Luigi Palma di Cesnola Luigi Palma di Cesnola ( July 29 , 1832 – November 20 , 1904 ) , an Italian - American soldier and amateur archaeologist , was born in Rivarolo Canavese , near Turin . He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the American Civil War . Biography . As the son of a count , he joined the Sardinian army at the age of 17 , and served in the First Italian War of Independence , rising to the rank of second lieutenant . He was later dismissed for unknown reasons , and subsequently served with the British Army in the Crimean War . In 1860 he went to New York , where he taught Italian and French and founded a military school for officers . He took part in the American Civil War as colonel of a cavalry regiment , serving under the name Louis P . di Cesnola . At the Battle of Aldie ( June 1863 ) , Colonel di Cesnola was wounded and taken prisoner . He received a Medal of Honor for his efforts during the battle . He was released from Libby Prison early in 1864 when the Union Agent for Prisoner Exchange offered a personal friend of Jefferson Davis as barter . He served in the Wilderness and Petersburg campaigns ( 1864 – 65 ) as a commander of a cavalry brigade but was not promoted to brigadier general . Although he was nominated for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general to rank from March 13 , 1865 after the end of the war , the U . S . Senate never confirmed his appointment ( contrary to the inscription on his grave stone ) . After the war , he was appointed United States consul at Larnaca in Cyprus ( 1865 – 1877 ) . During his stay on Cyprus he carried out excavations ( especially around the archaeological site of Kourion ) , which resulted in the discovery of a large number of antiquities . The collection was purchased by the newly expanded Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York , and Cesnola became the first director in 1879 . Doubt having been thrown by the art critic Clarence Cook , and by Gaston L . Feuardent , in an article in the New York Herald ( August 1880 ) , upon the genuineness of his restorations , the matter was referred to a special committee , which pronounced in his favor . In Cyprus however , his actions are still considered to tantamount to looting . He is the author of " Cyprus , its ancient Cities , Tombs and Temples " ( 1877 ) , a travel book of considerable service to the practical antiquary ; and of a " Descriptive Atlas of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities " ( 3 volumes , 1884 – 1886 ) . He died in New York and was interred at Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla , NY . He was a member of several learned societies in Europe and America . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Colonel , 4th New York Cavalry . Place and date : At Aldie , Va . , June 17 , 1863 . Entered service at : New York , N . Y . Born : June 29 , 1832 , Rivarola , Piedmont , Italy . Date of issue : Unknown . At the start of the battle at Aldie , Cesnola was placed under arrest by his superior officer for protesting the promotion of a less experienced officer to brigadier general . He was stripped of his saber and sidearm . Without Cesnola the Fourth New York Cavalry balked repeatedly when asked to charge a hillside gun battery . The commanding general knew Cesnola was needed to rally the unit . He said , " Colonel , you are a brave man . You are released from arrest . Here is my own sword . Take it and bring it back to me covered in the enemy ' s blood . " When he entered the battle " the regiment arrived on the scene of conflict , and by a gallant charge , turned apparent defeat into a glorious victory for our arms , completely routing the enemy and cutting off nearly 100 men , all of whom were captured . " At the close of the battle Cesnola was found in a field lying under his own horse , wounded on the head by a saber and on the arm by a minie ball .