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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John Gregory Bourke

Private John Gregory Bourke, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions in December 1862 at Stone River, Tennessee during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 1862

Private John Gregory Bourke was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in December 1862 at Stone River, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Bourke was about 16 years old.

The medal was presented on November 16, 1887, 25 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major.

Bourke was born on June 23, 1846 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Bourke died on June 8, 1896, at the age of 49. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Bourke 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 action.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Died: Philadelphia — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. June 23, 1846
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. December 1862
    Act of valor — Stone River, Tennessee
    Age about 16. Company E, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry
  3. November 16, 1887
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. June 8, 1896
    Died
    Age 49.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

John Gregory Bourke (; June 23, 1846 – June 8, 1896) John G. Bourke was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Irish immigrant parents, Edward Joseph and Anna (Morton) Bourke, who emigrated from western Ireland. His early education was extensive and included Latin, Greek and Gaelic. He attended parochial schools and St. Josephs College, a Jesuit school. He was a Captain in the United States Army, a prolific diarist, acclaimed author and internationally respected ethnologist. Bourke wrote several books about the American Old West, including ethnologies of its indigenous peoples.

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

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

MH Milton Lorenzi Haney Regimental Chaplain · Army Civil War · 1864 WT William Toomer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JW John W. Whitmore Private · Army Civil War · 1865 CC Carlos W. Colby Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 PH Patrick Highland Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Menomen O'Donnell First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864
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.