Who received a medal of honor while serving in a historical unit opf the U.S. army that began serving the decade prior to the American Civil War?
Wilhelm O. Philipsen Wilhelm O. Philipsen (1852–1913), a recipient of the Medal of Honor, served as a blacksmith in Company D of the U.S. Army’s 5th Cavalry Regiment during the Battle of Milk Creek in 1879. He was among 10 cavalrymen who volunteered to form a skirmish line on September 29, 1879 while Company D retreated from an attack by the White River Utes. Philipsen and the other volunteers were awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery in defending their unit during this retreat.
Thomas O. Seaver Thomas Orville Seaver (December 23, 1833 – July 11, 1912) rose to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army during the American Civil War and received the Medal of Honor, America's highest military decoration, for his actions at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. After the war Seaver was admitted to the Vermont bar and practiced law, serving as a judge for many years, until his death.