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 W. Blunt

First Lieutenant John W. Blunt, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War October 19, 1864

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Lieutenant John W. Blunt received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company K, 6th New York Cavalry. Blunt was 24 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on June 1, 1908, 43 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major.

Blunt was born on May 18, 1840 in Columbia County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chatham, Columbia County, New York. Blunt died on January 21, 1910, at the age of 69. He is buried at Chatham Rural Cemetery in Chatham, New York.

Blunt 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

Voluntarily led a charge across a narrow bridge over the creek, against the lines of the enemy.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Columbia County — map
  • Died: New York — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. May 18, 1840
    Born in Columbia County, New York
  2. October 19, 1864
    Act of valor — Cedar Creek, Virginia
    Age 24. Company K, 6th New York Cavalry
  3. June 1, 1908
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 21, 1910
    Died
    Age 69.
  5. Resting place
    Chatham Rural Cemetery
    Chatham, New York

Biography

John W. Blunt (May 18, 1840 – January 21, 1910) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Cedar Creek fought near Middletown, Virginia on October 19, 1864. The battle was the decisive engagement of Major General Philip Sheridan's Valley Campaigns of 1864 and was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley. Blunt enlisted in the Army from Chatham, New York in October 1861, and was assigned to the 6th New York Cavalry. He was commissioned as an officer in November 1862. He transferred to the 2nd New York Provisional Cavalry in June 1865, and mustered out with this regiment in August.

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

Also honored for actions on October 19, 1864

HC Henry H. Crocker Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 UC Ulric Lyons Crocker Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Henry Algernon du Pont Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 William Wirt Henry Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 IH Ira Hough Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Frederick A. Lyon Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 AM Andrew Jackson McGonnigle Captain & Assistant Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1864 Henry Jeremiah Parks Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Daniel P. Reigle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 DS David H. Scofield Quartermaster Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JS James Sweeney Private · Army Civil War · 1864 RT Richard Taylor Private · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 19 recipients for October 19, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

JC John Joice Carter Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 John Porter Hatch Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1862 HW Henry S. Wells Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ HH Harris Smith Hawthorne Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 John Henry Moffitt Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 GP George Pyne Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865
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.