b. 1841 Willimantic, Connecticut. d. 16/01/1870 Caldera, Chile.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 31/03/1865 Chamberlains Creek, Virginia.
Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the Civil War as a Corporal in Company L, 1st New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery at Chamberlains Creek, Virginia on March 31, 1865. His citation reads “With the assistance of a comrade, headed off the advance of the enemy, shooting two of his color bearers; also posted himself between the enemy and the led horses of his own command, thus saving the herd from capture”. His Medal was issued on July 3, 1865. Corporal Hooper was one of 12 1st New Jersey Cavalry troopers to be awarded the Medal of Honor (the others being Sergeant James T. Clancy, Private Lewis Locke, Sergeant William Porter, Sergeant John C. Sagelhurst, Sergeant David Southard, 1st Sergeant George W. Stewart, Private Christian Streile, Sergeant Charles Titus, Sergeant Aaron Thompkins, Sergeant Charles E. Wilson and Sergeant John Wilson).
Hooper died in Chile on January 16, 1870, and is believed to be buried there. The exact location is not known, and he has a “In Memory Of” marker in Willimantic, Connecticut.
MOH CITATION:
With the assistance of a comrade, headed off the advance of the enemy, shooting two of his color bearers; also posted himself between the enemy and the lead horses of his own command, thus saving the herd from capture.
BURIAL LOCATION: OLD WILLIMANTIC CEMETERY, WILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
