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Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Corporal George W. Healey
CITATION:
HEALEY, GEORGE W.
Rank and organization: Private, Company E, 5th Iowa Cavalry. Place and date: At Newnan, Ga., 29 July 1864. Entered service at: Dubuque, Iowa. Birth: Dubuque, Iowa. Date of issue: 13 January 1899. Citation: When nearly surrounded by the enemy, captured a Confederate soldier, and with the aid of a comrade who joined him later, captured 4 other Confederate soldiers, disarmed the 5 prisoners, and brought them all into the Union lines.
D uring the War Between the States, the Union awarded America's highest decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor, 1,520 times. Of these, 1,195 went to soldiers, 308 to sailors, and 17 to Marines. Only twenty-five were presented posthumously.
As in every war, the vast majority of heroic acts went unnoticed in the heat of battle. The majority of men in uniform serving in combat units courageously placed their lives on the line over an over again. On occasion, however, specific acts of bravery were formally recognized. This medal both expressed appreciation to the hero and sought to motivate the rest of the troops to similar standards.
One young member of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry was honored for an act on conspicuous gallantry. While a private in Company E, George Healey captured several Confederates while his unit was at a military disadvantage. The citation reads as follows: "When nearly surrounded by the enemy, captured a Confederate soldier, and with the aid of a comrade who joined him later, captured four other Confederate soldiers, disarmed the five prisoners, and brought them all into the Union lines." This accomplishment took place at Newnan, Georgia on 29 July 1864.
The book Deeds of Valor records narrative accounts of many events in which the Medal of Honor was awarded. Fortunately it includes Healey's retelling of this important moment in the history of the Fifth Iowa Cavalry. As the following description of the engagement reveals, Corporal Healey was more than willing to share credit for the capture of the Confederates with one of his regimental companions, Private Thomas O. Martin. It should be noted that Martin survived the war, contrary to the suggestion at the close of this passage.
CORPORAL GEORGE W. HEALEY, of Troop E, Fifth Iowa Cavalry, who participated in General McCook's Cavalry Raid during Sherman's Atlanta campaign, says: "At Newnan, Georgia, July 29, 1864, our company was ordered out on the skirmish line which was on the extreme left of our main line of battle. The engagement lasted more or less all day. In moving out we struck into low ground, timber and heavy undergrowth. It was difficult to keep our alignment and intervals and consequently I soon discovered that I was alone and unobserved. Suddenly I ran into a body of Confederate soldiers. Their officer was giving a command to mount and count fours. They did not see me, so I began to retrace my steps and moved back to find my command, when, to my surprise, I came upon a Confederate who was seated on a log and ordered him to drop his gun, which he did. I picked it up and threw it into the creek. Just as I was about to move with my prisoner I heard someone approaching us. Ordering the rebel to lie down, I sought protection from behind a tree and waited. To my satisfaction I recognized in the new arrival Private Oscar Martin, of my company, who was bareheaded and coming toward me at a quick pace. He had lost his way. Looking at my prisoner and pointing to the direction whence he had come, he said: 'The woods are full of 'em.' 'Yes,' I replied, pointing to where I had been, 'and over there, too.'
"Martin scrutinized my prisoner and asked: 'What have you got in that bag?'
"The rebel answered: 'Chewing tobacco.'
"Whereupon Martin compelled him to disgorge, and, I confess, it came in handy.
"As we were about to resume our march, we heard men talking. We got behind a tree and the next minute four Confederates came, trailing in Indian fashion, toward us. Martin and I stepped from behind the trees and covered them. I ordered: 'Halt! Drop those guns!' but had to repeat the command before they obeyed. I then marched them some fifty feet, halted them, and ordered one man to advance at a time, when Martin and I relieved them of their revolvers, holsters and belts. Next, while Martin kept guard, I went back, removed the cartridges from the rifles they had dropped and returned the empty guns to them. We moved toward our lines and reached them without further interruption, where we turned our five prisoners over to General McCook, who paid us a high compliment."
Corporal Healey received a Medal of Honor; his companion died or he would doubtless have been honored in a like manner.
Healey, a nineteen year old native of Iowa, enlisted on 9 September 1861. He transferred to the Fifth Iowa Cavalry Consolidated after the initial enlistment of the soldiers expired and the regiment absorbed members of the Fifth Iowa Infantry. In February of 1865 he was promoted to Sixth Corporal, and he ended the war as a First Corporal.
The heroic actions of Corporal Healey were consistent with the fine record established by the entire regiment throughout the course of the entire, tragic conflict. We are also pleased to have a postwar photograph of this hero and some of his companions from Company E.
Veterans of Company E Fifth Iowa Volunteer Cavalry
For this amazing photograph we owe a debt of gratitude to William Hammel, great-grandson of August Hammel who proudly stands with fellow veterans of Company E, Fifth Iowa Cavalry. The photograph comes from a 1911 edition of the Dubuque Times-Journal. With Grand Army of the Republic medals visible, it appears this image was captured at a reunion or a regular meeting of the local GAR chapter. Below we reproduce the information about each trooper which appears in the Official Regimental Rosters. Since all of these courageous men signed up in 1861 and reenlisted for the duration of the war when their three-year enlistments ended in 1864, there are two entries for each. The first is from the Fifth Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry. The second comes from the Fifth Regiment Iowa Veteran Cavalry Consolidated. As we receive additional information about any of these patriots, we will set up individual pages for them. In the meantime, we hope you will find this tribute to them all fitting.
