Corporal John P. McVeane, a soldier in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on May 4, 1863 at Fredericksburg Heights, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 49th New York Infantry. McVeane was about 21 years old.
6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 21, 1870, 7 years after the action.
McVeane was born in 1842 in Toronto, Canada — one of 60 recipients born in Canada. His Medal of Honor is credited to Buffalo, Erie County, New York. McVeane died on May 10, 1864 in Wilderness, Virginia, at the age of about 22. He is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, New York. Records also list him as McVean, John P..
McVeane is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Shot a Confederate color bearer and seized the flag; also approached, alone, a barn between the lines and demanded and received the surrender of a number of the enemy therein.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
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Timeline
- 1842Born in Toronto, Canada
- May 4, 1863Act of valor — Fredericksburg Heights, VirginiaAge about 21. Company D, 49th New York Infantry
- May 10, 1864Died in Wilderness, VirginiaAge about 22.
- September 21, 1870Medal of Honor presented posthumously
- Resting placeForest Lawn CemeteryBuffalo, New York
Biography
John P. McVeane (1842 – May 10, 1864) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. McVeane received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. McVeane's medal was won for capturing the flag from a Confederate Color bearer at Fredericksburg Heights. He was posthumously honored with the award on September 21, 1870. McVeane was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He joined the 49th New York Volunteer Infantry from Buffalo, New York in August 1861. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in October 1863, and was mortally wounded during the Battle of the Wilderness. McVeane was one of 30 Canadians to win the Medal of Honor.
From the Wikipedia article “John P. McVeane”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
