Aaron Blake Tompkins (February 2, 1844–November 27, 1931) was a

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

soldier who received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

while serving in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Military career

Blake joined the 1st New Jersey Volunteer Cavalry in December 1861. He was serving as a

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

in Company G when he performed his act of bravery at the April 5, 1865

Battle of Sailor's Creek The Battle of Sailor's Creek was fought on April 6, 1865, near Farmville, Virginia, as part of the Appomattox Campaign, near the end of the American Civil War. It was the last major engagement between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, c ...

, Virginia. His Medal was awarded to him on July 3, 1865, with a citation that reads "Charged into the enemy's ranks and captured a battle flag, having a horse shot under him and his cheeks and shoulders cut with a saber." He died in Essex County, New Jersey, and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, Orange, New Jersey.Congressional Medal of Honor Society
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Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, Company G, 1st New Jersey Cavalry. Place and date: At Sailors Creek, Va., April 5, 1865. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Orange, Essex County, N.J. Date of issue: July 3, 1865. Citation:

Charged into the enemy's ranks and captured a battle flag, having a horse shot under him and his cheeks and shoulders cut with a saber.

Notes

References

* *Bilby, Joseph G. and Goble, William C., "''Remember You Are Jerseymen: A Military History of Jersey's Troops in the Civil War''", Longstreet House, Hightstown, June 1998. . *Lang, George, Collins, Raymond L., and White, Gerald, ''Medal of Honor recipients 1863-1994'', 1995 *Stryker, William S., "''Record of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Civil War 1861-1865''", Trenton, New Jersey, 1876. {{DEFAULTSORT:Tompkins, Aaron B. 1844 births 1931 deaths People of New Jersey in the American Civil War United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Union Army soldiers Military personnel from Orange, New Jersey American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor

Military career

Medal of Honor citation

See also

Notes

References