b. 25/09/1844 Roscommon, County Ballagh, Ireland. d. 17/02/1917 New York.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 01/06/1862 Fair Oaks, Virginia.
James R OBeirne MOH
He was born in Cappagh, County Roscommon, Ireland, to Michael Horan O’Beirne and Eliza Rowan O’Beirnehe was nine months-old he when his family emigrated to New York City. He grew up in Manhattan a devout Catholic and went to the Jesuit College of St. Francis Xavier then on 15th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in Manhattan. He moved to the Bronx to complete his education at St. John’s College (now Fordham University) as the valedictorian of the class of 1854. He continued on to study philosophy and then law at St. John’s and received his Magister Artium (MA) and Legum Doctor (LL.D) in 1857. He briefly worked as an attorney in Manhattan until 1861.
An Irish immigrant, he was issued the award on January 20, 1891 for his actions as a captain with Company C, 37th New York Infantry, US Army, at the Battle of Fair Oaks (or Seven Pines), Virginia. He joined the US Army in April 1861 as a private and was seriously wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863. He recovered and by the end of the war, he had risen to the rank of major. Following President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination on April 14, 1865, he became involved with the apprehension of the conspirators who were part of the plot. From his services, he was brevetted to the rank of brigadier general in September 1865.
MOH CITATION:
Gallantly maintained the line of battle until ordered to fall back.
BURIAL LOCATION: CALVARY CEMETERY, WOODSIDE, NEW YORK.
FIRST CALVARY, SECTION 7, RANGE 9, PLOT II, GRAVE 14.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: FAMILY.
