Richard Conner

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Richard Conner (December 23, 1843 - November 4, 1923) was an American Civil War Union Army soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in action.

A 17 year old resident of Burlington, New Jersey when he enlisted in the 6th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry on August 7, 1861, he was mustered in for three years of service as a Private in Company F on August 26, 1861. During his first year of enlistment his regiment fought in the 1862 Peninsular Campaign (most notably in the May 1862 Battle of Williamsburg and the Battle of Fair Oaks), and in the August 29, 1862 Battle of Second Bull Run. It was during that engagement that he performed his act of bravery that he was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for. The official citation reads:

"The flag of his regiment having been abandoned during retreat, he voluntarily returned with a single companion under a heavy fire and secured and brought of the flag, his companion being killed".

He was promoted to Corporal on September 10, 1862, and to Sergeant on February 4, 1863. He served with the regiment through its participation in the 1863 Battle of Chancellorsville (where he was wounded), the Battle of Gettysburg and the Mine Run Campaign. With less than a year left of his intial term of service, he re-enlisted early on February 18, 1864. When the original enlistments of the 6th New Jersey expired by law in September 1864, new recruits and re-enlistees of the regiment were folded into the 8th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry. Sergeant Conner was transferred to the 8th New Jersey's Company E, with whom he served until the end of the Civil War in May 1865. He was mustered out of service on July 17, 1865.

After the war he moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was a resident of that city when he was awarded the Medal of Honor on September 17, 1897, which recognized his act of bravery 35 years later.

He died in Philadelphia, and was buried there in North Cedar Hill Cemetery in Section W3, Lot 28. His grave is marked by an upright government issue Medal of Honor marker, which was erected in 2000, seventy six years after his passing.

[edit] References

Beyer, W.F., and Keydel, O.F., "Deeds of Valor: How America's Civil War Heroes Won the Congressional Medal of Honor", 1901. Republished, 2000, Smithmark Publishers.

Bilby, Joseph G. and Goble, William C., "Remember You Are Jerseymen: A Military History of Jersey's Troops in the Civil War", Longstreet House, Hightstown, June 1998. ISBN 0-944413-54-4.