Benjamin Franklin Youngs

The Flag Capture That Earned a Medal of Honor

Benjamin Franklin Youngs was a Canadian-born Union Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for capturing a Confederate battle flag during the American Civil War. Serving as a corporal in the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, he distinguished himself at Petersburg, Virginia, on June 17, 1864.

Born in Canada in the early 1840s, Young grew up in the region of Embro, Ontario. He enlisted in the Union Army in September 1863 and was mustered into Company I of the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters on September 4. Initially serving as a private, he was promoted to corporal later that year.

In the spring of 1864, his regiment joined the IX Corps for operations in Virginia. Union forces were advancing toward Petersburg, an important Confederate railway and supply center whose defense was vital to the Confederate position at Richmond.

On June 17, 1864, during the opening battles around Petersburg, Young performed the action that earned him the Medal of Honor. Amid the fighting, he captured the regimental colors of the 35th North Carolina Infantry.

Regimental flags were important symbols of military identity and served as rallying points during combat. Their capture was considered a significant battlefield achievement.

Young's courage received immediate recognition. On June 20, 1864, Brigadier General Orlando B. Willcox issued an order promoting him to sergeant for his distinguished gallantry three days earlier.

His actions were formally honored with the Medal of Honor on December 1, 1864, recognizing his capture of the Confederate colors at Petersburg.

Young's wartime service continued after the battle. On September 30, 1864, he was captured during operations near the Weldon Railroad in Virginia. He was subsequently confined in Richmond before being paroled in October and transferred to Camp Parole in Maryland.

Following a period of illness, Young returned to Canada on furlough. His separation from military service later became the subject of a congressional review, which documented his wartime service and the circumstances that prevented his return to his regiment.

After the Civil War, Young resumed civilian life in Ontario, where he established a family and worked in the building trade. He and his descendants became associated with construction and community development in the Stratford area.

He later moved to Los Angeles, California, where he died in 1927. He was buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Young's wartime courage was remembered long after his death. In May 2010, a military honors ceremony in Los Angeles recognized his service and Medal of Honor achievement.

His legacy remains centered on the events of June 17, 1864. As a young corporal in the 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, he captured the colors of the 35th North Carolina Infantry during the fighting at Petersburg, an act that earned him the Medal of Honor and a lasting place in American military history.