[The Union army began to engage Southern forces just outside of the city of Nashville, Tennessee.]

On December 14, 1864, the Union line advanced and attacked the rebel army in their fortifications. We had to march for some distance under a galling fire from the enemy before we could get our battery in position. Number one, of my gun detachment, seemed very anxious to get into the fight. He would hug the cannon with both arms and say, "We'll give it to 'em, won't we, old Bett?" Old Bett was his pet name for the gun. Our battery was ordered in position on high ground in plain view of two rebel batteries, on to our right and the other directly in front, about 240 yards distant, which were doing their best to dislodge the Union forces, and several men and horses were killed before we could get our battery in position. My gun, a 12-pound Napoleon, was located about eight feet to the right of a large brick house. At the command "load!" number one of the cannoneers (referred to above) took the sponge staff, sponged the gun, and while waiting for number five to come up with the ammunition, a volley from the rebel batteries caused him to become terror stricken. He dropped his sponge staff and ran behind the brick house. His terror spread to the other cannoneers, who also fled, and neither command or entreaty could move them to return to their gun. It was there that I won my medal of honor. In the face of a terrible rain of shot and shell from the enemy I loaded and fired my gun eleven times alone before assistance came. The rebel batteries were silenced and driven back and the Union forces took an advanced position.

RELATED LINKS:

His Story, in His Words (this page)

Offical Army Citation

Award Letter from the War Department

The Comrade Who Came to His Assistance

Cpl. Samuel J. Churchill U.S. Army Reserve Center, Lawrence, Kansas.

Other Medal of Honor Sites