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Corporal · U.S. Army

Voltare Paine Twombly

Corporal Voltare Paine Twombly, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on February 15, 1862 at Fort Donelson, Tennessee during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War February 15, 1862

Corporal Voltare Paine Twombly was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on February 15, 1862 at Fort Donelson, Tennessee during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 2d Iowa Infantry. Twombly was 19 years old.

The medal was presented on March 12, 1897, 35 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Twombly was born on February 21, 1842 in Farmington, Van Buren County, Iowa. His Medal of Honor is credited to Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa. Twombly died on February 24, 1918 in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 76. He is buried at Pittsburg Rural Cemetery in Keosauqua, Iowa.

Twombly is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 55 credited to Iowa.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Took the colors after three of the color guard had fallen, and although most instantly knocked down by a spent ball, immediately arose and bore the colors to the end of the engagement.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

  • Occupations: politician, banker

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Farmington — map
  • Died: Des Moines — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Iowa →

Timeline

  1. February 21, 1842
    Born in Farmington, Van Buren County, Iowa
  2. February 15, 1862
    Act of valor — Fort Donelson, Tennessee
    Age 19. Company F, 2d Iowa Infantry
  3. March 12, 1897
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. February 24, 1918
    Died in Des Moines, Iowa
    Age 76.
  5. Resting place
    Pittsburg Rural Cemetery
    Keosauqua, Iowa

Biography

Voltaire Paine Twombly (February 21, 1842 – February 24, 1918) was a Union veteran of the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Fort Donelson on February 15, 1862, when he picked up and carried his regiment's national colors after three other members of his regiment were killed or incapacitated by Confederate fire while attempting to secure the flag. Twombly also participated in a number of other engagements in the Civil War, including the Siege of Corinth and Sherman's March to the Sea.

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

Further reading

More Civil War recipients from Iowa

WM William C. May Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Calvary Morris Young Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 RM Richard H. Morgan Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Horatio L. Birdsall Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 James Alexander Williamson Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 LG Leonidas Mahlon Godley First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863
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.