Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-21
eived his medal of honor

Col. NJ A. Dillon received his medal of honor
for conspicuous bravery on four battlef fields
at Williamsburg, Va, May rs, 1862; Oak Grove,
June IL, 1852; Hooker's advance on Richmond.
June Is, 1862 and at the second battle Bull Run.
Col. Dillon is connected with the Treasury De-
part ment and was found by the writer at his
desk in the old Winder building in this city.
When mere boy he enlisted in the second New
Hampshire volunteers.
At Williamsburg, at q perilous moment when
the confederates were charging Union battery
with desperate determination, driving all be-
fore them, young Dillon sprang from the ranks,
pleading for men to follow him to save the
battery. His lieutenant. ycEed to him, Get
down; you are drawing the enemy's fire!" Dill
Ion yelled back What in the he'll are we here
forf' and having gathered knot of wild young
heroes around him rushed at the advancing
enemy, drove them back and saved battery II,
first artillery. Dillon was wounded in the leg
in the charge. and his gun was taken from his
hand by shell; but he bound up his wound,
again entered the fray, and had the satisfac on
of seeing the enemy i'll full fight by the close
of day. Diilon's next exploit was when Hooker
called for volunteers to take redoubt of the
enemy on right OF the Williamsburg road at
the battle OF Oak Grove, June Is, 1862 Dillon
was one of the first to stop to the 'front.' They
charged across an open field the cannon and
musketry OF the enemy moving them down.
Dut tno5e VINO reached the works, among them
Dillon, scaled the banks. bristiing with bavo-
nets. over and into the works. where a despcr-
ate struggle took place, crowned with success
for the s'orming party.
At the battle on the 18th of June on the first
day of the seven days desperate fighting in
front of Fair Oaks, while there was lull in
front of the second New Hampshire volunteers
1t is related that young Dillon performed an
act that exhibited his GOODNESS az well az his
disregard of the perils TO which he, without
orders, exposed himself. He crawled on his
hands and knees through the grass and among
the bushes in advance of the line into the
enemy's camp, overheard the details of the
plans which LOngstrect had determined u,,on
safely returned and communicated to Gen.
Hooker what he had overheard and thereby
enabled Hooker to rearrange his forces SO as to
repulse the enemy.
At the second battle OF Bull Run. after pass
ing through one of the most desperate bavonet
charges Of the war, Dillon and q handful of
comrades fought their way back. step bv step.
! showing great heroism. and on reaching am
open field attempted to form . new line The
enemy, seeing their numbers to be srDalI.
charged them, and when within about a hun
dred feet Dillon shot the color bearer of the
forty-nInth Georgia. Dillon dropped at the
| same time, shot through the lungs, the bullet
passing through his body and breaking three
ribs. He participated in thirteen other gem
eral engagements and many skirmlshes
serving TWO years and two months after being
shot through the lungs.
Mr.. Dillon is one Of the original promoters
OF the Medals OF Honor Legion and has been its
commander -lu-chlef several times