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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John P. Murphy

Private John P. Murphy, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 17, 1862Born in Ireland

Private John P. Murphy, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company K, 5th Ohio Infantry. Murphy was 18 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 11, 1866, 3 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.

Murphy was born on June 24, 1844 in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. Murphy died on January 1, 1911 in Cincinnati, Ohio, at the age of 66. He is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Murphy is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag of 13th Alabama Infantry (C.S.A.).

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

Timeline

  1. June 24, 1844
    Born in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland
  2. September 17, 1862
    Act of valor — Antietam, Maryland
    Age 18. Company K, 5th Ohio Infantry
  3. September 11, 1866
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 1, 1911
    Died in Cincinnati, Ohio
    Age 66.
  5. Resting place
    Spring Grove Cemetery
    Cincinnati, Ohio

Also honored for actions on September 17, 1862

Hillary Beyer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 JC John Joice Carter Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 BC Benjamin Ham Child Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Charles Franklin Cleveland Private · Army Civil War · 1862 John Cook Bugler · Army Civil War · 1862 RC Richard J. Curran Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 Oliver Duff Greene Major & Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1862 TG Theodore W. Greig Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 IG Ignatz Gresser Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 MH Marcus M. Haskell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Thomas Worcester Hyde Major · Army Civil War · 1862 SJ Samuel Johnson Private · Army Civil War · 1862

See all 19 recipients for September 17, 1862 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

George D. Wilson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ JB James Bennett Bell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Samuel Robertson Private · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ JG Joseph Olds Gregg Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Milton Murray Holland Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1864 William Wallace Cranston Private · Army Civil War · 1863
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.