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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John G. k Ayers

Private John G. k Ayers, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Private John G. k Ayers, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company H, 8th Missouri Infantry. Ayers was 25 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 31, 1895, 32 years after the action.

Ayers was born on October 30, 1837 in Washtenaw County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois. Ayers died on July 30, 1913 in Three Rivers, Michigan, at the age of 75. He is buried at Riverside Cemetery in Three Rivers, Michigan.

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

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Washtenaw County — map
  • Died: Michigan — map
  • Buried: Riverside Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. October 30, 1837
    Born in Washtenaw County, Michigan
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 25. Company H, 8th Missouri Infantry
  3. August 31, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. July 30, 1913
    Died in Three Rivers, Michigan
    Age 75.
  5. Resting place
    Riverside Cemetery
    Three Rivers, Michigan

Biography

John G. K. Ayers (1837 – 1913) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.

From the Wikipedia article “John G. K. Ayers”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 HB Henry G. Buhrman Private · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

RG Richard J. Gage Private · Army Civil War · 1863 OS Oscar Slagle Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Leverett Mansfield Kelley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 WM Wilbur F. Moore Private · Army Civil War · 1864 John Gregory Bourke Private · Army Civil War · 1862 JC John H. Callahan Private · 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.