Bernard McCarren

When the Civil War broke out he enlisted in Co. H, 24th Pennslyvania Regiment of Captain Thomas A. Smyth. He was noted as being 5' 9" tall, light complexioned, blue eyes and sandy hair. When his three month enlistment ran out, he joined Captain George Price's Co. C, 1st Delaware Infantry. In September, 1861, McCarren was promoted to Corporal.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 3 July 1863 at Gettysburg, Pa - seizing a Confederate flag under fire. He was discharged in December of 1863 at Washington DC, where he was on detached duty. He promptly reenlisted and, on May 6, 1864, was wounded in the Battle of Wilderness. A musket ball was removed from his left scapula (shoulder blade) and he was hospitalized for 8 months. McCarren was mustered out of service on July 22, 1865, when he returned to Wilmington.

McCarren died at the age of 39 from Dysentery and was interred in Wilmington's Old Cathedral Cemetery, which has since been paved over for a new roadbed.

Source: The Delaware Government Information Center, biographical sketch on delaware.gov - originally from Martin, Roger A., Delaware"s Medal of Honor Recipients - much of the text above.

1831 in IRELAND

6/20/1870; burial in All Saints Cemetery, Wilmington, DE