Louis C. Shepard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Louis Capet Shepard
September 2, 1841(1841-09-02) – April 27, 1919 (aged 77)
Louis Shepard
Ordinary Seaman Louis C. Shepard
Place of birth Flag of Ohio Ashtabula, Ohio
Place of death Flag of Ohio Danbury, Ohio
Allegiance Flag of the United States United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy Seal U.S. Navy
Years of service 1860–1865
Rank Ordinary Seaman
Unit USS Wabash
Battles/wars American Civil War
Awards - Medal of Honor

Lewis Capet Shepard (September 2, 1841 – April 27, 1919) was born in Ashtabula County, Ohio and was a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War who received America's highest military decoration the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. Due to a Navy clerical error however his citation and history will always record his first name as Louis[1][2][3]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Shepard entered the U.S. Navy during the Civil War and was assigned as an ordinary seaman to the USS Wabash. He participated in the landing party that assaulted Fort Fisher in North Carolina in January 1865. He advanced gallantly through severe enemy fire, while armed only with a revolver and cutlass, which made it impossible to return the fire at that range. Shepard succeeded in not only reaching the angle of the fort, but in being one of the few to enter it. When the rest of the men to his rear were forced to retreat due to devastating fire, Shepard was forced to withdraw and seek the shelter of one of the mounds near the stockade. Shepard then succeeded in regaining the safety of his ship.

Shepard was just 23 years old at the time. After the fall of Fort Fisher, the Confederate army evacuated its remaining forts in the Cape Fear area, and Union forces soon overtook Wilmington. Once Wilmington fell, the supply line of the Confederacy was severed, and the war soon ended.

He was later presented with the Medal of Honor in recognition of his service. Due to a Navy clerical error, his citation reads Louis; however his name was spelled Lewis. Shepard died in Danbury, Ohio, and was buried in Lakeview Cemetery in Port Clinton, Ohio.

In April 2005, Ohio Congressman Steven C. LaTourette, representing the district that contains Shepard's native Ashtabula, passed a resolution in the House honoring Shephard. The flag that was flown over the United States Capitol on April 27, 2005, was unveiled on Memorial Day 2005 during the dedication ceremony for the new Ashtabula County Veterans Memorial. VFW Post 3334 in Jefferson was instrumental on behalf of the new memorial, and for choosing to honor the valor of Louis C. Shepard.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

Ordinary Seaman, U.S. Navy. Born: 1843, Ohio. Accredited to: Ohio. G.O. No.: 59, 22 June 1865.

Citation:

Served as seaman on board the U.S.S. Wabash in the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865. Advancing gallantly through severe enemy fire while armed only with a revolver and cutlass which made it impossible to return the fire at that range, Shepard succeeded in reaching the angle of the fort and in going on, to be one of the few who entered the fort. When the rest of the body of men to his rear were forced to retreat under a devastating fire, he was forced to withdraw through lack of support and to seek the shelter of one of the mounds near the stockade from which point he succeeded in regaining the safety of his ship.[4][5]

[edit] Medal of Honor Legion

Medal of Honor Legion certificate
Medal of Honor Legion certificate

No. 105

In the Name and by the Authority of the Medal of Honor Legion of the United States.

To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting

Know ye that Louis C. Shepard having received a Medal of Honor for distinguished gallantry in action, in accordance with the Acts of Congress and having rendered faithful service in maintaining the honor, integrity and supremacy of the United States of America, was received as a companion of the First Class of the Medal of Honor Legion of the United States of America on the fourth day of October Anno Domine, eighteen hundred and ninety two

In Testimony Whereof the names of the Commander and Adjutant and the seal of the order are hereunto affixed. Given at Washington D.C. this ninth day of June in the year of our lord eighteen hundred and ninety seven

Nelson A. Miles[6][7] Commander

John Tweedale[8][9] Adjutant

[edit] See also

United States Navy Portal
American Civil War Portal

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ For factual Medal of Honor history sake this page is named Louis C. Shepard for it is under this name due to a Navy clerical error that the MOH was Awarded.
  2. ^ A Quick search of Louis C. Shepard at Find A Grave will produce the grave of Mr. Shepard and his wife Velma and one can clearly see the family headstone contradicts the Government headstone.
  3. ^ The original submitter of this page is in possession of the death certificates of Lewis Capet, Velma Eudora and their son Osmer Lewis Shepard.
  4. ^ "Civil War Medal of Honor Citations" (S-Z): Shepard, Louis C.. AmericanCivilWar.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  5. ^ "Medal of Honor website” (M-Z): Shepard, Louis C.. army.mil. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  6. ^ "Civil War Medal of Honor Citations" (S-Z): Miles, Nelson A.. AmericanCivilWar.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  7. ^ "Medal of Honor website” (M-Z): Miles, Nelson A.. army.mil. Retrieved on 2007-11-09.
  8. ^ "Civil War Medal of Honor Citations" (S-Z): Tweedale, John. AmericanCivilWar.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.
  9. ^ "Medal of Honor website” (M-Z): Tweedale, John. army.mil. Retrieved on 2007-11-29.

[edit] References

This article includes information collected from the Naval Historical Center, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain.