Sullivan was about 24 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 13, 1875.

O'Sullivan was born in 1850 in County Kerry, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. O'Sullivan died on May 19, 1907 in New York, New York, at the age of about 57. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Texas, New York.

O'Sullivan is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in a long chase after Indians.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Indian Wars.

Places

  • Born: County Kerry — map
  • Died: Queens — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1850
    Born in County Kerry, Ireland
  2. December 8, 1874
    Act of valor — Staked Plains, Texas
    Age about 24. Company I, 4th U.S. Cavalry
  3. October 13, 1875
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 19, 1907
    Died in New York, New York
    Age about 57.
  5. Resting place
    Calvary Cemetery
    Texas, New York

Biography

John Francis O'Sullivan (c. 1850 – May 19, 1907) was an Irish-born soldier who emigrated to New York City, where he joined the United States Army who served with the 4th U.S. Cavalry during the Texas–Indian Wars. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry against a hostile band of Indians at the Staked Plains in Texas on December 8, 1874.

From the Wikipedia article “John Francis O'Sullivan”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on December 8, 1874

Same unit

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

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.