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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Thomas Anderson

Corporal Thomas Anderson, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 8, 1865 at Appomattox Station, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 8, 1865

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Thomas Anderson received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 8, 1865 at Appomattox Station, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company I, 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Anderson was 23 years old.

4 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1865.

Anderson was born on July 12, 1841 in Scenery Hill, Washington County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. Anderson died on September 8, 1912 in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 71. He is buried at Dunkard Cemetery in Lone Pine, Pennsylvania.

Anderson is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 45 credited to West Virginia.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of Confederate flag.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Centre County — map
  • Died: Amwell Township — map
  • Buried: Ten Mile Church of the Brethren Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in West Virginia →

Timeline

  1. July 12, 1841
    Born in Scenery Hill, Washington County, Pennsylvania
  2. April 8, 1865
    Act of valor — Appomattox Station, Virginia
    Age 23. Company I, 1st West Virginia Cavalry
  3. May 3, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. September 8, 1912
    Died in Washington County, Pennsylvania
    Age 71.
  5. Resting place
    Dunkard Cemetery
    Lone Pine, Pennsylvania

Biography

Thomas A. Anderson (July 12, 1841 – September 8, 1912) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army as a corporal in Company I of the 1st West Virginia Cavalry during the American Civil War. He was awarded his nation's highest award for valor, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for capturing the flag of a Confederate regiment during the Battle of Appomattox Station on April 8, 1865. The award was conferred on May 3 of that same year.

From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Anderson (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on April 8, 1865

EB Edgar A. Bras Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 MR Morton A. Read First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 CS Charles Schorn Chief Bugler · Army Civil War · 1865 BS Bernard Shields Private · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from West Virginia

William Bumgarner Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 LS Levi Shoemaker Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 AW Adam White Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 William H. Horsfall Drummer · Army Civil War · 1862 DW Daniel A. Woods Private · 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.