James M McClelland MOH

b. 12/08/1830 Hickory, Pennsylvania. d. 10/04/1915 Cleveland, Ohio.

DATE OF MOH ACTION: 22/05/1863 Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for service during the CIVIL WAR, was born in Hickory, Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio, and settled in Harrison County where he enlisted in the 30th Ohio Volunteer Infantry 30 July 1861. During General Grant’s campaign to capture Vicksburg, Mississippi, Private McClelland and 149 others, volunteered to storm the Confederate earthworks north of the city 22 May 1863. Although they failed to capture the enemy position in two attempts, all members of the storming party were recommended to receive the Medal of Honor for their heroic action. McClelland was mustered out of service at Little Rock, Arkansas on 13 August 1865 and returned to Harrison County where he farmed and worked as a blacksmith. McClelland married his fourth wife, Lydia, in 1910 and moved to Cleveland, Ohio, receiving an army invalid pension because of injuries sustained during military service. He died in Cleveland.

 

MOH CITATION:

Gallantry in the charge of the “volunteer storming party.”

 

BURIAL LOCATION: RIVERSIDE CEMETERY, CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SECTION 13, LOT 56, GRAVE 4.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.