James Wiley (c. 1835 – February 7, 1865) was an American soldier who fought with 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 ...

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 th ...

. Wiley received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, 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. ...

, for actions taken on July 3, 1863 during the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

Biography

On July 2, 1863, during the

, Wiley captured the flag of the 48th Georgia. He was awarded with the Medal of Honor following this action. Following Gettysburg, Wiley was captured during the

Siege 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 ...

and taken to a prisoner of war camp in

Andersonville, Georgia Andersonville is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 237. It is located in the southwest part of the state, approximately southwest of Macon on the Central of Georgia railroad. ...

. He died at the camp on February 7, 1865.

Medal of Honor citation

References

External links

James Wiley on Find A Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wiley, James 1830s births 1865 deaths American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor People of New York (state) in the American Civil War United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Union Army non-commissioned officers Union military personnel killed in the American Civil War American Civil War prisoners of war