Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Joseph Leonard Follett received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 31, 1862 at New Madrid & Stone River, Missouri & Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 1st Missouri Light Artillery. Follett was 19 years old.
7 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on September 19, 1890, 27 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Follett was born on February 16, 1843 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. His Medal of Honor is credited to St. Louis, St. Louis County, Missouri. Follett died on April 1, 1907 in New York, New York, at the age of 64. He is buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Albany, New York.
Follett is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 78 credited to Missouri.
Official Medal of Honor citation
At New Madrid, Mo., remained on duty though severely wounded. While procuring ammunition from the supply train at Stone River, Tenn., Follett was captured, but made his escape, secured the ammunition, and in less than an hour from the time of his capture had the batteries supplied.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
At New Madrid, Mo., remained on duty though severely wounded.
- Age at death: 64
- Resting place: Albany Rural Cemetery
Battles and campaigns
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Missouri →
Timeline
- February 16, 1843Born in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey
- December 31, 1862Act of valor — New Madrid & Stone River, Missouri & TennesseeAge 19. Company G, 1st Missouri Light Artillery
- September 19, 1890Medal of Honor presented
- April 1, 1907Died in New York, New YorkAge 64.
- Resting placeAlbany Rural CemeteryAlbany, New York
Biography
Joseph Leonard Follett (February 16, 1843 – April 1, 1907) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Follett received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Island Number Ten in New Madrid, Missouri on 3 March 1862 and the Battle of Stones River in Tennessee on 31 December 1862. He was honored with the award on 19 September 1890.
From the Wikipedia article “Joseph Leonard Follett”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
