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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John Henry Hays

Private John Henry Hays, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 16, 1865 in Columbus, Georgia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 16, 1865

Private John Henry Hays, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 16, 1865 in Columbus, Georgia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 4th Iowa Cavalry. Hays was 20 years old.

6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on June 17, 1865.

Hays was born on August 4, 1844 in Jefferson County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa. Hays died on January 27, 1904 in Troy, Idaho, at the age of 59. He is buried at Moscow Cemetery in Moscow, Idaho.

Hays is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 55 credited to Iowa.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag and bearer, Austin's Battery (C.S.A.).

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Jefferson County — map
  • Died: Troy — map
  • Buried: Moscow Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Iowa →

Timeline

  1. August 4, 1844
    Born in Jefferson County, Ohio
  2. April 16, 1865
    Act of valor — Columbus, Georgia
    Age 20. Company F, 4th Iowa Cavalry
  3. June 17, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 27, 1904
    Died in Troy, Idaho
    Age 59.
  5. Resting place
    Moscow Cemetery
    Moscow, Idaho

Biography

John Henry Hays (4 August 1844 – 27 January 1904) was a veteran of the American Civil War and recipient of the Medal of Honor.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on April 16, 1865

Norman Francis Bates Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Edward James Bebb Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Horatio L. Birdsall Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Richard H. Cosgriff Private · Army Civil War · 1865 RM Richard H. Morgan Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AT Andrew W. Tibbets Private · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Iowa

PH Pitt B. Herington Private · Army Civil War · 1864 AS Andrew Jackson Sloan Private · Army Civil War · 1864 HS Henry I. Smith First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 WM William B. Mayes Private · Army Civil War · 1864 LG Leonidas Mahlon Godley First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Nicholas S. Bouquet Private · Army Civil War · 1861
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.