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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Captain & Aide-de-Camp · U.S. Army

Martin Thomas McMahon

Captain & Aide-de-Camp Martin Thomas McMahon, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on June 30, 1862 in White Oak Swamp, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War June 30, 1862Born in Canada

Captain & Aide-de-Camp Martin Thomas McMahon was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on June 30, 1862 in White Oak Swamp, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S. Volunteers. McMahon was 24 years old.

6 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 10, 1891, 28 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major General.

McMahon was born on March 21, 1838 in LaPrairie, Canada — one of 60 recipients born in Canada. His Medal of Honor is credited to California. McMahon died on April 21, 1906 in New York, New York, at the age of 68. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

McMahon is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 142 credited to California.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Under fire of the enemy, successfully destroyed a valuable train that had been abandoned and prevented it from falling into the hands of the enemy.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: La Prairie — map
  • Died: New York City — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in California →

Timeline

  1. March 21, 1838
    Born in LaPrairie, Canada
  2. June 30, 1862
    Act of valor — White Oak Swamp, Virginia
    Age 24. U.S. Volunteers
  3. March 10, 1891
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 21, 1906
    Died in New York, New York
    Age 68.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Martin Thomas McMahon (March 21, 1838 – April 21, 1906) was an American jurist and a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He was awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of White Oak Swamp. After the war, he held various legal and judicial positions in the state of New York. He briefly served as the Minister Resident to Paraguay and was a member of the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly.

From the Wikipedia article “Martin T. McMahon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on June 30, 1862

AB August Frederick Bronner Private · Army Civil War · 1862 HH Henderson Calvin Howard Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 Rufus King Jr. First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Benjamin Bennett Levy Private · Army Civil War · 1862 CS Charles Shambaugh Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 George Uhrl Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862

Same unit

Absalom Baird Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1864 Daniel Adams Butterfield Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1862 Newton Martin Curtis Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1865 Lewellyn Garrish Estes Captain & Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1864 Manning Ferguson Force Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1864 GG George Edward Gouraud Captain & Aide-de-Camp · Army Civil War · 1864 Gabriel Grant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 Oliver Otis Howard Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from California

SW Samuel Woods Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Edward Bancroft Williston First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 HC Henry H. Crocker Captain · Army Civil War · 1864
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.