Was a entire US army unit awarded the MOH in the ACW

Question

Was an entire US Army regiment ( 834 men ) awarded the Medal of Honor, during the American Civil War ? And is it true that that unit never fired a shot at the Confederate troops ? I know, do you ?

Jim B. Toronto. Ontario. Canada.

Answer 1

If you know, then why are you asking?

Answer 2

Yes they were awarded the Medal of Honour, but the award got withdrawed. The 27th Maine Regiment. I'm not sure about the part where they never fire a single shot.

Answer 3

Yes, the 20th Maine regiment...and it was withdrawn, as the first answerer stated.

Answer 4

During the Civil War, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton promised a Medal of Honor to every man in the 27th Regiment, Maine Infantry who extended his enlistment beyond the agreed upon date. Many stayed four days extra, and then were discharged. Due to confusion, Stanton awarded a Medal of Honor to all 864 men in the regiment.

Just as an aside...there were 24 Canadians awarded the CMOH during theCivil War.

Answer 5

Yes, it was stupid, think the reason why was so it could get them to serve longer, that was why the medal was invented in the first place? To keep sailors loyal?

Answer 6

It was the 27th Maine, not the 20th... the 20th earned 4 MOH's... the 27th had 864, 1 per man... not all were Issued though, and it is still a Controversy, as to where the 560 or so not Issued, went.

Irregardless, they all were revoked.

Answer 7

True; the awards in that incident were later rescinded and withdrawn.

Thomas Custer, brother of George Armstrong Custer, was one of the very few individuals to receive a second award of the medal of honor.  He would wear both of them to Sunday dinner to torment his senior ranking brother.

Arthur MacArthur, father of Douglas MacArthur received his medal of honor in the Civil War for recovering the National Colors on the battle field and rallying his regiment to continue the attack.

Answer 8

Being recommended for the MoH, and actually receiving it are two vastly different things.

As a retired officer, I've known several Soldiers that were _recommended_ for a variety of awards and honors, only to have them administratively downgraded to a lesser award.  Much of this is done so as not to cheapen the highest awards, such as the MoH.

If one regiment of 834 men were all awarded the MoH, then the MoH would become as common as the Commendation Medal.  Not much of an award if everyone can get one.

Here's the real story of the medals:

"30 Jun 1863: Approximately 300 of the 864 members of the 27th Maine agree to remain to guard Washington, DC after their enlistment had expired.   In return Secretary of War Edwin Stanton submitted the entire group of volunteers for Medals of Honor.  A typographical error resulted in all 864 of the 27th Maine's soldiers being awarded Medals of Honor for their extra 4 days of service.  (All were revoked in the purge of 1917)."

http://www.cmohs.org/medal/medal_history...