Organization: Company D, 49th New York Infantry
Entered Service: Buffalo, N.Y.
Birth: Canada
Date Medal Issued: 21 September 1870
Date of Action: 4 May 1863
Place of Action: Fredericksburg Heights [Salem Church], Va.
Citation
Shot a Confederate color bearer and seized the flag; also approached, alone, a barn between the lines and demanded and received the surrender of a number of the enemy therein.
More about this award
"At the battle of Salem Church on the Fredericksburg front of the Chancellorsville campaign, May 4, 1863, during a retirement, the color-bearer of the 58th Virginia Infantry was wounded and dropped the standard. For reasons unexplained, the color-guard of the regiment secured neither the color-bearer nor the colors. Both were captured by John P. McVeane, a Canadian and a Torontonian."1
1 Brooks, T. W., 49th NY Medal of Honor Recipient (John P. McVeane), Western Maryland Heritage Foundation, first accessed 21 July 2005, <http://www.wmhf.org/gow/49thny.html> [AotW citation 186]