b. 1841 Allegany County, New York. d. 30/01/1890 Sheep Ranch, Calaveras County, California.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 09/10/1864 Woodstock, Virginia.
Edward R Hanford MOH
Edward R. Hanford (1845–1890) was a private in the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, Company H, during the Civil War. Born in Allegany County, New York, in 1845, Hanford captured the battle flag of the 32nd Battalion Virginia Cavalry of the Confederate States of America at the Battle of Tom’s Brook, Woodstock, Virginia, on 9 October 1864. The Union charge, led by generals Wesley Merritt and George Armstrong Custer, successfully forced the Confederates to retreat 10 miles (16 km) southward of Woodstock. Hanford received the Medal of Honor on 14 October 1864 for capturing the Confederate battle flag during the charge and for demonstrating “extraordinary heroism”. Hanford died in California in 1890 and was buried in the Mokelumne Hill Protestant Cemetery of Mokelumne Hill, Calaveras County.
MOH CITATION:
Capture of flag of 32d Battalion Virginia Cavalry (C.S.A.).
BURIAL LOCATION: MOKELUMNE HILL PROTESTANT CEMETERY, MOKELUMNE HILL, CALIFORNIA.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
