Private Thomas Sullivan, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 29, 1890 at Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company E, 7th U.S. Cavalry. Sullivan was 31 years old.
18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 17, 1891. He later rose to the rank of First Sergeant.
Sullivan was born on April 20, 1859 in Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky. His Medal of Honor is credited to Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Sullivan died on January 10, 1940, at the age of 80. He is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in East Orange, New Jersey.
Sullivan is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Conspicuous bravery in action against Indians concealed in a ravine.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Spanish–American War.
Places
- Born: Ireland — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →
Timeline
- April 20, 1859Born in Covington, Kenton County, Kentucky
- December 29, 1890Act of valor — Wounded Knee Creek, South DakotaAge 31. Company E, 7th U.S. Cavalry
- December 17, 1891Medal of Honor presented
- January 10, 1940DiedAge 80.
- Resting placeHoly Sepulchre CemeteryEast Orange, New Jersey
Biography
Thomas Sullivan (April 4, 1859 – January 10, 1940) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Battle of Wounded Knee, but now called the Wounded Knee Massacre.
From the Wikipedia article “Thomas Sullivan (Medal of Honor, 1890)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
