How many Bandsmen won the Medal of Honor in the Civil War?

Answer 1

By my count it was 20.

There was one with the rank of Principal Musician and ten with the rank

of Musician. Four held the of Drummer, four held the rank of Chief Bugler

and one held the rank of Bugler.

Among the other interesting footnotes of the 1,522 medal awarded in the

Civil War is that the first and only woman was so decorated, one chaplain,

a civilian scout, a farrier, a ship's steward, 2 surgeons and six assistant

surgeons were so decorated. Only 32 of these awards were posthumous

compared 154 of the 245 awards in the Vietnam Conflict.

In any case musicians did better in the Civil War then the Marines, by a score of 20 to 17.

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A bandsmen is not a Fifer, Drummer, nor a Bugler. Any or all could be mustered in the rank of Musician (most were). Most regimental bands were sent home in April 1862. During combat, bandsmen and drummers usually helped out with the battle casualties....whilst Fifers were usually runners. Buglers were the FM Walkie Talkie's or Cell Phones of their time. Right of the top, without consulting books:Charles Reed, Artillery Bugler with the 9th MASS, Troost Farm, Gettysburg July 2nd 1863.

John Cook, Artillery Bugler, 4th US Battery B, Antietam, Sept. 17 1863. William Carson, Infantry Bugler, Regular US Infantry, Chickamagua 1863 all were commendated with an MOH.

From the US Army BANDS website:

