Henry W. Downs Explained

Henry W. Downs
Birth Date:29 August 1844
Birth Place:Jamaica, Vermont, U.S.
Death Place:Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Placeofburial Label:Place of burial
Placeofburial:Dayton National Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio
Allegiance:United States (Union)
Branch:United States Army
Union Army
Rank:Second Lieutenant
Unit: 8th Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles:American Civil War
Battle of Opequon
Awards:Medal of Honor

Henry W. Downs (August 29, 1844  - July 2, 1911) was a Union Army soldier serving in the 8th Vermont Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Opequon more commonly called the Third Battle of Winchester, Virginia on September 19, 1864. He is buried at Dayton National Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio.

Medal of Honor citation

"The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Henry W. Downs, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 19 September 1864, while serving with Company I, 8th Vermont Infantry, in action at Winchester, Virginia. With one comrade, Sergeant Downs voluntarily crossed an open field, exposed to a raking fire, and returned with a supply of ammunition, successfully repeating the attempt a short time thereafter."

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