Missionary Ridge - National Medal of Honor Heritage Center

The Battle of Missionary Ridge was fought on November 25, 1863, as part of the Chattanooga Campaign of the American Civil War. Following the Union victory in the Battle of Lookout Mountain on November 24, Union forces under the command of Major General Ulysses S. Grant assaulted Missionary Ridge and defeated the Confederate Army of Tennessee, commanded by General Braxton Bragg — forcing the Confederate forces to retreat to Georgia.

George L. Banks

Rank: Sergeant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company C, 15th Indiana Infantry

Born: October 13, 1893, Lake County, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: As color bearer, led his regiment in the assault, and, though wounded, carried the flag forward to the enemy’s works, where he was again wounded. In a brigade of 8 regiments this flag was the first planted on the parapet.

James B. Bell

Rank: Sergeant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company H, 11th Ohio Infantry

Born: August 9, 1835, Branot, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Though severely wounded, he was the first of his regiment on the summit of the ridge, planted his colors inside the enemy’s works, and did not leave the field until after he had been wounded 5 times.

Henry V. Boynton

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: 35th Ohio Infantry

Born: July 22, 1835, West Stockbridge, Massachusetts

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Led his regiment in the face of a severe fire of the enemy; was severely wounded.

Charles W. Brouse

Rank: Captain

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company K, 100th Indiana Infantry

Born: December 30, 1839, Indianapolis, Indiana

Place / Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: To encourage his men whom he had ordered to lie down while under severe fire, and who were partially protected by slight earthworks, himself refused to lie down, but walked along the top of the works until he fell severely wounded.

Robert B. Brown

Rank: Private

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company A, 15th Ohio Infantry

Born: October 2, 1844, New Concord, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Upon reaching the ridge through concentrated fire, he approached the color bearer of the 9th Mississippi Infantry (C.S.A.), demanded his surrender with threatening gesture and took him prisoner with his regimental flag.

Freeman Davis

Rank: Sergeant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company B, 80th Ohio Infantry

Born: February 28, 1842, Newcomerstown, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation:This soldier, while his regiment was falling back, seeing the 2 color bearers shot down, under a severe fire and at imminent peril recovered both the flags and saved them from capture.

George Green

Rank: Corporal

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company H, 11th Ohio Infantry

Born: July 16, 1840, England

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Scaled the enemy’s works and in a hand-to-hand fight helped capture the flag of the 18th Alabama Infantry (C.S.A.).

Thomas Graham

Rank: Second Lieutenant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company G, 15th Indiana Infantry

Born: September 16, 1837

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Seized the colors from the color bearer, who had been wounded, and, exposed to a terrible fire, carried them forward, planting them on the enemy’s breastworks.

Philip Goettel

Rank: Private

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company B, 149th New York Infantry

Born: September 2, 1840, Syracuse, New York

Place/Date: At Ringgold, Georgia, November 27, 1863

Citation: Capture of flag and battery guidon.

Hiram R. Howard

Rank: Private

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company H, 11th Ohio Infantry

Born: February 17, 1843, Urbana, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Scaled the enemy’s works and in a hand-to-hand fight helped capture the flag of the 18th Alabama Infantry (C.S.A.).

Simeon T. Josselyn

Rank: First Lieutenant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company C, 13th Illinois Infantry

Born: January 14, 1842, Buffalo, New York

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: While commanding his company, deployed as skirmishers, came upon a large body of the enemy, taking a number of them prisoner. Lt. Josselyn himself shot their color bearer, seized the colors and brought them back to his regiment.

Leverett M. Kelley

Rank: Sergeant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company A, 36th Illinois Infantry

Born: 1841, Schenectady, New York

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Sprang over the works just captured from the enemy, and calling upon his comrades to follow, rushed forward in the face of a deadly fire and was among the first over the works on the summit, where he compelled the surrender of a Confederate officer and received his sword.

John S. Kountz

Rank: Musician

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company G, 37th Ohio Infantry

Born: March 25, 1846, Richfield, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Seized a musket and joined in the charge in which he was severely wounded.

Arthur MacCarthur, Jr.

Rank: First Lieutenant/Adjutant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: 24th Wisconsin Infantry

Born: Springfield, Massachusetts

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Seized the colors of his regiment at a critical moment and planted them on the captured works on the crest of Missionary Ridge.

Axel H. Reed

Rank: Sergeant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company K, 2d Minnesota Infantry

Born: March 13, 1835, Hartford, Maine

Place/Date: At Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19, 1863; At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: While in arrest at Chickamauga, Ga., left his place in the rear and voluntarily went to the line of battle, secured a rifle, and fought gallantly during the 2-day battle; was released from arrest in recognition of his bravery. At Missionary Ridge commanded his company and gallantly led it, being among the first to enter the enemy’s works; was severely wounded, losing an arm, but declined a discharge and remained in active service to the end of the war.

William Schmidt

Rank: Principal Musician

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company G, 37th Ohio Infantry

Born: July 10, 1846, Tiffin, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: Rescued a wounded comrade under terrific fire.

John J. Toffey

Rank: First Lieutenant

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company G, 33d New Jersey Infantry

Born: June 1, 1844, Pawling, New York

Place/Date: At Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 23, 1863

Citation: Although excused from duty on account of sickness, he went to the front in command of a storming party and with conspicuous gallantry participated in the assault of Missionary Ridge; was here wounded and permanently disabled.

James C. Walker

Rank: Private

Organization: U.S. Army

Company: Company K, 31st Ohio Infantry

Born: November 30, 1843, Harmony, Ohio

Place/Date: At Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, November 25, 1863

Citation: After 2 color bearers had fallen, seized the flag and carried it forward, assisting in the capture of a battery. Shortly thereafter he captured the flag of the 41st Alabama and the color bearer.