Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private John Shanes received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 20, 1864 at Carter's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company K, 14th West Virginia Infantry. Shanes was 19 years old.
4 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on January 31, 1896, 31 years after the action.
Shanes was born on July 23, 1844 in Monongalia County, West Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Warren, Monongalia County, West Virginia. Shanes died on January 26, 1904 in Brave, Pennsylvania, at the age of 59. He is buried at Lantz Cemetery in Brave, Pennsylvania.
Shanes is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 45 credited to West Virginia.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Charged upon a Confederate fieldpiece in advance of his comrades and by his individual exertions silenced the piece.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in West Virginia →
Timeline
- July 23, 1844Born in Monongalia County, West Virginia
- July 20, 1864Act of valor — Carter's Farm, VirginiaAge 19. Company K, 14th West Virginia Infantry
- January 31, 1896Medal of Honor presented
- January 26, 1904Died in Brave, PennsylvaniaAge 59.
- Resting placeLantz CemeteryBrave, Pennsylvania
Biography
John Shanes (July 23, 1844 – January 26, 1904) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Rutherford's Farm near Winchester, Virginia on July 20, 1864.
From the Wikipedia article “John Shanes”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
