Thomas M. Wells

Thomas M. Wells
Born	c. 1841 Ather, Ireland
Died	1901 New York City
Place of burial	East DeKalb Cemetery, De Kalb Junction, New York
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861 - 1865
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	6th New York Cavalry Regiment
Battles / wars	American Civil War  • Battle of Cedar Creek
Awards	Medal of Honor

Thomas McCoy Wells (c. 1841 – February 5, 1901) was an Irish born Union Army soldier and 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.

Wells enlisted in the Army from De Kalb, New York in November 1861, and was assigned to the 6th New York Cavalry Regiment. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in January 1865, and promoted to first lieutenant the following May. Wells was transferred to the 2nd Provisional NY Cavalry in June 1865, and mustered out with this regiment the following August.

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 Chief Bugler Thomas McCoy Wells, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 19 October 1864, while serving with 6th New York Cavalry, in action at Cedar Creek, Virginia, for capture of colors of 44th Georgia Infantry (Confederate States of America)."

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: T-Z

References

Sources

• Phisterer, Frederick (1912). In the State in 1861 - Ninth Regiment of Cavalry (PDF). New York in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1865. Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company, State Printers. pp. 846–866. hdl:2027/chi.66317239. LCCN 14013311. OCLC 1359922. Retrieved July 11, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• "Thomas M. Wells". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
• "Thomas M. Wells". Hall of Valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star, U.S. Military Awards. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
• "Thomas M. Wells". National Medal of Honor Museum. May 25, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2024.

External links

• Military Times Hall of Valor
• Findagrave entry