Corporal Richard Welch, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 2, 1865 in Petersburg, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 37th Massachusetts Infantry. Welch was about 37 years old.
65 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 10, 1865. He later rose to the rank of Sergeant.
Welch was born in 1828 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Williamstown, Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Welch died on March 13, 1894 in Williamstown, Massachusetts, at the age of about 66. He is buried at Eastlawn Cemetery in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Welch is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 265 credited to Massachusetts.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Capture of flag.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Buried: East Lawn Cemetery and Sherman Burbank Memorial Chapel — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- 1828Born in Ireland
- April 2, 1865Act of valor — Petersburg, VirginiaAge about 37. Company E, 37th Massachusetts Infantry
- May 10, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- March 13, 1894Died in Williamstown, MassachusettsAge about 66.
- Resting placeEastlawn CemeteryWilliamstown, Massachusetts
Biography
Richard Welch (c. 1828 - March 13, 1894) was an Irish born soldier who fought in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor on 10 May 1865 for actions as a corporal with the 37th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment at the Third Battle of Petersburg, Virginia on 2, April, 1865. Richard Welch is buried where he died in Williamstown, Massachusetts in the Eastlawn Cemetery.
From the Wikipedia article “Richard Welch (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
