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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

Louis Palma di Cesnola

Colonel Louis Palma di Cesnola, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 17, 1863 in Aldie, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 17, 1863Born in Italy

Colonel Louis Palma di Cesnola, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 17, 1863 in Aldie, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 4th New York Cavalry. di Cesnola was 30 years old.

The medal was presented on December 6, 1897, 34 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.

di Cesnola was born on June 29, 1832 in Rivarola, Piedmont, Italy — one of 5 recipients born in Italy. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. di Cesnola died on November 20, 1904, at the age of 72. He is buried at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York. Records also list him as Di Cesnola, Luigi Palma.

di Cesnola is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Was present, in arrest, when, seeing his regiment fall back, he rallied his men, accompanied them, without arms, in a second charge, and in recognition of his gallantry was released from arrest. He continued in the action at the head of his regiment until he was desperately wounded and taken prisoner.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

He continued in the action at the head of his regiment until he was desperately wounded and taken prisoner.
  • Age at death: 72
  • Resting place: Kensico Cemetery

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Crimean War, American Civil War, First Italian War of Independence.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Offices held: Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Occupations: art historian, anthropologist, diplomat, archaeologist, writer

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Rivarolo Canavese — map
  • Died: Manhattan — map
  • Buried: Kensico Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. June 29, 1832
    Born in Rivarola, Piedmont, Italy
  2. June 17, 1863
    Act of valor — Aldie, Virginia
    Age 30. 4th New York Cavalry
  3. December 6, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. November 20, 1904
    Died
    Age 72.
  5. Resting place
    Kensico Cemetery
    Valhalla, New York

Biography

Luigi Palma di Cesnola (July 29, 1832 – November 20, 1904), an Italian-American soldier, diplomat and amateur archaeologist, was born in Rivarolo Canavese, near Turin. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War. He was United States consul at Larnaca in Cyprus (1865–1877) and first Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (1879–1904).

From the Wikipedia article “Luigi Palma di Cesnola”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

More Civil War recipients from New York

MH Michael Huskey Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Samuel Nicholl Benjamin First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861 MC Michael Crowley Private · Army Civil War · 1865 TM Thomas Meagher First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JS James Seanor Master-at-Arms · Navy Civil War · 1864 JC John Nicholas Coyne Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862
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.