Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong

Extraordinary Courage in the Deadly Assault on Vicksburg

Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong (March 3, 1844 – January 5, 1899) was an American Civil War soldier, United States Army Medal of Honor recipient, and physician who became a prominent police surgeon in Cincinnati, Ohio. Serving as a Private in Company D of the 83rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, he distinguished himself during the desperate Union assault on Confederate defenses at Vicksburg, Mississippi, on May 22, 1863. His courage in one of the war's most dangerous volunteer operations earned him the Medal of Honor more than thirty years later.

Born in Indiana, Armstrong came from a family with longstanding connections to early American military service. A contemporary biographical account traced his ancestry to Captain John Armstrong, who reportedly died fighting at the Battle of Monmouth during the American Revolutionary War in 1778. On his mother's side, the family was associated with John La Boiteaux, an early settler in Hamilton County, Ohio.

When the American Civil War began, Armstrong was a teenager. On October 15, 1862, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the Union Army at Indianapolis, Indiana. He entered service as a Private in Company D, 83rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry, a regiment that served in the western theater under Major General William T. Sherman.

Armstrong's military service brought him into the Vicksburg Campaign, one of the most important Union operations of the Civil War. The capture of Vicksburg would provide Union forces with control of a strategically vital section of the Mississippi River and divide the Confederacy's eastern and western territories.

Following an unsuccessful Union assault on May 19, 1863, Major General Ulysses S. Grant ordered another coordinated attack against Vicksburg's strongly fortified Confederate positions on May 22. The Confederate defenses included earthworks, artillery emplacements, deep ditches, and commanding positions overlooking the approaches to the city.

For the assault against the Stockade Redan, a dangerous advance party of approximately 150 volunteers was organized. Known as the "Forlorn Hope," these soldiers were assigned to carry wooden planks and scaling ladders forward under enemy fire. Their mission was to bridge defensive obstacles and provide a route for the main attacking force to penetrate the Confederate fortifications.

Private Armstrong volunteered for this extraordinarily hazardous assignment. On the morning of May 22, the advance party moved toward the Confederate works along the Graveyard Road approach. As the volunteers crossed the exposed ground, Confederate defenders opened devastating rifle and artillery fire from their fortified positions.

The attack quickly became a desperate struggle for survival. Many volunteers were killed or wounded, while others sought whatever protection the terrain and defensive ditches provided. Despite the intensity of the Confederate resistance, the surviving soldiers remained near the enemy works for hours, unable to advance successfully or withdraw safely.

Armstrong was seriously wounded during the assault. Contemporary accounts record that he was struck by three bullets, two in his right leg and another in his abdomen. Unable to escape immediately, he remained exposed to the dangers of the battlefield until darkness provided an opportunity to move. He reportedly dragged himself back toward the Union lines after nightfall.

His injuries were severe and required a lengthy period of recovery. The wounds ended his active military career, and his service concluded in August 1863, when he was considered physically disabled from further duty. Although his time in the Union Army had been relatively brief, his participation in the Forlorn Hope established his lasting military distinction.

After the Civil War, Armstrong settled in Cincinnati, Ohio, and pursued medical studies. He qualified as a physician and developed a successful career in medicine, gaining particular recognition for his work with the city's police force.

He was appointed a police surgeon and subsequently became a senior member of Cincinnati's board of police medical examiners. His responsibilities included providing medical assistance to police personnel and helping establish professional standards for physical fitness and medical examinations within the department.

Armstrong was also credited in an 1894 Cincinnati history with developing a compact medical chest carried on police patrol wagons, an innovation intended to make essential medical supplies readily available during emergencies. His efforts contributed to the development of organized medical assistance within Cincinnati's police service.

Beyond his police duties, Armstrong served as a trustee of Cincinnati Hospital and worked as a surgeon for the Cincinnati, Washington and Baltimore Railroad. These positions reflected his professional standing and involvement in the city's medical institutions.

In 1878, Armstrong married Mary Cotton of Winchester, Indiana. He also participated in Cincinnati's civic life, serving as president of the Lincoln Club, a longstanding Republican organization in the city.

Armstrong's military bravery received formal national recognition on August 15, 1894, when he was awarded the United States Army Medal of Honor. The decoration recognized his gallantry during the charge of the volunteer storming party at Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.

The recognition came more than thirty-one years after the battle, acknowledging the extraordinary risks he had undertaken as a young Private. His award associated him permanently with the volunteers whose courage during the failed assault became an enduring chapter in the history of the Vicksburg Campaign.

Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 5, 1899, at the age of fifty-four. His remains were interred at Fountain Park Cemetery in Winchester, Randolph County, Indiana, in Section 5, Lot 62.

Armstrong's legacy reflects both military courage and distinguished civilian service. Severely wounded while undertaking one of the Civil War's most dangerous volunteer missions, he survived to build a respected career as a physician and police surgeon. His Medal of Honor stands as a lasting recognition of his bravery at Vicksburg, while his contributions to emergency medical care and public service form an important part of his life beyond the battlefield.