Edward Ratcliff

Edward Ratcliff (February 8, 1835 – March 10, 1915) was an African American Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.

Edward Ratcliff
Born(1835-02-08)February 8, 1835
James City County, Virginia
DiedMarch 10, 1915(1915-03-10) (aged 80)
York County, Virginia
Place of burial
Cheesecake Cemetery
Charles Corner, York County, Virginia
AllegianceUnited States of America
Union
Service/branchUnited States Army
Union Army
Years of service1864–1867
RankSergeant Major
Unit Company C, 38th U.S. Colored Troops
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
AwardsMedal of Honor

Born as a slave, he was freed when the Union Army took Yorktown. By September 29, 1864, Ratcliff was serving as a First Sergeant in Company C of the 38th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops. On that day, his unit participated in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in Virginia, and it was for his actions during the battle that he was awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on April 6, 1865.

Ratcliff reached the rank of Sergeant Major before leaving the military. He died at age 80 and was buried in Cheesecake Cemetery, Charles Corner, York County, Virginia.[1]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

First Sergeant, Company C, 38th U.S. Colored Troops. Place and Date: At Chapins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864. Birth: James County, Va. Date of Issue: April 6, 1865.

Citation:

Commanded and gallantly led his company after the commanding officer had been killed; was the first enlisted man to enter the enemy's works.[2][3]
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See also
  • List of Medal of Honor recipients
  • List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: Q–S
  • List of African American Medal of Honor recipients
  • Melvin Claxton and Mark Puls, Uncommon valor : a story of race, patriotism, and glory in the final battles of the Civil War, (Wiley, 2006) (ISBN 0471468231)

Notes
  1. "Edward Ratcliff". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  2. ""Civil War Medal of Honor citations" (S-Z): Ratcliff, Edward". AmericanCivilWar.com. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
  3. "Medal of Honor website (M-Z): Ratcliff, Edward". United States Army Center of Military History. Retrieved 2007-11-09.


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