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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

Stephen Potter Corliss

First Lieutenant Stephen Potter Corliss, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 2, 1865 in South Side Railroad, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 2, 1865

First Lieutenant Stephen Potter Corliss, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on April 2, 1865 in South Side Railroad, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 4th New York Heavy Artillery. Corliss was 22 years old.

65 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on January 17, 1895, 29 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Colonel.

Corliss was born on July 26, 1842 in Albany, Albany County, New York. Corliss died on May 9, 1904 in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at the age of 61. He is buried at Albany Rural Cemetery in Albany, New York.

Corliss 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

Raised the fallen colors and, rushing forward in advance of the troops, placed them on the enemy's works.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Connecticut — map
  • Died: Pittsfield — map
  • Buried: Albany Rural Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. July 26, 1842
    Born in Albany, Albany County, New York
  2. April 2, 1865
    Act of valor — South Side Railroad, Virginia
    Age 22. Company F, 4th New York Heavy Artillery
  3. January 17, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 9, 1904
    Died in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
    Age 61.
  5. Resting place
    Albany Rural Cemetery
    Albany, New York

Biography

Stephen Potter Corliss (July 26, 1842 – May 9, 1904) was an American soldier who earned a Medal of Honor on January 17, 1895 for service during the American Civil War.

From the Wikipedia article “Stephen P. Corliss”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on April 2, 1865

AA Abner Peeler Allen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AA Andrew O. Apple Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 William J. Babcock Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JB James Albert Barber Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 EB Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont Major and Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1865 William Robert douglas Blackwood Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John W. Boutwell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John E. Buffington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CC Carlton N. Camp Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Corcoran Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC Josiah M. Curtis Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 Thomas Ward Custer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 66 recipients for April 2, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

TS Thomas Smith Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1865 Edward Farrell Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1862 JM John G. Morrison Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1862 NP Norman F. Potter First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 GS George William Schmal Blacksmith · Army Civil War · 1865 CG Charles Arthur Goheen First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865
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.