Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Sergeant Robert F. Shipley received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 1, 1865 in Five Forks, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 140th New York Infantry. Shipley was 26 years old.
21 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 10, 1865.
Shipley was born on May 8, 1838 in Wayne, Schuyler County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Penn Yan, Yates County, New York. Shipley died on April 29, 1903 in Mendota, Illinois, at the age of 64. He is buried at Restland Cemetery in Mendota, Illinois.
Shipley 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
Captured the flag of the 9th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.) in hand-to-hand combat.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Buried: Restland Cemetery — map
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Timeline
- May 8, 1838Born in Wayne, Schuyler County, New York
- April 1, 1865Act of valor — Five Forks, VirginiaAge 26. Company A, 140th New York Infantry
- May 10, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- April 29, 1903Died in Mendota, IllinoisAge 64.
- Resting placeRestland CemeteryMendota, Illinois
Biography
Robert Frank Shipley (8 May 1838 - 29 April 1903) was a first sergeant in the United States Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the American Civil War. Shipley was awarded the medal on 10 May 1865 for actions performed at the Battle of Five Forks in Virginia on 1 April 1865.
From the Wikipedia article “Robert F. Shipley”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
