b. 27/06/1844 Embro, Ontario, Canada. d. 14/01/1927 Los Angeles, California.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 17/06/1864 Petersburg, Virginia.
Benjamin F Young MOH
Young was born in Embro, Ontario, Canada on 27 June 1844. He enlisted in the Union Army at Detroit, Michigan on September 1, 1863, and within days he was mustered as a Private into Company I of the 1st Michigan Volunteer Sharpshooters. Serving first in Chicago, Illinois guarding prisoners at Camp Douglas, he was promoted to Corporal three months later.
In March 1864 the unit joined the IX Corps of the Army of the Potomac under General Ulysses S. Grant, where they saw action at at(delete 2nd “at) the Battle of the Wilderness and Pro Rivers. Marching to Spotsylvania, Corporal Youngs(Young) was wounded and was hospitalized. He returned to fight in the battles of North Anna, Totopotomoy Creek, Bethesda Church, and Cold Harbor. On June 17. 1864, while the army was advancing on Petersburg, Virginia, Youngs(Young) jumped over the breastworks and into the thick of battle, captured and held the Confederate flag and turned it over to his commanding general. This resulted in a promotion to Sergeant, and earned him the Medal of Honor.
It was issued to him on December 5, 1864; he was 19 years old at the time. At the Battle of First Weldon Railroad, he was wounded and taken prisoner. He would be held by the Confederates in Richmond, then Varina, Virginia and finally at Camp Parole in Annapolis, Maryland. On either October 4 or 20 1864, Sergeant Youngs(Young) was released from Confederate hands, given a 20(-)day furlough and sent home. He never returned to service. After the war, he became a builder in Stratford, Ontario, married, and raised six children. Benjamin Franklin Youngs(Young) moved to Los Angeles, California in 1914 and died there at the Old Soldier Nursing Home.
MOH CITATION:
Capture of flag of 35th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.).
BURIAL LOCATION: ODDFELLOWS CEMETERY, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
LOT 55, AVENUE 7, GRAVE 9.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
