John Schiller (March 7, 1830 – June 3, 1926) (born John Schilling) was an enlisted soldier in the U.S. Army 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 ...
. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the
Battle of Chaffin's Farm
The Battle of Chaffin's Farm and New Market Heights, also known as Laurel Hill and combats at Forts Harrison, Johnson, and Gilmer, was fought in Virginia on September 29–30, 1864, as part of the siege of Petersburg in the American Civil War.
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on September 29, 1864.
Military service
Emigrating from his native Germany, his surname was originally Schilling. He volunteered for service with the 158th regiment of New York Infantry, part of the Empire-Spinola Brigade which was organized in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
in August 1862. Assigned to the Union
XVIII Corps, the regiment lost during service two officers and 45 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 83 enlisted men by disease.
At the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Private Schiller led a Union infantry advance into the Confederate trench works. His actions in this battle resulted in the awarding of the Medal of Honor.
Schiller died at age 96 and was buried at
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
Cypress Hills National Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Cypress Hills neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. It is the only United States National Cemetery in New York City and has more than 21,100 interments of veterans and civilians. ...
in Brooklyn.
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private John Schiller, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 29 September 1864, while serving with Company E, 158th New York Infantry, in action at Chaffin's Farm, Virginia. Private Schiller advanced to the ditch of the enemy's works.
See also
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List of Medal of Honor recipients
The Medal of Honor was created during the American Civil War and is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to a member of its armed forces. The recipient must have distinguished themselves at the risk of their ...
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List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: Q–S
External links
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1830 births
1926 deaths
American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
Burials at Cypress Hills National Cemetery
German-born Medal of Honor recipients
German emigrants to the United States
People of New York (state) in the American Civil War
Union Army soldiers
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
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