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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Nathaniel M. Allen

Corporal Nathaniel M. Allen, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 2, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 2, 1863

Corporal Nathaniel M. Allen, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 2, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 1st Massachusetts Infantry. Allen was 23 years old.

27 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 2, 1899, 36 years after the action.

Allen was born on April 29, 1840 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Allen died on July 30, 1900 in South Acton, Massachusetts, at the age of 60. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Acton, Massachusetts.

Allen is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

When his regiment was falling back, this soldier, bearing the national color, returned in the face of the enemy's fire, pulled the regimental flag from under the body of its bearer, who had fallen, saved the flag from capture, and brought both colors off the field.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Boston — map
  • Died: Massachusetts — map
  • Buried: Woodlawn Cemetery (East Acton, Massachusetts) — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →

Timeline

  1. April 29, 1840
    Born in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
  2. July 2, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age 23. Company B, 1st Massachusetts Infantry
  3. July 2, 1899
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. July 30, 1900
    Died in South Acton, Massachusetts
    Age 60.
  5. Resting place
    Woodlawn Cemetery
    Acton, Massachusetts

Biography

Nathaniel M. Allen (April 20, 1840 — July 30, 1900) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor - the United States' highest award for bravery during combat - for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was presented the award in 1899, a year before he died.

From the Wikipedia article “Nathaniel M. Allen”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 2, 1863

CC Casper R. Carlisle Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 Harrison Clark Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 John Barclay Fassett Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 Chester S. Furman Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 RG Richard J. Gage Private · Army Civil War · 1863 JH John William Hart Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 LH Lemuel F. Holland Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TH Thomas Horan Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 GH George L. Houghton Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WJ Wallace W. Johnson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Edward M. Knox Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 28 recipients for July 2, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Massachusetts

GP George Province Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 MH Moses Harris First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 JR John Rountry First Class Fireman · Navy Civil War · 1864 Nelson Appleton Miles Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 LG Luke M. Griswold Ordinary Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1862 Charles H. Pinkham Sergeant Major · 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.