b. 18/02/1871 Urbanna, Virginia. d. 09/10/1916 Washington DC.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 13/07/1900 Tientsin, China.
Sutton was born in Urbanna, Virginia, on February 18, 1871, the oldest of four children of Thomas E. and Ellen Sutton. His father Thomas worked as a merchant. Sutton entered the Virginia Military Institute on August 18, 1885. He was forced to repeat his first year there, becoming a member of the class of 1890, and resigned from the school in 1888 before graduating.
Sutton joined the Marine Corps from Washington, D.C. in June 1899, and served in the Philippine–American War. By July 13, 1900, he had reached the rank of sergeant and was serving in Tianjin (then known to Americans as “Tientsin”), China, in the midst of the Boxer Rebellion.
Sutton resigned from the military in about 1909 due to illness, after reaching the rank of first sergeant. He died seven years later on October 9, 1916, at age 45 and was buried in site 18847 section 17, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia.
MOH CITATION:
In action during the battle near Tientsin, China, 13 July 1900. Although under heavy fire from the enemy, Sutton assisted in carrying a wounded officer from the field of battle.
BURIAL LOCATION: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
SECTION 17, GRAVE 18847.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: MARSHALL MUSEUM, VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE, LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA.