Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Richard Willis Dewitt

Corporal Richard Willis Dewitt, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Richard Willis Dewitt received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 47th Ohio Infantry. Dewitt was 24 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on August 10, 1894, 31 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Sergeant.

Dewitt was born on June 25, 1838 in Butler County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Oxford, Butler County, Ohio. Dewitt died on September 16, 1909 in Terre Haute, Indiana, at the age of 71. He is buried at Oxford Cemetery in Oxford, Ohio.

Dewitt is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Butler County — map
  • Died: Oxford — map
  • Buried: Oxford Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. June 25, 1838
    Born in Butler County, Ohio
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 24. Company D, 47th Ohio Infantry
  3. August 10, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 16, 1909
    Died in Terre Haute, Indiana
    Age 71.
  5. Resting place
    Oxford Cemetery
    Oxford, Ohio

Biography

Richard Willis DeWitt (June 25, 1838 – September 16, 1909) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.

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

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Leonidas H. Inscho Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 MR Marion A. Ross Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ John L. Younker Private · Army Civil War · 1862 OS Otis W. Smith Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Philip G. Shadrach Private · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ TT Thomas W. Thompson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863
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.