John Henry Patterson (Medal of Honor)

John Henry Patterson
John Henry Patterson
Born	February 10, 1843; Selkirk, New York
Died	October 5, 1920 (aged 77)
Place of burial	Albany Rural Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America; Union
Service / branch	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1861 - 1899
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	11th Infantry Regiment
Battles / wars	American Civil War
Awards	Medal of Honor

John Henry Patterson (February 10, 1843 – October 5, 1920) was a Union officer during the American Civil War and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for courage under fire at the Battle of the Wilderness.

Biography

Patterson was born in Selkirk, New York and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the newly created 11th Infantry Regiment in May 1861.^[1] On May 5, 1864, under heavy fire from Confederate forces, Patterson left cover to rescue a wounded officer, who was in danger of both capture and death, as the forest near where he had fallen had caught fire during the battle. Patterson picked up the officer and carried him several hundred yards to safety.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

First Lieutenant, 11th U.S. Infantry.Place and date: At Wilderness, Va., May 5, 1864. Entered service at: New York. Birth: New York. Date of issue: July 23, 1897.

Citation:

Under the heavy fire of the advancing enemy, picked up and carried several hundred yards to a place of safety a wounded officer of his regiment who was helpless and would otherwise have been burned in the forest.^[2]