Sergeant John Sterling Lawton was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 29, 1879 at Milk River, Colorado during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company D, 5th U.S. Cavalry. Lawton was 21 years old.
The medal was presented on June 7, 1880.
Lawton was born on May 13, 1858 in Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island. His Medal of Honor is credited to Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Lawton died on June 12, 1909 in Presido of San Francisco, California, at the age of 51. He is buried at San Francisco National Cemetery in San Francisco, California.
Lawton is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Coolness and steadiness under fire; volunteered to accompany a small detachment on a very dangerous mission.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Spanish–American War, American Indian Wars.
Places
- Born: Bristol — map
- Died: Presidio of San Francisco — map
- Buried: San Francisco National Cemetery — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- May 13, 1858Born in Bristol, Bristol County, Rhode Island
- October 29, 1879Act of valor — Milk River, ColoradoAge 21. Company D, 5th U.S. Cavalry
- June 7, 1880Medal of Honor presented
- June 12, 1909Died in Presido of San Francisco, CaliforniaAge 51.
- Resting placeSan Francisco National CemeterySan Francisco, California
