Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Major Thomas R. Hawkins received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 29, 1864 at Chapin's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 6th U.S. Colored Infantry. Hawkins was about 24 years old.
37 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on February 8, 1870, 5 years after the action.
Hawkins was born in 1840 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Hawkins died on February 28, 1870 in Washington, District of Columbia, at the age of about 30. He is buried at Harmony Memorial Cemetery in Landover, Maryland.
Hawkins is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Rescue of regimental colors.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →
Timeline
- 1840Born in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio
- September 29, 1864Act of valor — Chapin's Farm, VirginiaAge about 24. 6th U.S. Colored Infantry
- February 8, 1870Medal of Honor presented
- February 28, 1870Died in Washington, District of ColumbiaAge about 30.
- Resting placeHarmony Memorial CemeteryLandover, Maryland
Biography
Thomas R. Hawkins (c. 1840 – February 28, 1870) was an African-American Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.
From the Wikipedia article “Thomas R. Hawkins”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
