Martin J. Hawkins

Martin Jones Hawkins (1830 – February 7, 1886) was a Union Army officer in the American Civil War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.[2]

Martin J. Hawkins
Born1830
Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Died1886 (aged 55–56)
Buried
Quincy, Illinois
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Army
RankFirst Lieutenant[1]
UnitOhio Company A, 33rd Ohio Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Great Locomotive Chase
Awards Medal of Honor

Hawkins was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania in 1840 and entered service at Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. He was awarded the Medal of Honor, for extraordinary heroism shown in April 1862 during the Great Locomotive Chase,[3] at Big Shanty, Georgia while serving as a corporal with Company A, 33rd Ohio Infantry. His Medal of Honor was issued in September 1863.[4]

Hawkins died at the age of 55, on February 7, 1886, and was buried at Woodland Cemetery in Quincy, Illinois.[1][5]

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 Corporal Martin Jones Hawkins, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on April, 1862, while serving with Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry, in action during the Andrew's Raid in Georgia. Corporal Hawkins was one of the 19 of 22 men (including two civilians) who, by direction of General Mitchell (or Buell), penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Georgia, in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.[6]

See also

Notes
  1. "A War Hero Dead". The Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). 10 February 1886. p. 2. Retrieved August 11, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  2. "Medal of Honor Recipients". United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  3. "A Memorable Raid". The Indianapolis News. 15 February 1886. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  4. "HAWKINS, MARTIN J." Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  5. "A Daring Union Raider dead". Harrisburg Telegraph. 10 February 1886. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  6. "Valor awards for Martin Jones Hawkins". Military Times, Hall of Valor. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.

References
Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.


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