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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John W. Whitmore

Private John W. Whitmore, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 9, 1865

Private John W. Whitmore was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 9, 1865 at Fort Blakely, Alabama during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 119th Illinois Infantry. Whitmore was 20 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 12, 1865 — presented by Lieutenant J. J. Lyon, assistant inspector-general of the Sixteenth Army Corps, at parade.

Whitmore was born on July 3, 1844 in Brown County, Illinois. His Medal of Honor is credited to Camden, Schuyler County, Illinois. Whitmore died on February 26, 1913 in New London, Iowa, at the age of 68. He is buried at Shinar Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Pleasant Grove, Iowa. Records also list him as Whittenmore, John W..

Whitmore is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 210 credited to Illinois.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

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

Places

  • Buried: Shinar Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. July 3, 1844
    Born in Brown County, Illinois
  2. April 9, 1865
    Act of valor — Fort Blakely, Alabama
    Age 20. Company F, 119th Illinois Infantry
  3. July 12, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
    Presented by Lieutenant J. J. Lyon, assistant inspector-general of the Sixteenth Army Corps, at parade.
  4. February 26, 1913
    Died in New London, Iowa
    Age 68.
  5. Resting place
    Shinar Cumberland Presbyterian Church Cemetery
    Pleasant Grove, Iowa

Biography

John Whitmore (July 3, 1844 - February 26, 1918) was an American soldier in the American Civil War and recipient of the Medal of Honor.

From the Wikipedia article “John Whitmore (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 9, 1865

JC John H. Callahan Private · Army Civil War · 1865 James Lemuel Carey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JD John P. Donaldson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry S. Finkenbiner Private · Army Civil War · 1865 WF West Funk Major · Army Civil War · 1865 SM Samuel McConnell Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Henry Clay Merriam Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1865 HM Henry August Miller Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 DM Daniel B. Moore Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 WM William H. Myers Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HN Henry Clay Nichols Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 TP Thomas H. l Payne First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 19 recipients for April 9, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

Newton Thomas Gould Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JH John P. Hughey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 DJ David H. Johnston Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Andrew J. Widick Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Andrew Jackson Smith Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ WR William Reed Private · Army Civil War · 1863
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.