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Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster · U.S. Army

Richard Napoleon Batchelder

Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster Richard Napoleon Batchelder, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions between October 13 and 15, 1863 in Catlett and Fairfax Stations, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War October 13 - 15, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Quartermaster Richard Napoleon Batchelder received the Medal of Honor for his actions between October 13 and 15, 1863 in Catlett and Fairfax Stations, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 2d Corps. Batchelder was 31 years old.

The medal was presented on May 20, 1895, 31 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brigadier General.

Batchelder was born on July 27, 1832 in Lake Village (Now Lakeport), Belknap County, New Hampshire. His Medal of Honor is credited to Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. Batchelder died on January 4, 1901 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of 68. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Batchelder is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 35 credited to New Hampshire.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Being ordered to move his trains by a continuous day-and-night march, and without the usual military escort, armed his teamsters and personally commanded them, successfully fighting against heavy odds and bringing his trains through without the loss of a wagon.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Laconia — map
  • Died: Washington, D.C. — map
  • Buried: Arlington National Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Hampshire →

Timeline

  1. July 27, 1832
    Born in Lake Village (Now Lakeport), Belknap County, New Hampshire
  2. October 13 - 15, 1863
    Act of valor — Catlett and Fairfax Stations, Virginia
    Age 31. 2d Corps
  3. May 20, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. January 4, 1901
    Died in Washington, District of Columbia
    Age 68.
  5. Resting place
    Arlington National Cemetery
    Arlington, Virginia

Biography

Richard Napoleon Batchelder (July 27, 1832 – January 4, 1901) was a United States Army Officer and the 18th Quartermaster General of the United States Army. Brigadier General Batchelder was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1891.

From the Wikipedia article “Richard Napoleon Batchelder”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

More Civil War recipients from New Hampshire

WT William Tilton Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 WA William H. Appleton First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 JN John J. Nolan Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 CC Charles Dearborn Copp Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1862 John Coughlin Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 LW Leander A. Wilkins Sergeant · 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.