Benjamin Thackrah

He Volunteered to Capture an Enemy Picket

Benjamin Thackrah was born on August 13, 1845, in Scotland. He later immigrated to the United States and settled in New York, where he would eventually answer the call to serve during the American Civil War. As a private in Company H of the 115th New York Volunteer Infantry, Thackrah distinguished himself through an act of bravery near Fort Gates, Florida, on April 1, 1864. His voluntary participation in the surprise and capture of a Confederate picket earned him the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor.

Thackrah entered military service during a conflict that had divided the United States and brought hundreds of thousands of volunteers into the Union Army. The 115th New York Infantry was organized in 1862, drawing its soldiers largely from communities in eastern and central New York.

The regiment initially served in the defense of Harpers Ferry, Virginia, where Union forces faced a major Confederate offensive in September 1862. Following the surrender of the Federal garrison, the regiment's enlisted soldiers were paroled and subsequently returned to military service.

The 115th New York later joined Union operations in the Department of the South, serving in coastal regions where Federal forces sought to maintain strategic positions and challenge Confederate control.

By early 1864, the regiment was operating in Florida. Union commanders conducted military expeditions throughout the region, attempting to disrupt Confederate transportation, secure important routes, and strengthen Federal positions.

In February 1864, the 115th New York Infantry participated in the Battle of Olustee, the largest Civil War engagement fought in Florida. The battle ended in a Confederate victory, forcing Union troops to withdraw toward Jacksonville.

Despite the setback, Union forces continued operating in Florida. Their activities included reconnaissance missions, patrols, and smaller engagements against Confederate detachments.

It was during one of these operations that Benjamin Thackrah performed the action for which he would receive the Medal of Honor.

On April 1, 1864, near Fort Gates, Florida, Thackrah volunteered to participate in a surprise attack against an enemy picket.

Pickets were soldiers stationed ahead of a larger military force to observe enemy movements, detect approaching threats, and provide early warning of an attack. Because these positions formed the outermost layer of an army's defenses, approaching and capturing them required careful movement and exposed attackers to considerable danger.

Thackrah willingly joined the operation to surprise and capture the Confederate picket.

The mission succeeded, and his participation was later formally recognized for its courage.

His official Medal of Honor citation describes the achievement:

"He was a volunteer in the surprise and capture of the enemy's picket."

Although the citation is brief, it identifies the essential elements of his gallantry. Thackrah was not merely present during the engagement; he volunteered for the operation and helped carry out the capture of an enemy security position.

The action demonstrated the importance of individual initiative during military operations. While larger battles often determined the direction of campaigns, smaller engagements such as the capture of enemy outposts could provide tactical advantages and contribute to the security of nearby forces.

For Thackrah, the events near Fort Gates became the defining achievement of his military service.

The 115th New York Infantry continued its wartime operations after the Florida campaign. The regiment subsequently served in Virginia, participating in operations associated with Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg.

During the closing stages of the war, the regiment also took part in operations in North Carolina, including the campaigns against Fort Fisher and Wilmington. Its wartime history reflected the demands placed on Union volunteer regiments, which were frequently transferred between distant operational areas as military priorities changed.

Thackrah's personal distinction, however, remained connected to the April 1864 operation near Fort Gates.

Recognition for his bravery came more than twenty-six years after the event.

On May 2, 1890, Benjamin Thackrah was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 1, 1864.

The decoration recognized his voluntary participation in the surprise and capture of a Confederate picket while serving as a private in Company H of the 115th New York Infantry.

The Medal of Honor had been established during the Civil War to recognize extraordinary military gallantry. Many recipients received their decorations years or even decades after the actions for which they were honored.

Thackrah was among those whose wartime courage received formal national recognition long after the fighting had ended.

Following his military service, Thackrah returned to civilian life in New York. Although the surviving historical accounts provide relatively little information about his later activities, his identity as a Civil War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient remained firmly established.

He lived through the decades following the war, witnessing the nation's recovery from the conflict and the continued recognition of veterans who had served in the Union armed forces.

Benjamin Thackrah died on May 20, 1912, in Amsterdam, New York, at the age of sixty-six. He was buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Fort Johnson, New York.

His military legacy is rooted in a specific act of voluntary courage. On April 1, 1864, near Fort Gates, Florida, he stepped forward to participate in a dangerous operation against an enemy picket and helped achieve its surprise and capture.

The achievement did not involve commanding a large formation or leading an extended campaign. It was an individual contribution to a smaller military operation, carried out by a private who willingly accepted the dangers of confronting an enemy outpost.

More than a quarter-century later, the United States formally recognized that courage with the Medal of Honor.

Benjamin Thackrah is remembered as a Scottish-born Union soldier whose willingness to volunteer for a hazardous mission earned him a lasting place in American military history. His Medal of Honor preserves the memory of his service with the 115th New York Infantry and the bravery he demonstrated near Fort Gates during the American Civil War.