b. 29/09/1839 Chelmsford, Massachusetts. d. 06/10/1904 Washington DC.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 25/06/1862 Oak Grove, Virginia.
Michael A Dillon MOH
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He was mustered in as a Private in Company G, 2nd New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry on June 5, 1861, having enlisted in Wilton, New Hampshire. He was awarded the CMOH for two instances of bravery during the 1862 Peninsular Campaign.
On May 5, 1862 at the Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia, despite being pinned down by Confederate rifle fire, he exposed himself to the danger in order to rally his comrade to save the artillery pieces of Battery H, 1st United States Regular Artillery, which had been abandoned and left exposed by charging Confederates. He led the Union men in a counter charge that routed the rebels and saved the guns, and received a bullet wound in the leg. At the Battle of Oak Grove on June 25, 1862 during the Seven Days Battles, he volunteered to undertake a spy mission, and crawled at night to the Confederate lines, and was able to hear the discussed plans of Confederate General James Longstreet. Armed with this information, he returned and relayed it to division commander General Joseph Hooker, who then adjusted his position in accordance with the information.
Despite having enlisted for a three year turn, he was discharged on October 18, 1862 on a Surgeon’s Certificate, his wounds rendering him unable to perform further field service. Nearly a year later he rejoined the Union Army on September 17, 1863, and was mustered into the 18th Veterans Reserve Corps, Promoted to 1st Sergeant on December 15, 1864, he served until honorably mustered out on October 2, 1865. His Medal was awarded to him on October 10, 1889, twenty-seven years after his brave acts. Post-war he was very active in veterans groups, and fought against the exclusion of veterans of the United States Colored Troops from organizations and commemorative activities.
MOH CITATION:
Bravery in repulsing the enemy’s charge on a battery, at Williamsburg, Virginia At Oak Grove, Virginia, crawled outside the lines and brought in important information.
BURIAL LOCATION: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
SECTION 13, SITE 14660
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
