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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Joseph van Matre

Private Joseph van Matre, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 2, 1865 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 2, 1865

Private Joseph van Matre was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 2, 1865 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 116th Ohio Infantry. van Matre was 36 years old.

65 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 12, 1865.

van Matre was born on November 20, 1828 in Mason County, West Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Middleport, Meigs County, Ohio. van Matre died on January 14, 1892, at the age of 63. He is buried at Hill Cemetery in Middleport, Ohio.

van Matre is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

In the assault on Fort Gregg, this soldier climbed upon the parapet and fired down into the fort as fast as the loaded guns could be passed up to him by comrades.

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

Places

  • Born: Mason County — map
  • Buried: Hill Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. November 20, 1828
    Born in Mason County, West Virginia
  2. April 2, 1865
    Act of valor — Petersburg, Virginia
    Age 36. Company G, 116th Ohio Infantry
  3. May 12, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 14, 1892
    Died
    Age 63.
  5. Resting place
    Hill Cemetery
    Middleport, Ohio

Biography

Joseph Van Matre (October 9, 1828 – January 14, 1892) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Joseph Van Matre”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 2, 1865

AA Abner Peeler Allen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AA Andrew O. Apple Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 William J. Babcock Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JB James Albert Barber Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 EB Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont Major and Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1865 William Robert douglas Blackwood Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John W. Boutwell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John E. Buffington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CC Carlton N. Camp Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Corcoran Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Stephen Potter Corliss First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC Josiah M. Curtis Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 66 recipients for April 2, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Henry Blanchard Freeman First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Henry Van ness Boynton Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 JC James M. Cumpston Private · Army Civil War · 1864 CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 William Henry Powell Major · Army Civil War · 1862 Henry Hoffman Corporal · Army 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.