Edward Ratcliff

Infobox Military Person
name=Edward Ratcliff
born= Birth date|1835|2|8
died= Death date and age|1915|3|10|1835|2|8


caption= Medal of Honor recipient
nickname=
placeofbirth= James City County, Virginia
placeofdeath= York County, Virginia
placeofburial= Cheesecake Cemetery Charles Corner, York County, Virginia
allegiance= United States of America Union
branch= United States Army Union Army
serviceyears=
rank=Sergeant Major
commands=
unit=38th Regiment United States Colored Troops
battles=American Civil War
*Battle of Chaffin's Farm
awards=Medal of Honor
laterwork=

Edward Ratcliff (February 8, 1835 – March 10, 1915) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin's Farm.

By September 29, 1864, Ratcliff was serving as a First Sergeant in Company C of the 38th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops. On that day, his unit participated in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm in Virginia, and it was for his actions during the battle that he was awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on April 6, 1865.

Ratcliff reached the rank of Sergeant Major before leaving the military. He died at age 80 and was buried in Cheesecake Cemetery, Charles Corner, York County, Virginia. [findagrave|8423668 Retrieved on 2007-11-08]

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization::First Sergeant, Company C, 38th U.S. Colored Troops. Place and Date: At Chapins Farm, Va., September 29, 1864. Birth: James County, Va. Date Of Issue: April 6, 1865.

Citation::Commanded and gallantly led his company after the commanding officer had been killed; was the first enlisted man to enter the enemy's works.cite web
publisher = AmericanCivilWar.com
title = "Civil War Medal of Honor Citations" (S-Z): Ratcliff, Edward
date =
url = http://americancivilwar.com/medal_of_honor7.html
accessdate = 2007-11-09] cite web
publisher = army.mil
title = "Medal of Honor website” (M-Z): Ratcliff, Edward
date =
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/civwarmz.html
accessdate = 2007-11-09]

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*
*List of African American Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

Persondata
NAME= Ratcliff, Edward
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH= February 8, 1835
PLACE OF BIRTH= James City County, Virginia
DATE OF DEATH= March 10, 1915
PLACE OF DEATH= York County, Virginia