# Were medals of valor issued for Confederate troops? Any MOH winners? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 24, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412 "2015-04-24T03:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/1 "2015-04-24T03:45:03Z")
They lost the war. Never the less there is great heroism in any war, on both sides. Any records of Confederate medals issued? Any Medal Of Honor winners? Silver Stars? Stonewall Jackson may have won some medals. I’m not sure. He’s one of the South’s greatest Generals. Killed just after a successful battle by a nervous sentry. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/2 "2015-04-24T04:19:20Z")
You mean medals issued by the United States? Why on Earth would the United States give medals to soldiers who were killing American soldiers? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/3 "2015-04-24T04:24:16Z")
they were all American soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/4 "2015-04-24T04:32:46Z")
I think that both officially and unofficially Southern troops were considered traitors. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/5 "2015-04-24T04:38:41Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You mean medals issued by the United States? > > Why on Earth would the United States give medals to soldiers who were killing American soldiers? The Confederacy would have issued medals. Not the US gov. Two different entities with separate Presidents and governing bodies. I’m not sure if they did. Because the war got pretty intense very quickly and there may not have been time for any recognition of the troops and the sacrifices that were made. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/6 "2015-04-24T06:30:31Z")
In Ken Burn’s excellent series on the Civil War, IIRC, it was stated that the COA never “believed in” medals or other award for individual soldiers - that all of them were “heroes” and singling out one would harm morale (which is about all they had going for them). And, if we have a born-and-raised-in-US adult wondering if the USA would award military honors on men it considered treasonous, there is really something wrong in at least one education. Taking arms against your country may get you many things - military honors are NOT on the list. (except, of course you win the fight). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/7 "2015-04-24T07:03:56Z")
> [@](#): > > WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama is reportedly furious with both the White House staff and the Pentagon after a paperwork error led him to accidentally award the Medal of Honor to a deceased Confederate general. Full article here: [Error Leads To Confederate General Accidentally Receiving Medal Of Honor](http://www.duffelblog.com/2014/11/confederate-medal-of-honor/) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/8 "2015-04-24T07:29:05Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Full article here: [Error Leads To Confederate General Accidentally Receiving Medal Of Honor](http://www.duffelblog.com/2014/11/confederate-medal-of-honor/) You do realize you cited a satirical website, right? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/9 "2015-04-24T07:49:59Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > You do realize you cited a satirical website, right? 😉 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama is reportedly furious with both the White House staff and the Pentagon after a paperwork error led him to accidentally award the Medal of Honor to a deceased Confederate general. LOL!!! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/10 "2015-04-24T08:14:36Z")
Aren’t all of the Confederate generals deceased by now? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/11 "2015-04-24T10:02:08Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Full article here: [http://www.duffelblog.com/2014/11/confederate-medal-of-honor/](http://www.duffelblog.com/2014/11/confederate-medal-of-honor/) That blog appears to be the only source reporting that story. Everyone else reports that Alonzo Cushing received the MOH as planned. It was not without controversy, but does not seem to have happened as that blogger reports it. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/12 "2015-04-24T10:54:24Z")
Duffle Blog is a military satire site. But as a serious answer, the Confederacy never really got around to making medals or decorations for its soldiers. There were only two Confederate military medals; the Davis Guard Medal, made by the city of Houston, and awarded to the members of the Davis Guard, a Houston militia that won the Second Battle of Sabine Pass and kept the US army out of Texas, and the New Market Cross of Honor, awarded to cadets at VMI for their participation in the battle of New Market. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/13 "2015-04-24T11:01:04Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > In Ken Burn’s excellent series on the Civil War, IIRC, it was stated that the COA never “believed in” medals or other award for individual soldiers - that all of them were “heroes” and singling out one would harm morale (which is about all they had going for them). > > And, if we have a born-and-raised-in-US adult wondering if the USA would award military honors on men it considered treasonous, there is really something wrong in at least one education. > > Taking arms against your country may get you many things - military honors are NOT on the list. > (except, of course you win the fight). An estimated 620,000 men died in the US Civil War. The largest number of casualties of any war fought by the US. This was not a random group of traitors. There was gallantry and heroism on both sides. It was a horrific self inflicted wound that took decades to recover from. > **[Civil War Casualties](https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/civil-war-casualties)** > > Roughly 2% of the population, an estimated 620,000 men, lost their lives in the line of duty during the Civil War. Taken as a percentage of today's population, the toll would have risen as high as 6 million souls. The war was fought over a fundamental issue of states rights. Specifically the right to withdraw from a union each of the original colonies had voluntarily joined. The issue still comes up in other countries today. Scotland just had a referendum to withdraw from the UK. Quebec similarly had referendums to withdraw from Canada. The Quebec sovereignty movement is still quite active. The desire for independence and separation from a larger governing power does not make a region traitorous. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/14 "2015-04-24T11:22:25Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > You do realize you cited a satirical website, right? 😉 The Duffel Blog is one of the best humor/satire sites out there. Of course it has a narrow focus due to being run by and written by former and current military personnel. They rarely miss their mark. With the column cited target of the satire is buried in the body. > [@](#): > > Due to his general officer rank, Pickett’s award was fast-tracked through the military awards process and approved by dozens of officers, none of whom appear to have read it closely. > > Ironically, Cushing’s nomination was put on hold by Army leaders, who were concerned that the 1st. Lt. had never properly accounted for the six 3-inch cannons which had been under his command during the battle, and instead sent his descendants a missing gear statement and an invoice for several thousand dollars. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/15 "2015-04-24T11:23:11Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > You do realize you cited a satirical website, right? 😉 D’oh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/16 "2015-04-24T11:41:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You mean medals issued by the United States? > > Why on Earth would the United States give medals to soldiers who were killing American soldiers? True. But on the other hand they named[Army posts after rebel generals](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/misplaced-honor.html?_r=0). And at least two missile submarines.[USS Robert E Lee (SSBN 601)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Robert_E._Lee_%28SSBN-601%29) And [USS Stonewall Jackson (SSBN 632).](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Stonewall_Jackson_(SSBN-634)) And [three surface ships](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Buchanan) after a [Confederate Admiral.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Buchanan). So its not as stupid as it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/17 "2015-04-24T11:48:40Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The war was fought over a fundamental issue of states rights. Specifically the right to withdraw from a union each of the original colonies had voluntarily joined. The issue still comes up in other countries today. Scotland just had a referendum to withdraw from the UK. Quebec similarly had referendums to withdraw from Canada. The Quebec sovereignty movement is still quite active. > > The desire for independence and separation from a larger governing power does not make a region traitorous. This again. The word you’re assiduously avoiding is “slavery”. That’s the “right” those states wanted. It’s extremely well-documented. Secession was the reaction to the issue, not the issue itself. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/18 "2015-04-24T11:57:06Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > True. But on the other hand they named[Army posts after rebel generals](http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/opinion/sunday/misplaced-honor.html?_r=0). The Union named Fort Bragg to thank him for his ineptitude. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/19 "2015-04-24T11:58:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The desire for independence and separation from a larger governing power does not make a region traitorous. But acting on that desire by taking up arms is the very definition of treason. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2015, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412/20 "2015-04-24T12:36:04Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > they were all American soldiers. By that reasoning, so is John Walker Lindh, the American who joined the Taliban. He is an American and a soldier, therefore an American soldier. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-medals-of-valor-issued-for-confederate-troops-any-moh-winners/718412.md?page=2)