Standing Row from Left to Right
Hammel, August (Veteran)
Age 23. Residence Dubuque, nativity Germany
Enlisted August 26, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Taken prisoner May 5, 1862, Lockridge's Mill, Tennessee
Returned to Company June 7, 1862
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864
Promoted Eighth Corporal March 1, 1864
Taken prisoner July 31, 1864, Chattahoochee River, Georgia
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Hammel, August (Veteran)
Age 23. Residence Dubuque, nativity Germany
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, as Eighth Corporal, August 8, 1864
Promoted Fifth Corporal February 3, 1865
Mustered out June 3, 1865, Davenport, Iowa.
Healey, George W. (Veteran)
Age 19. Residence Dubuque, nativity Iowa
Enlisted September 9, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Healey, George W. (Veteran)
Age 19. Residence Dubuque, nativity Iowa
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, August 8, 1864
Promoted Sixth Corporal February 3, 1865; First Corporal July 1, 1865
Mustered out August 11, 1865, Nashville, Tennessee
Thompson, George W. (Veteran)
Age 18. Residence Dubuque, nativity Iowa
Enlisted September 9, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Reenlisted and remustered Jan. 1, 1864
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Thompson, George W. (Veteran)
Age 18. Residence Dubuque, nativity Iowa
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, August 8, 1864
Promoted Seventh Corporal February 3, 1865; Second Corporal July 1, 1865
Mustered out August 11, 1865, Nashville, Tennessee
Hoffman, Nicholas
Age 22. Residence Wisconsin, nativity Germany
Enlisted August 27, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Taken prisoner May 5, 1862, Lockridge's Mill, Tennessee
Returned to Company June 7, 1862
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Hoffman, Nicholas
Age 22. Residence Wisconsin, nativity Germany
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, August 8, 1864
Discharged October 25, 1864, Nashville, Tenn., expiration of term of service
Seated Row from Left to Right
Dickinson, Eli H. (Veteran)
Age 17. Residence Dubuque, nativity New Hampshire
Enlisted September 17, 1861, as Sixth Corporal. Mustered October 7, 1861
Promoted Sixth Sergeant January 1, 1863
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864
Promoted Fifth Sergeant January 1, 1864
Taken prisoner July 31, 1864, Chattahoochee River, Georgia
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Dickinson, Eli H. (Veteran)
Age 19. Residence Dubuque, nativity New Hampshire.
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, as Fifth Sergeant, August 8, 1864
Promoted Third Sergeant February 3, 1865
Mustered out June 6, 1865 Clinton, Iowa
Allen, Thomas (Veteran)
Age 21. Residence Wisconsin, nativity New York
Enlisted August 27, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864
Promoted Sixth Corporal March 3, 1864
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Allen, Thomas (Veteran)
Age 21. Residence Grant County, Wisconsin, nativity New York
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, as Sixth Corporal, August 8, 1864
Promoted Third Corporal February 3, 1865; Sixth Sergeant July 1, 1865
Mustered out August 11, 1865, Nashville, Tennessee
Morgan, William J.
Age 24. Residence Dubuque, nativity Pennsylvania
Enlisted August 25, 1861, as First Corporal. Mustered October 7, 1861
Promoted to Regimental Band
Returned to Company June 12, 1862
Promoted Fourth Sergeant January 1, 1863; Company Commissary Sergeant August 1, 1863
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864.
Morgan, William J.
Age 24. Residence Dubuque, nativity Pennsylvania
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, as Company Commissary Sergeant, August 8, 1864
Mustered out October 25, 1864, Nashville, Tennessee, expiration of term of service
Beyer, Anthony (Veteran)
Age 19. Residence Dubuque, nativity Germany
Enlisted September 2, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Beyer, Anthony (Veteran)
Age 19. Residence Dubuque, nativity Germany
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, August 8, 1864
Mustered out August 11, 1865, Nashville, Tennessee
Gilliam, Charles A. (Veteran)
Age 20. Residence Dubuque, nativity Illinois.
Enlisted September 13, 1861. Mustered October 7, 1861.
Taken prisoner May 5, 1862, Lockridge's Mill, Tennessee
Returned to Company June 7, 1862
Promoted Sixth Corporal January 1, 1863; Fifth Corporal June 1, 1863
Reenlisted and remustered January 1, 1864. Promoted Fourth Corporal March 1, 1864
Transferred to Company E, Fifth Veteran Cavalry Consolidated, August 8, 1864
Gilliam, Charles A. (Veteran)
Age 20. Residence Dubuque, nativity Illinois
Transferred from Company E, Fifth Cavalry, as Fourth Corporal, August 8, 1864
Promoted First Corporal February 3, 1865; Fifth Sergeant July 1, 1865
Mustered out August 11, 1865, Nashville, Tennessee
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