b. 13/11/1840 Perrysville, Pennsylvania. d. 17/03/1913 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 12/05/1864 Spotsylvania, Virginia.
Alexander H Mitchell MOH
Born in Perrysville, Pennsylvania on November 13, 1840, Alexander H. Mitchell was a son of Thomas Sharp Mitchell Sr. (1813–1883), a Jefferson County merchant who was a native of Elderton, Pennsylvania, and Hunterdon County native Sarah E. (Blose) Mitchell. He was raised in Allegheny County and educated in the public schools of his community with his siblings: Nancy (1831–1884), Andrew (1833–1863), Sarah Ann (1834–1894), Thomas Sharp Jr. (1838–1898), Rebecca A. (1842–1910), Martha J. (1844–1923), James George (1847–1919), Malinda (1849–1910), Laura (1852–1909), and Alice R. (1855–1932).
Known to family and friends as “Alex”, Mitchell resided in Jefferson County at the dawn of America’s Civil War. He served as a First Lieutenant in Company A, 105th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Union Army. While leading his men in an attack on Confederate forces at Spotsylvania, Virginia, May 12, 1864, he captured the flag of 18th North Carolina Infantry C.S.A., in a personal encounter with the color bearer. He later rose to the rank of Captain and for his bravery in action, was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 27, 1890.
Following his honorable discharge from the military, Alexander H. Mitchell secured employment in the oil industry in Burning Springs, West Virginia, and then returned home to Pennsylvania where, in 1866, he married Sarah (Repine) Mitchell (1845–1925). Employed as a well engineer in 1870, he resided with his wife and children, Cecil (born circa 1867) and Jane/June (born 1870), in Oil City, Pennsylvania.
Their children Ross Tyson and Clara were born, respectively, in October 1880 and November 1885. During this decade, he and his family resided in Indiana, Pennsylvania. In 1889, they relocated to Harrisburg in Dauphin County when Mitchell began work as a messenger for the Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs. After the turn of the century Mitchell continued to live in Harrisburg with his wife, their son Ross, who was employed as an artist, and daughter Clara. According to the federal census taker, he and his wife had had eight children together, only three of whom were still alive by 1900.
MOH CITATION:
Capture of flag of 18th North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.), in a personal encounter with the color bearer.
BURIAL LOCATION: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
SECTION 3, GRAVE 2515.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
