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NOT my ancestor, but he was such a distinguished soldier that justice demands that his name be listed: he was the first Jewish-American Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient from New Hampshire.
SGT. MAJ. ABRAHAM COHN was a 31 year old resident of Campton, N.H., who was born in Guttentag [sic], Silesia, Prussia; he entered the U.S. via New York City; he was appointed Sergeant Major of the 6th N.H. Inf. Rgt. (2nd Bde., 2nd Div., 9th Corps) on 28 Mar. 1864 (probably because of prior service in the Prussian Army); and, he participated in all of the battles of Grant's Virginia Campaign of 1864.
While carrying orders from Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside, commander of the 9th Corps, to Brig. Gen. Robert Potter, commander of the 2nd Div. of the 9th Corps, SGT. MAJ. COHN was severely wounded-in-action (in the shoulder) at the Battle of the Crater, near Petersburg, Va., on 30 Jul. 1864.
SGT. MAJ. COHN was commissioned First Lieutenant of Co. C of the 6th N.H. on 01 Mar. 1865; and, he was appointed Adjutant of the regiment on 15 Mar. 1865. 1LT & ADJ. COHN was again wounded-in-action, this time in the triumphant Assault on Petersburg of 02 Apr. 1865. He was mustered out of Federal service with his regiment on 17 Jul. 1865.
On 24 Aug. 1865, 1LT & ADJ. COHN was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor; his citation reads as follows: 'During the Battle of the Wilderness [06 May 1864], he rallied and formed, under a heavy fire, disorganized and fleeing troops of different regiments. At Peterburg, Va., on 30 Jul. 1864, he bravely and cooly carried orders to the advanced line while under a severe fire.'
NOTE:
ABRAHAM COHN had prior service in the 68th New York Infantry Regiment, but was discharged for service-related disability, whereupon he relocated to New Hampshire, and later joined the 6th N.H. Inf. Rgt.
SOURCES:
1. America's Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients and their Official Citations (Columbia Heights, Minn.: Highland House II, 2002); p. 829.
2. Head, Adj. Gen. Natt. The Record of the New Hampshire Volunteers (Concord, N.H.: George E. Jenks, State Printer, 1866); pp. 180 & 183.
3. Jackman, Lyman. The History of the 6th New Hampshire Regiment in the War for the Union (Concord, N.H.: Republican Press, 1891); p. 322.
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CSA