Wallace W. Johnson (December 30, 1842 – December 30, 1911) was a soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in the
American Civil War. He received the United States' highest medal for bravery during combat, the
Medal of Honor, for his actions during the
Battle of Gettysburg 2 July 1863. He was issued the medal on 8 August 1900.
Biography
Johnson was born December 30, 1842, in
Newfield, New York
Newfield is a town in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 5,184 at the 2020 census. The town's name is derived from the many unoccupied tracts of land that were once in the town.
The Town of Newfield is in the southwest p ...
, and when the American Civil War broke out he enlisted into Company G, 6th Pennsylvania Reserves (also known as the
35th Pennsylvania Infantry) at Waverly, New York.
On the second day of fighting in the
Battle of Gettysburg Union forces had been forced to fall back due to the superior numbers of the opposing Confederate force. As more Union troops arrived to fight however the battle started to shift.
In an area known as Devil's Den, Johnson, along with
J. Levi Roush
J. Levi Roush (February 1, 1838 – February 12, 1906) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army in the American Civil War. Roush received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken o ...
,
John W. Hart,
George Mears
George Mears (January 3, 1843 – November 24, 1921) was an American soldier who fought with the Union Army in the American Civil War. Mears received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for actions taken on ...
,
Chester S. Furman and
Thaddeus S. Smith volunteered to attack a small log cabin being held by Confederate forces.
Although they attempted to approach the cabin by stealth, they were spotted and began taking fire from the enemy force locked inside.
Johnson and the other men rushed through the enemy fire and forced their way into the cabin.
Before they could start shooting the confederate soldiers surrendered and were taken back to Union lines as prisoners. For their actions during this incident, all six men received the Medal of Honor.
Johnson was mustered out of the military June 11, 1864, in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...
.
After the war Johnson returned to Pennsylvania and died December 30, 1911, in
Berks County, Pennsylvania. He is buried at
West Laurel Hill Cemetery in
Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Medal of Honor citation
See also
*
List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: G–L
*
List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Gettysburg
References
External links
Victoria Cross OnlineMedal of Honor website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Wallace W.
1842 births
1911 deaths
American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor
People from Tompkins County, New York
Military personnel from New York (state)
Burials at West Laurel Hill Cemetery