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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Nicholas S. Bouquet

Private Nicholas S. Bouquet, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 10, 1861 at Wilson's Creek, Missouri during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 10, 1861Born in Germany

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Private Nicholas S. Bouquet received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 10, 1861 at Wilson's Creek, Missouri during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 1st Iowa Infantry. Bouquet was 18 years old.

4 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 16, 1897, 35 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Sergeant.

Bouquet was born on November 14, 1842 in Landau, Bavaria, Germany — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa. Bouquet died on December 27, 1912 in Burlington, Iowa, at the age of 70. He is buried at Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington, Iowa.

Bouquet is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 55 credited to Iowa.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily left the line of battle, and, exposing himself to imminent danger from a heavy fire from the enemy, Bouquet assisted in capturing a riderless horse at large between the lines and hitching him to a disabled gun, saved the gun from capture.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: Battle of Wilson's Creek.

Places

  • Born: Germany — map
  • Died: Burlington — map
  • Buried: Aspen Grove Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Iowa →

Timeline

  1. November 14, 1842
    Born in Landau, Bavaria, Germany
  2. August 10, 1861
    Act of valor — Wilson's Creek, Missouri
    Age 18. Company D, 1st Iowa Infantry
  3. February 16, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 27, 1912
    Died in Burlington, Iowa
    Age 70.
  5. Resting place
    Aspen Grove Cemetery
    Burlington, Iowa

Biography

Nicholas S. Bouquet (14 November 1842 – 27 December 1912) was a German soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Bouquet received the United States' highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Wilson's Creek in Missouri on 10 August 1861. He was honored with the award on 16 February 1897.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on August 10, 1861

Lorenzo Dow Immell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 John Mcallister Schofield Major · Army Civil War · 1861 William Macky Wherry First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861 Henry Clay Wood First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861

More Civil War recipients from Iowa

James Kephart Private · Army Civil War · 1863 AS Andrew Jackson Sloan Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Norman Francis Bates Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CS Charles Alexander Swan Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Edward James Bebb Private · Army Civil War · 1865 LG Leonidas Mahlon Godley First Sergeant · 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.