Benjamin Bennett Levy

One courageous decision on a Civil War battlefield transformed a teenage drummer into an American hero. When the regiment's color bearers fell under relentless enemy fire, Private Benjamin Bennett Levy stepped forward, seized the flag and refused to let it fall into Confederate hands. That single act of bravery would earn him the Medal of Honor and secure his place in American military history.

Private Benjamin Bennett Levy (15 February 1845 to 20 October 1921) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor, for extraordinary heroism during the American Civil War. Widely recognised as the first Jewish American recipient of the Medal of Honor, Levy demonstrated exceptional courage at the Battle of Glendale, Virginia, on 30 June 1862, where his actions helped preserve the honor of his regiment during one of the war's fiercest engagements.

Born in New York City, Levy enlisted in the 1st New York Infantry Regiment while still a teenager. Originally serving as a drummer boy, he soon found himself facing the brutal realities of combat as the Union Army fought to preserve the United States during the Civil War.

During the Battle of Glendale, Levy displayed extraordinary bravery after the regiment's color bearers were shot down in the midst of intense fighting. Although assigned as a drummer, he picked up the musket of a sick comrade and entered the battle. When the regimental colors fell, he seized the flag and carried it safely through the engagement, preventing it from being captured by Confederate forces. His courage under fire inspired those around him and preserved one of the regiment's greatest symbols of honor.

For his actions that day, Levy was awarded the Medal of Honor, with the award officially issued on 1 March 1865. His citation reads:

"Took the place of a sick comrade, went into the fight, was wounded, and, after the color bearers had been shot down, carried the colors and saved them from capture."

Following his service with the 1st New York Infantry, Levy reenlisted in the 40th New York Infantry Regiment and continued serving until he was discharged for disability in May 1865. His wartime service also entitled him to the Civil War Campaign Medal, established in 1907 to recognise qualifying Union Army veterans of the conflict.

After the war, Levy returned to civilian life in New York, where he remained active in veterans' affairs and was remembered as one of the surviving heroes of the Civil War. His remarkable bravery and steadfast devotion to duty continue to be celebrated as an enduring example of courage under fire.

Private Benjamin Bennett Levy passed away on 20 October 1921 at the age of 76 and was buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery, Fairview, New Jersey. More than a century after his heroic actions at Glendale, his legacy lives on as one of the earliest Medal of Honor recipients and a pioneer in the history of Jewish Americans serving in the United States Armed Forces.