Richard Longstreet Tea

Richard Longstreet Tea was an American soldier who served in the United States Army during the mid-to-late 19th century. Born in Philadelphia in 1840, he enlisted just before his 18th birthday in February 1858. His early service was spent in the American West, where he was tasked with protecting the Pony Express route.

With the outbreak of the American Civil War, Tea was sent East and assigned to Battery "B" of the Fourth U.S. Artillery. Throughout the conflict, he saw significant combat and was wounded multiple times, including at the Battle of Sharpsburg and the Battle of Spottsylvania, sustaining severe gunshot wounds to his abdomen, leg, mouth, and stomach.

Following the Civil War, Tea continued his military service during the Indian Wars. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions of extreme heroism on April 23, 1875, marking a distinguished career of sacrifice and valor spanning two major eras of American military history.