Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Canada, he received the award on February 15, 1867 for his actions as a sergeant in Company A, 14th Infantry Regiment, US Army on August 19, 1864 at the Battle of Globe Tavern (also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad) near Petersburg, Virginia during the American Civil War. He immigrated to Malone New York where he was known by the nickname "Frenchy." He enlisted in the US Army in August 1861, just four months after the outbreak of the Civil War. In December 1862 he saw action at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia and was captured by Confederate forces but later released. In early July 1863 he participated at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, rallying his unit after it was decimated by a Confederate cavalry attack. In May 1864 he was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia and three months later he saw action at the Battle of Globe Tavern, taking command of his unit and successfully defending its position after all of its officers were either killed or wounded, for which he would achieve the Medal of Honor. He remained in the US Army following the end of the war and was sent to the Arizona Territory where he was discharged in 1867. He then relocated to San Francisco, California, then worked as a farmer in Alameda and Stanislaus Counties, and eventually settled in Salinas, California where he was employed as a ranch foreman and later operated a cigar store. He died of intestinal trouble at the age of 64, just two days shy of his 65th birthday. His Medal of Honor citation simply reads: "Commanded the regiment, all the officers being disabled."
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. A native of Canada, he received the award on February 15, 1867 for his actions as a sergeant in Company A, 14th Infantry Regiment, US Army on August 19, 1864 at the Battle of Globe Tavern (also known as the Second Battle of the Weldon Railroad) near Petersburg, Virginia during the American Civil War. He immigrated to Malone New York where he was known by the nickname "Frenchy." He enlisted in the US Army in August 1861, just four months after the outbreak of the Civil War. In December 1862 he saw action at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia and was captured by Confederate forces but later released. In early July 1863 he participated at the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, rallying his unit after it was decimated by a Confederate cavalry attack. In May 1864 he was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, Virginia and three months later he saw action at the Battle of Globe Tavern, taking command of his unit and successfully defending its position after all of its officers were either killed or wounded, for which he would achieve the Medal of Honor. He remained in the US Army following the end of the war and was sent to the Arizona Territory where he was discharged in 1867. He then relocated to San Francisco, California, then worked as a farmer in Alameda and Stanislaus Counties, and eventually settled in Salinas, California where he was employed as a ranch foreman and later operated a cigar store. He died of intestinal trouble at the age of 64, just two days shy of his 65th birthday. His Medal of Honor citation simply reads: "Commanded the regiment, all the officers being disabled."
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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