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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John Mitchell Vanderslice

Private John Mitchell Vanderslice, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on February 6, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War February 6, 1865

Private John Mitchell Vanderslice, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on February 6, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Vanderslice was 18 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 1, 1893, 28 years after the action.

Vanderslice was born on August 31, 1846 in near Valley Forge, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Vanderslice died on March 12, 1915 in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, at the age of 68. He is buried at St. James Perkiomen Cemetery in Evansburg, Pennsylvania.

Vanderslice is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Was the first man to reach the enemy's rifle pits, which were taken in the charge.

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

Battles and campaigns

1865 · Civil War

Battle of Hatcher's Run

Result: Union victory

5 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Died: Collegeville — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. August 31, 1846
    Born in near Valley Forge, Chester County, Pennsylvania
  2. February 6, 1865
    Act of valor — Hatcher's Run, Virginia
    Age 18. Company D, 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry
  3. September 1, 1893
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 12, 1915
    Died in Collegeville, Pennsylvania
    Age 68.
  5. Resting place
    St. James Perkiomen Cemetery
    Evansburg, Pennsylvania

Biography

John Mitchell Vanderslice (August 31, 1846 - March 12, 1915) was a United States soldier who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War as a member of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavalry. He received his nation's highest award for valor, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for being the first man to reach the rifle pits of the Confederate States Army during a charge made by his regiment on CSA fortifications in the Battle of Hatcher's Run, Virginia on February 6, 1865.

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

Also honored for actions on February 6, 1865

AC Abel G. Cadwallader Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 DC Daniel G. Caldwell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC James Coey Major · Army Civil War · 1865 CD Charles Day Private · Army Civil War · 1865 John Carroll Delaney Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JS John Christopher Sagelhurst Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 WS William Sands First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 FS Francis M. Smith First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1865 JT John J. Thompson Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

CC Cecil Clay Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Francis Morrison Private · Army Civil War · 1864 CC Charles H. Clausen First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 Alexander Elliott Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JG Joseph Gion Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JE John C. Ewing 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.