Forrester L . Taylor Forrester Lore Taylor ( October 30 , 1833 – April 21 , 1907 ) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the May 3 , 1863 Battle of Salem Church . Early years and education . Born in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , he was a member of a Burlington , New Jersey militia company at the start of the Civil War . In July 1862 , President Abraham Lincoln enacted legislation that called for established militia units to be called into Federal service for a period of nine months . Military career . Forrester Taylor ' s unit was recruited up to the strength of a standard Union Army infantry company , and it was mustered into service as Company A of the 23rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry , with Taylor becoming a Sergeant on September 13 , 1862 . He served in this duty as the regiment was brigaded with the Army of the Potomac ' s First New Jersey Brigade in October 1862 , and fought in the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg , where the 23rd New Jersey performed rather well for a green , untested unit , and took a number of casualties . The battle , however , was an unequivocal Union defeat , and the 23rd New Jersey , with the rest of the beaten army , limped into winter quarters to await the spring after the engagement . While in that period of inactivity , Forrester Taylor was promoted three times : December 26 , 1862 to second lieutenant of Company G , February 13 , 1863 to first lieutenant of Company D , and April 18 , 1863 to Captain and commander of Company H . He was in command of his Company during the May 1863 Chancellorsville Campaign , which featured an attack of the First New Jersey Brigade on Confederate positions in and around Salem Church , just west of the town of Fredericksburg , Virginia . The brigade encountered the rebel forces in strong defensive positions and superior numbers , and eventually retreated with a great number of casualties . In that retreat , Captain Taylor twice braved intense enemy gunfire to save wounded comrades , and was almost killed himself by friendly Union artillery fire . His act was recognized over 33 years later , when on November 2 , 1896 he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery ( his official citation reads simply " At great risk voluntarily saved the lives of and brought from the battlefield two wounded comrades " ) . His enlistment expired on June 27 , 1863 , and he was mustered out in Trenton , New Jersey . Still feeling a sense of duty , he re - enlisted in the newly raised 34th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry ( which contained a large number of former members of the 23rd New Jersey ) , and was commissioned as Captain and commander of the unit ' s Company H on October 6 , 1863 . He would see garrison and occupation duty in Kentucky and Tennessee with the 34th New Jersey until he was discharged on December 2 , 1864 . On March 13 , 1865 he received the brevet promotion of Major , United States Volunteers " for gallant conduct at the battle of Chancellorsville , Va . " Post war life and death . After the war he resided in Virginia , where he lived on a farm known as the " Sweeney Plantation " , the site of a former tavern south of Lynchburg in Lawyers , Campbell County , Virginia . He was buried on the farm in his family ' s cemetery in what is now Rustburg , Virginia . From the year 1988 , his final resting site was unmarked , but was rededicated with a new US government - issue white marble headstone on April 22 , 2007 . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Captain , Company H , 23d New Jersey Infantry . Place and date : At Chancellorsville . Va . , May 3 , 1863 . Entered service at : - - - - - - . Birth : Philadelphia , Pa . Date of issue : November 2 , 1896 . Citation : At great risk voluntarily saved the lives of and brought from the battlefield 2 wounded comrades .