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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Second Lieutenant · U.S. Army

John R. Norton

Second Lieutenant John R. Norton, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 6, 1865

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Second Lieutenant John R. Norton received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company M, 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry. Norton was 27 years old.

59 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1865.

Norton was born on March 7, 1838 in Ontario County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan. Norton died on September 19, 1867 in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of 29. He is buried at Greenville Forest Home Cemetery in Greenville, Michigan.

Norton is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

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

Timeline

  1. March 7, 1838
    Born in Ontario County, New York
  2. April 6, 1865
    Act of valor — Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia
    Age 27. Company M, 1st New York (Lincoln) Cavalry
  3. May 3, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 19, 1867
    Died in New Orleans, Louisiana
    Age 29.
  5. Resting place
    Greenville Forest Home Cemetery
    Greenville, Michigan

Also honored for actions on April 6, 1865

JB John Francis Benjamin Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 OB Orrin Bennett Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Hugh Patterson Boon Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Andrew Bringle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 IC Ivers S. Calkin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Chapman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AC Albert Adams Clapp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 TC Trustrim Connell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 FC Francis Marion Cunningham First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Thomas Ward Custer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 TD Thomas Davis Private · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 60 recipients for April 6, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Michigan

HL Henry Lewis Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 GC Gabriel Cole Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 Byron M. Cutcheon Major · Army Civil War · 1863 IS Irwin Shepard Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 SH Smith H. Hastings Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 Frank Dwight Baldwin Captain · Army Civil War · 1864
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.