Captain John Wallace Scott, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 1, 1865 in Five Forks, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 157th Pennsylvania Infantry. Scott was 32 years old.
21 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 27, 1865. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major.
Scott was born on August 31, 1832 in Stark County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Scott died on May 12, 1903 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 70. He is buried at Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Parkesburg, Tennessee.
Scott is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Capture of the flag of the 16th South Carolina Infantry, in hand-to-hand combat.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Places
- Born: Chester County — map
- Died: Philadelphia — map
- Buried: Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church Cemetery — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →
Timeline
- August 31, 1832Born in Stark County, Ohio
- April 1, 1865Act of valor — Five Forks, VirginiaAge 32. Company D, 157th Pennsylvania Infantry
- April 27, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- May 12, 1903Died in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaAge 70.
- Resting placePresbyterian Church CemeteryParkesburg, Tennessee
Biography
John Wallace Scott, also known as J. Wallace Scott (August 31, 1832 – May 12, 1903), was a United States soldier who fought with the Union Army as a member of several Pennsylvania infantry units during the American Civil War. Severely wounded during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864, he was recognized for his meritorious service less than eight months later with his nation's highest award for bravery, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for capturing the enemy's flag while serving as captain of Company D of the 157th Pennsylvania Infantry during the Battle of Five Forks, Virginia on April 1, 1865. That award was conferred on April 27, 1865.
From the Wikipedia article “John Wallace Scott”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
