Private Michael Dougherty (May 10, 1844 to February 19, 1930) was an

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

soldier who fought 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 ...

. Dougherty received the 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 his action at Jefferson, Virginia on 12 October 1863. He was honored with the award on 23 January 1897.

Biography

Dougherty was born in Falcarragh, Ireland on 10 May 1844. He enlisted in the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry on 8 August 1862. On the 12 October 1863, he performed the act of gallantry that earned him the Medal of Honor award. Taken as a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

on that day, he remained in various Confederate prisons until 12 April 1865. After his release from prison, he was sent to Camp Fisk, the parole camp set up four-miles outside of Vicksburg, MS. On 24 April 1865, he was placed aboard the Mississippi steamboat '' Sultana'' along with almost 2,000 other recently paroled Union prisoners of war. On April 27, 1865, the ''Sultana'' exploded her boilers near Memphis, TN, killing almost 1,200 people. Private Dougherty was a survivor. He was eventually sent to Spring Mills, PA, where he was discharged from the army on June 27, 1865. Following the war he married Rose Magee, a union which produced 12 children. He lived with his family in Philadelphia, working at the U.S. Mint. In 1908 he published his diary, which chronicled his experiences in Confederate prisons. He died on 19 February 1930 and his remains are interred at the Saint Marks Roman Catholic Churchyard in

Bristol, Pennsylvania Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River. It antedates Philadelphia, being settled in 1681 and first incorporat ...

Medal of Honor citation

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dougherty, Michael 1844 births 1930 deaths Irish-born Medal of Honor recipients People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Union Army officers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor

Biography

Medal of Honor citation

See also

References