Charles H. Pinkham (18 August 1844 – 6 November 1920) was born in

Grafton, Massachusetts Grafton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,664 at the 2020 census. The town consists of the North Grafton, Grafton, and South Grafton geographic areas, each with a separate ZIP Code. Incorporated in ...

in 1844. In 1895, President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

presented him with 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 valo ...

for his service in 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 ...

. He is buried in Hope Cemetery,

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

. Pinkham joined the Army from

in December 1863, and was mustered out as a brevet Captain in July 1865. He had been a

Sergeant Major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in th ...

with the 57th Massachusetts Infantry, and was "among the soldiers who stormed Fort Steadman during the

Battle of Petersburg The Richmond–Petersburg campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War. Although it is more popularly known as the Siege of Petersburg, it was not a cla ...

in March 1865." His official Medal of Honor citation reads: "Captured the flag of the 57th North Carolina Infantry ( C.S.A.) and saved his own colors by tearing them from the staff while the enemy was in the camp."

References

: * ''Worcester Magazine'', May 22, 2008, pg 13 *

External links

* 1844 births 1920 deaths Union Army soldiers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People from Grafton, Massachusetts American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor Burials at Hope Cemetery (Worcester, Massachusetts) {{AmericanCivilWar-bio-stub