Eri Davidson Woodbury (May 30, 1837 – April 14, 1928) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Battle of Cedar Creek fought near Middletown, Virginia on October 19, 1864. The battle was the decisive engagement of Major General Philip Sheridan’s Valley Campaigns of 1864 and was the largest battle fought in the Shenandoah Valley.
Eri D. Woodbury | |
|---|---|
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| Born | May 30, 1837 Francetown, New Hampshire |
| Died | April 14, 1928 (aged 90) Cheshire, Connecticut |
| Place of burial | Saint Peters Church Cemetery, Cheshire, Connecticut |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |  United States ArmyUnion Army |
| Years of service | 1863 - 1865 |
| Rank |  First Lieutenant Brevet Captain |
| Unit |  1st Vermont Cavalry |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War • Battle of Cedar Creek |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
Woodbury graduated from Dartmouth College in 1863. He enlisted in the army in December of that year, and mustered out in June 1865[1] After the war, he taught at Cheshire Academy for 38 years, eventually becoming its headmaster from 1884 to 1903.[2][3][4] He was married once.[4]
Medal of Honor citation
edit“The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Eri Davidson Woodbury, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 19 October 1864, while serving with Company E, 1st Vermont Cavalry, in action at Cedar Creek, Virginia. During the regiment's charge when the enemy was in retreat Sergeant Woodbury encountered four Confederate infantrymen retreating. He drew his saber and ordered them to surrender, overcoming by his determined actions their willingness to further resist. They surrendered to him together with their rifles and 12th North Carolina (Confederate States of America) regimental flag.”
Woodbury was sent to Washington, D.C., with the captured Confederate battle flag. He was personally introduced to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton by General George Custer. Stanton personally presented the Medal of Honor to Woodbury. Sergeant Woodbury was also promoted to First Lieutenant and was mustered out as a Brevet Captain in Jun 1865.
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget". vermontcivilwar.org.
- ^ Thomas, Grace Powers (1898). Where to educate, 1898-1899. A guide to the best private schools, higher institutions of learning, etc., in the United States. Boston: Brown and Company. p. 26. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
- ^ "Eri Woodbury" (PDF). www.cheshireacademy.org.
- ^ a b "Eri D. Woodbury (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- "Eri D. Woodbury". Hall of Valor. Military Times.
External links
edit- Military Times Hall of Valor
- Eri D. Woodbury at Find a Grave
- Vermont in the Civil War Archived 2008-12-11 at the Wayback Machine