Military Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Philip Petty
Born May 15, 1840
Died December 22, 1917(1917-12-22) (aged 77)
Place of birth Tingewick, England
Place of death Daggett, Pennsylvania, US
Buried at Daggett, Pennsylvania
Allegiance US flag 34 stars United States of America
Service/branch U.S. Army
Years of service 1861–1865
Rank Sergeant
Unit Pennsylvania Company A, 136th Pennsylvania Infantry
Battles/wars American Civil War
Awards Medal of Honor ribbon Medal of Honor

Philip Petty (May 15, 1840 – December 22, 1917) was a British American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Petty received the Medal of Honor for his action in the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862.

Biography[]

Petty was born in Tingewick, England, on May 15, 1840. He moved to Pennsylvania and enlisted in the Union Army's 136th Pennsylvania Infantry Volunteers as a musician in August 1862. Shortly after enlisting, Petty took the position of a private in the infantry and joined Company a of his regiment. He received the Medal of Honor on August 21, 1893, for carrying the company's colors after the color bearer was wounded. Prior to the 20th century, colors were used to signal the movement of a military unit.[1][2]

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, Petty and his regiment were slowly advancing through tall grass when they were caught up in enemy fire.[3] The color bearer was wounded and dropped the colors, so Petty's commanding officer, a colonel, requested volunteers to carry the colors. Petty heeded the request by picking up the colors and continuing to advance with his fellow soldiers. An enemy counterattack pushed his regiment back and forced it to retreat. At one point during the retreat, Petty planted the colors and fired shots back at the enemy line. His commanding officer later told the regiment of what Petty did and he was given cheers and a promotion to color sergeant.[1][3]

Petty raised horses in Daggett, Pennsylvania.[4] He was awarded the Medal of Honor on August 21, 1893. Petty died on December 22, 1917.[2]

Medal of Honor citation[]

Citation: Took up the colors as they fell out of the hands of the wounded color bearer and carried them forward in the charge.[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Beyer, Walter (1907). Deeds of valor: how America's heroes won the Medal of Honor. Perrien-Keydel Co. pp. 121, 122. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Medal of Honor Recipients - Civil War (M-R)". https://history.army.mil/moh/civilwar_mr.html#PETTY. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 O'Reilly, Francis (2006). The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock. LSU Press. pp. 191. ISBN 9780807140680. 
  4. Jackson Township Directory

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Philip Petty and the edit history here.
Advertisement