Cecil Clay (February 13, 1842 – September 23, 1903) was

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

of Company K in the

58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment {{Infobox military unit , unit_name= 58th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry , image=Flag of Pennsylvania.svg , image_size = 100 , caption=Pennsylvania flag , dates= February 13, 1862 – January 26, 1866 , country= {{flag, United States, ...

in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by state ...

. He performed gallantly while wounded, earning the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor ...

for his actions during the assault and capture of Fort Harrison, Virginia in the Confederate defenses of

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

on September 29, 1864. He was later chief clerk of the

United States Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and a ...

Early life

Cecil Clay was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

on February 13, 1842.Eicher, John H., and

David J. Eicher David John Eicher (born August 7, 1961) is an American editor, writer, and popularizer of astronomy and space. He has been editor-in-chief of ''Astronomy'' magazine since 2002. He is author, coauthor, or editor of 23 books on science and American ...

. ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. . p. 176 As an undergraduate at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...

, he joined the fraternity

St. Anthony Hall St. Anthony Hall or the Fraternity of Delta Psi is an American fraternity and literary society. Its first chapter was founded at Columbia University on , the feast day of Saint Anthony the Great. The fraternity is a non–religious, nonsectari ...

Civil war

Cecil Clay was first lieutenant on September 1, 1861 and captain on January 1, 1862 of company K of the 58th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to Major on September 30, 1864 and to Lieutenant Colonel on November 19, 1864. Clay earned the

while serving with the 58th Pennsylvania on September 29, 1864 at Fort Harrison, Virginia, where he was wounded in action, losing his right arm and severely wounded in the left arm while leading a charge, carrying the colors of another regiment. The medal was actually issued on April 19, 1892. Clay was mustered out of the volunteer service on January 24, 1866. On February 24, 1866,

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Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808July 31, 1875) was the 17th president of the United States, serving from 1865 to 1869. He assumed the presidency as he was vice president at the time of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson was a D ...

nominated Clay for appointment to the

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

grade of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, and the

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confirmed the appointment on April 10, 1866.

Later life

After the war, Clay became a lumber merchant. He was President of the St. Lawrence Boom and Manufacturing Company in 1870. From 1883 to 1903, he was chief clerk and general Agent, United States Department of Justice. He was a colonel in the 2nd egimentD.C. National Guard, 1887–1897. He also was President, Board of Reform School, Washington, D.C. He was elected Companion No. 00149 in the

Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States (MOLLUS), or simply the Loyal Legion is a United States patriotic order, organized April 15, 1865, by three veteran officers of the Army. The original membership was composed of members ...

(MOLLUS), through the Commandery of Pennsylvania, on February 7, 1866. He later became a charter member of the Commandery of the District of Columbia, when it formed in 1882. The MOLLUS was the first post-Civil War veterans' organization, founded by and for commissioned officers of the Union armed forces.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Captain, Company K, 58th Pennsylvania Infantry. Place and date: At Fort Harrison, Va., September 29, 1864. Entered service at:––––––. Birth: Philadelphia, Pa. Date of issue: April 19, 1892. Citation:

Led his regiment in the charge, carrying the colors of another regiment, and when severely wounded in the right arm, incurring loss of same, he shifted the colors to the left hand, which also became disabled by a gunshot wound.

Death

Cecil Clay died September 23, 1907 at Washington, D.C. He is buried at

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...

, Virginia.Burial Detail: Clay, Cecil (section 2, grave 1012)
– ANC Explorer

Notes

;References * Eicher, John H., and

. ''Civil War High Commands''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2001. . * "Register of the Commandery of the State of Pennsylvania, April 15, 1865 – September 1, 1902". Philadelphia, 1902.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clay, Cecil Union Army officers United States Army Medal of Honor recipients 1842 births 1903 deaths Union Army generals Military personnel from Philadelphia Burials at Arlington National Cemetery American Civil War recipients of the Medal of Honor