Sergeant Lewis Phife was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions between August 13 and October 31, 1868 vicinity of the Black Mountains, Arizona during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company B, 8th U.S. Cavalry. Phife was 26 years old.
30 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 24, 1869.
Phife was born on October 31, 1841 in Des Moines County, Iowa. His Medal of Honor is credited to Marion, Marion County, Oregon. Phife died on January 31, 1913 in Wever, Iowa, at the age of 71. He is buried at Tierney Cemetery in Wever, Iowa. Records also list him as Pheiff, Louis.
Phife is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 13 credited to Oregon.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Indian Wars.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Oregon →
Timeline
- October 31, 1841Born in Des Moines County, Iowa
- August 13 - October 31, 1868Act of valor — Vicinity of the Black Mountains, ArizonaAge 26. Company B, 8th U.S. Cavalry
- July 24, 1869Medal of Honor presented
- January 31, 1913Died in Wever, IowaAge 71.
- Resting placeTierney CemeteryWever, Iowa
Biography
Lewis Phife (1841 – 1913) was a U.S. Cavalry soldier. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action against Apache Indians in the Arizona Territory. Phife left his hometown of Burlington, Iowa at the age of 19 to move westward. He settled in Marion County, Oregon and in 1865 volunteered for service with Company F of the 1st Oregon Volunteer Infantry. At the conclusion of the Civil War he enlisted in the Regular Army.
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