Civil War CARSON, WILLIAM J. Rank and organization: Musician, Company E, 1st Battalion, 15th U.S. Infantry. Place and date: At Chickamauga, Ga., 19 September 1863. Entered service at: North Greenfield, Ohio. Birth: Washington County, Pa. Date of issue: 27 January 1894. Citation: At a critical stage in the battle when the 14th Corps lines were wavering and in disorder he on his own initiative bugled "to the colors" amid the 18th U.S. Infantry who formed by him, and held the enemy. Within a few minutes he repeated his action amid the wavering 2d Ohio Infantry. This bugling deceived the enemy who believed reinforcements had arrived. Thus, they delayed their attack. COOK, JOHN Rank and organization: Bugler, Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery. Place and date: At Antietam Md., 17 September 1862. Entered service at: Cincinnati, Ohio. Birth: Hamilton County, Ohio. Date of issue: 30 June 1894. Citation: Volunteered at the age of 15 years to act as a cannoneer, and as such volunteer served a gun under a terrific fire of the enemy. ENDERLIN, RICHARD Rank and organization: Musician, Company B, 73d Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 1-3 July 1863. Entered service at: Chillicothe, Ohio. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 11 September 1897. Citation: Voluntarily took a rifle and served as a soldier in the ranks during the first and second days of the battle. Voluntarily and at his own imminent peril went into the enemy's lines at night and, under a sharp fire, rescued a wounded comrade. HILLIKER, BENJAMIN F. Rank and organization: Musician, Company A, 8th Wisconsin Infantry. Place and date: At Mechanicsburg, Miss., 4 June 1863. Entered service at. Waupaca Township, Wis. Born: 23 May 1843, Golden, Erie County, N.Y. Date of issue: 17 December 1897. Citation: When men were needed to oppose a superior Confederate force he laid down his drum for a rifle and proceeded to the front of the skirmish line which was about 120 feet from the enemy. While on this volunteer mission and firing at the enemy he was hit in the head with a minie ball which passed through him. An order was given to "lay him in the shade; he won't last long." He recovered from this wound being left with an ugly scar. HORSFALL, WILLIAM H. Rank and organization. Drummer, Company G, 1st Kentucky Infantry. Place and date: At Corinth, Miss., 21 May 1862. Entered service at : ------. Birth: Campbell County, Ky. Date of issue: 17 August 1895. Citation: Saved the life of a wounded officer lying between the lines. HOWE, ORION P. Rank and organization: Musician, Company C, 55th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Vicksburg, Miss., 19 May 1863. Entered service at: Woken, Ill. Birth: Portage County, Ohio. Date of issue: 2 3 April 1896. Citation: A drummer boy, 14 years of age, and severely wounded and exposed to a heavy fire from the enemy, he persistently remained upon the field of battle until he had reported to Gen. W. T. Sherman the necessity of supplying cartridges for the use of troops under command of Colonel Malmborg. JOHNSTON, WILLIE Rank and organization: Musician, Company D, 3d Vermont Infantry. Place and date: Unknown. Entered service at: St. Johnsbury, Vt. Birth: Morristown, N.Y. Date of issue: 16 September 1863. Citation: Date and place of act not on record in War Department. KOUNTZ, JOHN S. Rank and organization: Musician, Company G, 37th Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Missionary Ridge, Tenn., 25 November 1863. Entered service at: Maumee, Ohio. Birth: Maumee, Ohio. Date of issue: 13 August 1895. Citation: Seized a musket and joined in the charge in which he was severely wounded. LANDIS, JAMES P. Rank and organization: Chief Bugler, 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry. Place and date: At Paines Crossroads, Va., 5 April 1865. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Mifflin County, Pa. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag. LANGBEIN, J. C. JULIUS Rank and organization: Musician, Company B, 9th New York Infantry. Place and date: At Camden, N.C., 19 April 1862. Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 29 September 1846, Germany. Date of issue: 7 January 1895. Citation: A drummer boy, 15 years of age, he voluntarily and under a heavy fire went to the aid of a wounded officer, procured medical ass1stance for him, and aided in carrying him to a place of safety. LORD, WILLIAM Rank and organization: Musician, Company C, 40th Massachusetts Infantry. Place and date: At Drurys Bluff, Va., 16 May 1864. Entered service at. Lawrence, Mass. Birth: England. Date ·r issue. 4 April 1898. Citation: Went to the assistance of a wounded officer Iying helpless between the lines, and under fire from both sides removed him to a place of safety. MAGEE, WILLIAM Rank and organization: Drummer, Company C, 33d New Jersey Infantry. Place and date: At Murfreesboro, Tenn., 5 December 1864. Entered service at:------. Birth: Newark, N.J. Date of issue: 7 February 1866. Citation: In a charge, was among the first to reach a battery of the enemy and, with one or two others, mounted the artillery horses and took two guns into the Union lines. MURPHY, ROBINSON B. Rank and organization: Musician, Company A, 127th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Atlanta, Ga., 28 July 1864. Entered service at: Oswego, Kendall County, Ill. Birth: Oswego, Kendall County, Ill. Date of issue: 22 July 1890. Citation: Being orderly to the brigade commander, he voluntarily led two regiments as reinforcements into line of battle, where he had his horse shot under him. PALMER, GEORGE H. Rank and organization: Musician, 1st Illinois Cavalry. Place and date. At Lexington, Mo., 20 September 1861. Entered service at: Illinois. Birth: New York. Date of issue. 10 March 1896. Citation: Volunteered to fight in the trenches and also led a charge which resulted in the recapture of a Union hospital, together with Confederate sharpshooters then occupying the same. PATTERSON, JOHN T. Rank and organization: Principal Musician, 122d Ohio Infantry. Place and date: At Winchester, Va., 14 June 1863. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Morgan County, Ohio. Date of issue: 13 May 1899 Citation: With one companion, voluntarily went in front of the Union line, under a heavy fire from the enemy, and carried back a helpless wounded comrade, thus saving him from death or capture. REED, CHARLES W. Rank and organization: Bugler, 9th Independent Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery. Place and date: At Gettysburg, Pa., 2 July 1863. Entered service at: ------. Birth: Charlestown, Mass. Date of issue: 16 August 1895. Citation: Rescued his wounded captain from between the lines. ROHM, FERDINAND F. Rank and organization: Chief Bugler, 16th Pennsylvania Cavalry. Place and date. At Reams Station, Va., 25 August 1864. Entered service at: Jumata County, Pa. Birth: Juniata County, Pa. Date of issue: 16 October 1897. Citation. While his regiment was retiring under fire voluntarily remained behind to succor a wounded officer who was in great danger, secured assistance, and removed the officer to a place of safety. SCHORN, CHARLES Rank and organization: Chief Bugler, Company M, 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Place and date: At Appomattox, Va., 8 April 1865. Entered service at: Mason City, W. Va. Birth: Germany. Date of issue: 3 May 1865. Citation: Capture of flag of the Sumter Flying Artillery (C.S.A.). SCOTT, JULIAN A. Rank and organization: Drummer, Company E, 3d Vermont Infantry. Place and date. At Lees Mills, Va., 16 April 1862. Entered service at. Johnson, Vt. Birth: Johnson, Vt. Date of issue: February 1865. Citation: Crossed the creek under a terrific fire of musketry several times to assist in bringing off the wounded. SNEDDEN, JAMES Rank and organization: Musician, Company E, 54th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Piedmont, Va., 5 June 1864. Entered service at: Johnstown, Pa. Birth: Scotland. Dates of issue: 11 September 1897. Citation: Left his place in the rear, took the rifle of a disabled soldier, and fought through the remainder of the action. WEBBER, ALASON P. Rank and organization: Musician, 86th Illinois Infantry. Place and date: At Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., 27 June 1864. Entered service at: Illinois. Birth: Greene County, N.Y. Date of issue: 22 June 1896. Citation: Voluntarily joined in a charge against the enemy, which was repulsed, and by his rapid firing in the face of the enemy enabled many of the wounded to return to the Federal lines; with others, held the advance of the enemy while temporary works were being constructed. WELLS, THOMAS M. Rank and organization: Chief Bugler, 6th New York Cavalry. Place and date: At Cedar Creek, Va., 19 October 1864. Entered service at: DeKalb, N.Y. Birth: Ireland. Date of issue: 26 October 1864. Citation: Capture of colors of 44th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.).