Indian Wars
Bernard J. D. Irwin
Assistant Surgeon · U.S. Army
U.S. Army
13-14 February 1861 · Apache Pass, Arizona
Public domain. US Air Force Source file
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Era
- Indian Wars
- Home state
- New York
- Action
- Apache Pass, Arizona
The citation
Official citation
Voluntarily took command of troops and attacked and defeated hostile Indians he met on the way. Surgeon Irwin volunteered to go to the rescue of 2d Lt. George N. Bascom, 7th Infantry, who with 60 men was trapped by Chiricahua Apaches under Cochise. Irwin and 14 men, not having horses began the 100-mile march riding mules. After fighting and capturing Indians, recovering stolen horses and cattle, he reached Bascom's column and help break his siege.
Sources
- U.S. Army Medal of Honor citation index
- Wikipedia. Linked only. The article text is not copied here.