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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

John James

Corporal John James, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 9, 1874 at Upper Washita River, Texas during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns September 9, 1874Born in England

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal John James received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 9, 1874 at Upper Washita River, Texas during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry. James was about 36 years old.

11 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 23, 1875.

James was born in 1838 in Manchester, England — one of 98 recipients born in England. His Medal of Honor is credited to Albany, Albany County, New York. James died on May 23, 1902 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of about 64. He is buried at Soldier's Home National Cemetery in Washington, District of Columbia.

James 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 action.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Red River War, American Indian Wars, Texas–Indian Wars.

Places

  • Born: Manchester — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1838
    Born in Manchester, England
  2. September 9, 1874
    Act of valor — Upper Washita River, Texas
    Age about 36. Company I, 5th U.S. Infantry
  3. May 23, 1875
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 23, 1902
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age about 64.
  5. Resting place
    Soldier's Home National Cemetery
    Washington, District of Columbia

Biography

John James (c. 1838 – May 23, 1902) was a British-born American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. He was one of seven men who received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of the Upper Washita River near Canadian, Texas on September 9–11, 1874.

From the Wikipedia article “John James (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on September 9, 1874

WD William de Armond Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 ✦ FH Fred Stewart Hay Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 JK John J. h Kelly Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 TK Thomas Kelly Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 GK George Krause Kitchen Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 JK John W. Knox Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 WK William Koelpin Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 JM John Mitchell First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 WM William W. Morris Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 FN Frederick S. Neilon Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 ES Edward Clay Sharpless Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874

Same unit

JC Joseph A. Cable Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 FH Fred O. Hunt Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 CM Charles H. Montrose Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876

More Indian Campaigns recipients from New York

CW Charles Windolph Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 GS George W. Smith Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 ✦ BM Bernard McCann Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 ✦ JM John McHugh Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 DR Denis Ryan First Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 TL Thomas Little Bugler · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868
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.