Brigadier General Oliver Otis Howard, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 1, 1862 in Fair Oaks, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S. Volunteers. Howard was 31 years old.
3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 29, 1893, 30 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major General.
Howard was born on November 8, 1830 in Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine. Howard died on October 26, 1909 in Burlington, Vermont, at the age of 78. He is buried at Lake View Cemetery in Burlington, Vermont.
Howard is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 66 credited to Maine.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Led the 61st New York Infantry in a charge in which he was twice severely wounded in the right arm, necessitating amputation.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
Led the 61st New York Infantry in a charge in which he was twice severely wounded in the right arm, necessitating amputation.
- Age at death: 78
- Resting place: Lake View Cemetery
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Oliver Otis Howard received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Nez Perce War, American Civil War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Offices held: President of Howard University
- Occupations: historian, biographer, writer
- Education: North Yarmouth Academy, United States Military Academy, Bowdoin College
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Timeline
- November 8, 1830Born in Leeds, Androscoggin County, Maine
- June 1, 1862Act of valor — Fair Oaks, VirginiaAge 31. U.S. Volunteers
- March 29, 1893Medal of Honor presented
- October 26, 1909Died in Burlington, VermontAge 78.
- Resting placeLake View CemeteryBurlington, Vermont
Biography
Oliver Otis Howard (November 8, 1830 – October 26, 1909) was a career United States Army officer and a Union general in the Civil War. As a brigade commander in the Army of the Potomac, Howard lost his right arm while leading his men against Confederate forces at the Battle of Fair Oaks/Seven Pines in June 1862, an action which later earned him the Medal of Honor. As a corps commander, he suffered a major defeat at Chancellorsville and his performance was questioned at Gettysburg in May and July 1863.
From the Wikipedia article “Oliver Otis Howard”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Named in his honor
- Howard County — county of Nebraska
- Howard University — private not-for-profit educational institution, historically black college or university
