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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

Orlando Emanuel Caruana

Private Orlando Emanuel Caruana, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 14, 1862 at New Bern & South Mountain, North Carolina & Maryland during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 14, 1862Born in Malta

Private Orlando Emanuel Caruana, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on September 14, 1862 at New Bern & South Mountain, North Carolina & Maryland during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company K, 51st New York Infantry. Caruana 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 November 14, 1890, 28 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.

Caruana was born on June 23, 1844 in Ca Valletta, Malta — one of 3 recipients born in Malta. His Medal of Honor is credited to New York, New York. Caruana died on September 14, 1917 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 73. He is buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington, District of Columbia.

Caruana is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

Official Medal of Honor citation

At New Bern, N.C., brought off the wounded color sergeant and the colors under a heavy fire of the enemy. Was one of four soldiers who volunteered to determine the position of the enemy at South Mountain, Md. While so engaged was fired upon and his three companions killed, but he escaped and rejoined his command in safety.

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

Battles and campaigns

1862 · Civil War

Battle of New Bern

Result: Union victory

2 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Valletta — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Mount Olivet Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. June 23, 1844
    Born in Ca Valletta, Malta
  2. September 14, 1862
    Act of valor — New Bern & South Mountain, North Carolina & Maryland
    Age 18. Company K, 51st New York Infantry
  3. November 14, 1890
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 14, 1917
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 73.
  5. Resting place
    Mount Olivet Cemetery
    Washington, District of Columbia

Biography

Private Orlando Emanuel Caruana (June 23, 1844 – September 14, 1917) was a Maltese-American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Caruana received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of New Bern in North Carolina on March 14, 1862, and the Battle of South Mountain in Maryland on September 14, 1862. He was honored with the award on November 14, 1890.

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

Also honored for actions on September 14, 1862

James Allen Private · Army Civil War · 1862 John Porter Hatch Brigadier General · Army Civil War · 1862 GH George White Hooker First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 Leonidas H. Inscho Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from New York

JG James R. Garrison Coal Heaver · Navy Civil War · 1864 JT James Granville Thompson Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HS Harlan J. Swift Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 WY William Young Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1862 RC Richard J. Curran Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1862 BG Benjamin Gifford Private · 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.