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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

Orlando Bolivar Willcox

Colonel Orlando Bolivar Willcox, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 21, 1861

Colonel Orlando Bolivar Willcox was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 1st Michigan Infantry. Willcox was 38 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 2, 1895, 33 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major General.

Willcox was born on April 26, 1823 in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan. Willcox died on May 10, 1907 in Coburg, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 84. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Records also list him as Wilcox, Orlando Bolivar.

Willcox is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Led repeated charges until wounded and taken prisoner.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War, Mexican-American War, Third Seminole War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Detroit — map
  • Died: Cobourg — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. April 26, 1823
    Born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
  2. July 21, 1861
    Act of valor — Bull Run, Virginia
    Age 38. 1st Michigan Infantry
  3. March 2, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 10, 1907
    Died in Coburg, Ontario, Canada
    Age 84.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Orlando Bolivar Willcox (April 16, 1823 – May 11, 1907) was an American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Orlando B. Willcox”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on July 21, 1861

Adelbert Ames First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1861 WC Walter Howard Cooke Captain · Army Civil War · 1861 John Frederic Hartranft Colonel · Army Civil War · 1861 Abiather J. Knowles Private · Army Civil War · 1861 OM Owen McGough Corporal · Army Civil War · 1861 JM John G. Merritt Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1861 CM Charles Joseph Murphy First Lieutenant & Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1861 HW Henry W. Wheeler Private · Army Civil War · 1861 William Herbert Withington Captain · Army Civil War · 1861

More Civil War recipients from Michigan

Cornelius Minor Hadley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JB Joseph E. Brandle Private · Army Civil War · 1863 HF Henry M. Fox Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 CH Charles Maynard Holton First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 AW Alonzo Woodruff Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Samuel S. French Private · Army Civil War · 1862
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.