Hometown Heroes 2013

7/28/2019 Hometown Heroes 2013

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The Medal of Honor is our Nation’s highest military decoration. Due to its

rigorous selection criteria, there have been fewer than 3,500 recipients—and of

those, fully one in four are New Yorkers.

In our own region, at least 45 Medal of Honor recipients have been associated withOswego, Jefferson or St. Lawrence Counties. New York State—and particularly the

communities of Northern and Central New York—is truly the Home of Heroes.

This exhibit honors recipients of the Medal of Honor, in conjunction with the

150th anniversary of the award’s creation by President Abraham Lincoln.

The Medal of Honor“For Conspicuous Gallantry and

Intrepidity in Action At the Risk of LifeAbove and Beyond the Call of Duty”

New York State Senator

Patty Ritchie

I’ve introduced legislation to pay tribute to New York’s Medal of

Honor recipients by naming some of the bridges and overpassesof our state in their honor. Learn more about my “Heroes

Highways” bill by visiting my website, www.ritchie.nysenate.gov.



Senator Patty Ritchie has proposed legislation to honor New York’s Medal of Honor recipients by

naming some of the state’s 20,000 highway bridges for these “Hometown Heroes.”

Marine Sgt. Sprowle, of Lisbon, was aboard the USS Richmond

during action against Confederate forts and gunboats in Mobile

Bay. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men onboard as enemy re raked her decks, Sgt. Sprowle directed the

ship’s great guns and forced the surrender of an enemy ship

and destroyed the batteries at Fort Morgan. He is buried in

Red Mills Cemetery.

Courage under re

Sgt. David SprowleAugust 5, 1864





Gouverneur’s Lt. Walling led his troops in a Christmas

Day assault against Fort Fisher—“the Gibraltar of theSouth”—and captured the enemy ag. After the war,

he served as Deputy Customs Collector in Ogdensburg,

and was elected St. Lawrence County Sheriff in 1870.

From ‘Gibraltar’ to

County Sheriff

Lt. William WallingDecember 25, 1864





Pvt. Allen enlisted in the 16th New York Infantry at

Potsdam, and received his Medal of Honor during the

battle of South Mountain in Maryland, when he single

handedly accosted a squad of 14 Confederate soldiers,

convincing them to surrender and captured the colors

of the 16th Georgia Infantry.

He took prisoners

Private James AllenSeptember 14, 1862





Born in Brasher, Cpl. Johnson enlisted in the Union

Army in Ogdensburg. He voluntarily exposed himself to a Confederate sniper at New Hope Church, Ga., and

made it possible for his comrades to shoot the sniper.

He is buried at Old Pine Grove Cemetery in Massena.

Flushing out a deadly sniper

Corporal Philot

(Follett) JohnsonMay 27, 1864





Pinned down by enemy re and armed only with a ri e, Pfc.

Magrath, a member of the famed 10th Mountain Division, attacked

a German machine gun emplacement. Five Germans emerged fromtheir foxholes, ring at Magrath and retreating toward their own

lines. Picking up the German machine gun, Magrath attacked the

eeing enemy. He captured a second German position, and was

killed later that same day when two mortar rounds landed at his

feet as he crossed a eld. In 1995, Fort Drum renamed its Soldiers

Sports Complex as the John D. Magrath Gymnasium.

Fearless under re

Pfc. John D.

Magrath

April 14, 1945





Stationed at Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor,

Cpt. Brewster received the Medal of Honor duringthe Boxer Rebellion in China when he rescued two

men under his command from drowning while

under re from the enemy. He retired in 1925 with

the rank of Major General.

He risked drowning to

save his men

Cpt. Andre Walker

Brewster July 13, 1900





2LT Wallace was a member of the 9th Infantry Regiment

stationed at Madison Barracks in Sackets Harbor,

and received his Medal for his actions at Luzon, the

Phillipines, when ambushed, he helped a wounded

fellow soldier to aid in a town that was a mile away.

Marched a mile to help

a stricken comrade

2nd Lt. George W.

WallaceMarch 4, 1900





On D-Day, Fulton’s Pvt. Barrett was forced to wade ashore through

neck-deep water under heavy enemy re. Disregarding personal

danger, he returned to the surf again and again to assist his

oundering comrades and save them from drowning. Refusing to

remain pinned down by the intense barrage of small-arms and

mortar re, Pvt. Barrett saved many lives by carrying casualties to

an evacuation boat lying offshore, and risked his life during many

hours to help rally troops on the beach.

Courage under re

Pvt. Carlton William

Barrett June 6, 1944





During the battle of Hatcher’s Run, Va., Oswego’s

Major Coey seized the 147th New York Infantry

regimental colors and led the entire brigade to follow

him in an attack on the enemy. After being severely

wounded, he asked to be lifted into the saddle of

his horse and a second time rallied the line in an

attempt to check the enemy.

Major James Coey

February 6, 1865 A leader of men





Sandy Creek’s Lt. Hadley carried important dispatches

from Gen. Grant through enemy lines to Gen.Burnside, whose forces were besieged within Knoxville.

He brought back replies through enemy lines even

though his comrade was taken prisoner after his

horse was killed.

He delivered with courage

Lt. Cornelius Minor

HadleyNovember 20, 1863





Lt. Preston joined the Army at Fulton and, though

assigned to the quartermaster corps, he volunteered to

march on an important Confederate position. When his

captain was killed, Lt. Preston rallied the men and led

them despite heavy small arms and artillery re until

he was shot in the hip and severely wounded.

A fearless leader

1LT Noble D. Preston

November 20, 1863





Born in Oswego, Cpl. Plant received the Medal of

Honor at Bentonville, NC, when he rushed into the

midst of the enemy and rescued the colors after the

Color Bearer had fallen mortally wounded.

Defender of our ag

Cpl. Henry E.

PlantMarch 19, 1865

Documents

Hometown Heroes 2013