Dennis Murphy (Medal of Honor)

Dennis J.F. Murphy
Born June 28, 1830 (1830-06-28)
County Cork, Ireland
Died June 19, 1901 (1901-06-20) (aged 70)
Place of burial Allouez, Wisconsin
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
Years of service 1861 - 1862
Rank Sergeant
Battles/wars American Civil War
Awards Medal of Honor

Dennis John Francis Murphy (June 28, 1830-June 19, 1901) served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Second Battle of Corinth, where he continued carrying his regiment's colors despite being wounded three times.[1]

Murphy was a member of the 14th Wisconsin Infantry, coming from a unit known as "the De Pere Rifles." He and his wife owned a family farm in Glenmore (De Pere), and moved into Green Bay after the war—his injuries making it no longer possible to continue farming. His full name was Denis John Francis Murphy, and his wife was Bridget (McGinnis) Murphy. (This comment added by a Murphy descendant)

Murphy had also seen action and been wounded earlier at Shiloh. He was awarded a ceremonial saber with the inscription "for valor at the Battles of Shiloh and Corinth." This saber was kept and handed down by his descendants until it myseriously disappeared into the hands of a thus-far anonymous collector in the mid 1990s. (This comment added by a descendant of Murphy)

Murphy was born in County Cork, Ireland. He joined the Union Army in Lowell, Massachusetts in September 1861, and after his discharge in November 1862 lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is buried in the Murphy Family Plot (along with his wife, parents, several of his 11 children and other relatives at the "Allouez Catholic Cemetery" in nearby Allouez, Wisconsin.[2][3]

Many of Murphy's descendants still live in Brown County, Wisconsin; with many more in other parts of the United States.

Medal of Honor citation

His award citation reads:

Although wounded three times, carried the colors throughout the conflict.

See also

Biography portal
United States Army portal
American Civil War portal

References

  1. ^ Edwin Bentley Quiner, The Military History of Wisconsin. Chicago: Clarke & Co., 1866. http://books.google.com/books?id=zxVCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA604&dq=%22dennis+murphy%22#v=onepage&q=%22dennis%20murphy%22
  2. ^ "Museum". http://museum.dva.state.wi.us/Res_honorrecipients_List.asp#CivilWar. Retrieved October 5, 2010. 
  3. ^ David Pevear, "Lowell-area recipients of Congressional Medal of Honor" The Lowell Sun, November 10, 2009.