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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Owen McGough

Corporal Owen McGough, 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, 1861Born in Ireland

Corporal Owen McGough, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on July 21, 1861 at Bull Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Battery D, 5th U.S. Artillery. McGough was 32 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 28, 1897, 36 years after the action.

McGough was born on June 29, 1829 in Monaghan, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Cornwall, Orange County, New York. McGough died on January 5, 1908 in Troy, New York, at the age of 78. He is buried at St. Peter's Cemetery in Troy, New York.

McGough 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

Through his personal exertions under a heavy fire, one of the guns of his battery was brought off the field; all the other guns were lost.

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

Timeline

  1. June 29, 1829
    Born in Monaghan, Ireland
  2. July 21, 1861
    Act of valor — Bull Run, Virginia
    Age 32. Battery D, 5th U.S. Artillery
  3. August 28, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 5, 1908
    Died in Troy, New York
    Age 78.
  5. Resting place
    St. Peter's Cemetery
    Troy, New York

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 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 Orlando Bolivar Willcox Colonel · Army Civil War · 1861 William Herbert Withington Captain · Army Civil War · 1861

More Civil War recipients from New York

HS Harlan J. Swift Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 Thomas E. Corcoran Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1863 WN William Nichols Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 AJ Andrew Jones Chief Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 HW Henry S. Wells Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ FJ Franklin Johndro Private · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.