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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Peter McAdams

Corporal Peter McAdams, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 3, 1863 at Salem Heights, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 3, 1863Born in Ireland

Corporal Peter McAdams, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 3, 1863 at Salem Heights, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 98th Pennsylvania Infantry. McAdams was 29 years old.

29 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 1, 1898, 34 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant.

McAdams was born on April 21, 1834 in Armagh, County Armagh, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. McAdams died on September 29, 1926 in Roxborough, Pennsylvania, at the age of 92. He is buried at St. John the Baptist Cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

McAdams is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Went 250 yards in front of his regiment toward the position of the enemy and, under fire, brought within the lines a wounded and unconscious comrade.

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

Places

  • Born: Armagh — map
  • Died: Roxborough — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. April 21, 1834
    Born in Armagh, County Armagh, Ireland
  2. May 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Salem Heights, Virginia
    Age 29. Company A, 98th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. April 1, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 29, 1926
    Died in Roxborough, Pennsylvania
    Age 92.
  5. Resting place
    St. John the Baptist Cemetery
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biography

Peter McAdams (April 21, 1834 – September 29, 1926) was an Irish American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. He emigrated to America at the age of 14 and worked initially as a shoemaker. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Union Army. McAdams fought with the 98th Pennsylvania Infantry at the Battles of Williamsburg and Fredericksburg. He received a promotion to sergeant for his action in rescuing a wounded comrade at the Battle of Salem Church on May 3, 1863. McAdams was later commissioned as an officer and fought in this role at the Battle of Cold Harbor. He was seriously injured and left the army after the war.

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

Also honored for actions on May 3, 1863

FB Frederick A. Ballen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Thomas Wilson Bradley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Edward Brown Jr. Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 JB John Knight Bucklyn First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 John F. Chase Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Andrew Davidson Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1863 JF Jacob G. Frick Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 John Curtis Gilmore Major · Army Civil War · 1863 WG William Ernest Goodman First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 Lewis Addison Grant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 John Hack Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Francis Bloodgood Hall Chaplain · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 30 recipients for May 3, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

JL John Lilley Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JS James M. Seitzinger Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Hillary Beyer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 James Jackson Purman Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 JM James Martin Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1864 Daniel P. Reigle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864
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.