Private Samuel Cole Wright was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 17, 1862 in Antietam, Maryland during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company E, 29th Massachusetts Infantry. Wright was 20 years old.
18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on January 29, 1896, 33 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Sergeant.
Wright was born on September 7, 1842 in Plympton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts. Wright died on July 6, 1906, at the age of 63. He is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Wright 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
Voluntarily advanced under a destructive fire and removed a fence which would have impeded a contemplated charge.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Massachusetts →
Timeline
- September 7, 1842Born in Plympton, Plymouth County, Massachusetts
- September 17, 1862Act of valor — Antietam, MarylandAge 20. Company E, 29th Massachusetts Infantry
- January 29, 1896Medal of Honor presented
- July 6, 1906DiedAge 63.
- Resting placeOak Grove CemeteryPlymouth, Massachusetts
Biography
Samuel Cole Wright (September 29, 1842 – July 7, 1906) was a sergeant in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Wright served with the 29th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, participated in 30 battles, was wounded five times and twice reported dead. For his actions during the Battle of Antietam he received the Medal of Honor on January 29, 1896.
From the Wikipedia article “Samuel C. Wright”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
