Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

John T. Rutherford

First Lieutenant John T. Rutherford, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 27, 1864 in Yellow Tavern & Hanovertown, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 27, 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Lieutenant John T. Rutherford received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 27, 1864 in Yellow Tavern & Hanovertown, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company L, 9th New York Cavalry. Rutherford was 40 years old.

2 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 22, 1892, 27 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major.

Rutherford was born on August 23, 1823 in Russell, St. Lawrence County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Canton, St. Lawrence County, New York. Rutherford died on August 27, 1898 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 75. He is buried at Brookside Cemetery in Waddington, New York.

Rutherford 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

Made a successful charge at Yellow Tavern, Va., 11 May 1864, by which 90 prisoners were captured. On 27 May 1864, in a gallant dash on a superior force of the enemy and a personal encounter, captured his opponent.

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

Places

  • Buried: Brookside Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. August 23, 1823
    Born in Russell, St. Lawrence County, New York
  2. May 27, 1864
    Act of valor — Yellow Tavern & Hanovertown, Virginia
    Age 40. Company L, 9th New York Cavalry
  3. March 22, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 27, 1898
    Died in Chicago, Illinois
    Age 75.
  5. Resting place
    Brookside Cemetery
    Waddington, New York

Biography

John T. Rutherford (August 23, 1823 – August 27, 1898) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War. Rutherford was born on August 23, 1823, in Russell, New York, and died on August 27, 1898, in Chicago, Illinois. He served as a First Lieutenant in the 9th New York Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Later in the war he reached the rank of Brevet Major. He received his medal for two separate actions at Yellow Tavern on May 11, 1864, and Hanovertown on May 27, 1864. He is buried in Brookside Cemetery, Waddington, New York.

From the Wikipedia article “John T. Rutherford”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 27, 1864

FJ Follett Johnson Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 Edgar Pierpont Putnam Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from New York

Francis Bloodgood Hall Chaplain · Army Civil War · 1863 JC James Connors Private · Army Civil War · 1864 TB Thomas Burk Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 CH Charles H. Houghton Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 HS Hendrick Sharp Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 George Maltby Love Colonel · Army Civil War
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.