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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Matthew Bickford

Corporal Matthew Bickford, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Matthew Bickford received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 8th Missouri Infantry. Bickford was 24 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 31, 1894, 31 years after the action.

Bickford was born on April 10, 1839 in Trivolia, Peoria County, Illinois. His Medal of Honor is credited to Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois. Bickford died on April 18, 1918, at the age of 79. He is buried at Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, Washington.

Bickford is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 210 credited to Illinois.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Peoria County — map
  • Died: Washington — map
  • Buried: Bayview Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. April 10, 1839
    Born in Trivolia, Peoria County, Illinois
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 24. Company G, 8th Missouri Infantry
  3. August 31, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 18, 1918
    Died
    Age 79.
  5. Resting place
    Bayview Cemetery
    Bellingham, Washington

Biography

Matthew Bickford (1839–1918) received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Matthew Bickford”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 HB Henry G. Buhrman Private · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

John Charles Black Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 AA Abner Peeler Allen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 SH Samuel Hymer Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 Douglas Hapeman Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 John Gregory Bourke Private · Army Civil War · 1862 JV James David Vernay Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863
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.