Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant Valentine Rossbach received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 12, 1864 in Spotsylvania, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 34th New York Battery. Rossbach was about 22 years old.
34 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 10, 1896, 32 years after the action.
Rossbach was born in 1842 in Germany — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to Flushing, Queens County, New York. Rossbach died on February 20, 1897, at the age of about 55. He is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.
Rossbach 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
Encouraged his cannoneers to hold a very dangerous position, and when all depended on several good shots it was from his piece that the most effective were delivered, causing the enemy's fire to cease and thereby relieving the critical position of the Federal troops.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1842Born in Germany
- May 12, 1864Act of valor — Spotsylvania, VirginiaAge about 22. 34th New York Battery
- July 10, 1896Medal of Honor presented
- February 20, 1897DiedAge about 55.
- Resting placeCypress Hills National CemeteryBrooklyn, New York
Biography
Valentine Rossbach (or Rossback) (1842 – February 20, 1897) was a German-American soldier and member of the 34th New York Battery who fought in the American Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for services in the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.
From the Wikipedia article “Valentine Rossbach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
