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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Chaplain · U.S. Army

John Milton Whitehead

Chaplain John Milton Whitehead, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on December 31, 1862 at Stone River, Tennessee during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 31, 1862

Chaplain John Milton Whitehead was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 31, 1862 at Stone River, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 15th Indiana Infantry. Whitehead was 39 years old.

7 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 4, 1898, 35 years after the action.

Whitehead was born on March 6, 1823 in Wayne County, Indiana. His Medal of Honor is credited to Westville, La Porte County, Indiana. Whitehead died on March 8, 1909 in Topeka, Kansas, at the age of 86. He is buried at Topeka Cemetery in Topeka, Kansas.

Whitehead is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 75 credited to Indiana.

★ Chaplains

Official Medal of Honor citation

Went to the front during a desperate contest and unaided carried to the rear several wounded and helpless soldiers.

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

Places

  • Buried: Topeka Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Indiana →

Timeline

  1. March 6, 1823
    Born in Wayne County, Indiana
  2. December 31, 1862
    Act of valor — Stone River, Tennessee
    Age 39. 15th Indiana Infantry
  3. April 4, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 8, 1909
    Died in Topeka, Kansas
    Age 86.
  5. Resting place
    Topeka Cemetery
    Topeka, Kansas

Biography

John Milton Whitehead (March 6, 1823 - March 8, 1909) was an American chaplain who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the American Civil War.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on December 31, 1862

John Mcgreath Farquhar Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1862 Joseph Leonard Follett Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Henry Blanchard Freeman First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Frederick Phisterer First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 JP Joseph Rollin Prentice Private · Army Civil War · 1862 WV Wilson J. Vance Private · Army Civil War · 1862 Maurice Wagg Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from Indiana

PW Perry Wilkes Pilot · Navy Civil War · 1864 Thomas J. Box Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 CS Charles H. Seston Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ Abram J. Buckles Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Frederick W. Fout Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 CE Coron D. Evans 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.