Eri D. Woodbury

Eri Woodbury

Courtesy of Frances Guber

Quick Facts

Significance:

Medal of Honor recipient

Place of Birth:

Francestown, New Hampshire

Date of Birth:

May 30, 1837

Place of Death:

Cheshire, Connecticut

Date of Death:

April 14, 1938

Place of Burial:

Cheshire, Connecticut

Cemetery Name:

Saint Peters Episcopal Church Cemetery

Eri Davidson Woodbury captured a Confederate flag during the Battle of Cedar Creek. He presented the flag to War Department officials in Washington, DC four days after the battle. During the meeting Woodbury was awarded the Medal of Honor.

1st Vermont Cavalry 

In 1863, Eri graduated from Dartmouth College. In December of that year he enlisted as a private in the 1^st Vermont Volunteer Cavalry. As part of George Armstrong Custer's third cavalry division, Woodbury participated in all of the 1864 Shenandoah Valley campaign battles, most notably the Battle of Cedar Creek (October 19, 1864).

Medal of Honor 

During the Federal counterattack at Cedar Creek Woodbury captured the flag of the 12^th North Carolina Infantry. Four days later, Woodbury accompanied General Custer to Washington, D.C., where they presented captured Confederate flags to the War Department. For his actions, in October 1867, Woodbury was awarded the Medal of Honor. He is one of 21 US soldiers to earn the Medal of Honor for their actions at Cedar Creek.

War's Final Days

On November 26, 1864, Woodbury was promoted to 2^nd Lieutenant, and the following March, to 1^st Lieutenant. On March 15, 1865, “for gallant and meritorious service in the field,” Woodbury was brevetted captain. His unit continued to fight until the war's final days On April 8, 1865, Woodbury was wounded in the hand during the Battle of Appomattox Station. The next day Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia at Appomattox Courthouse. Woodbury mustered out of service and returned to civilian life two months later. 

Post War 

Woodbury followed a career in education. From 1884 to 1903 he served as headmaster of the Episcopal Academy in Cheshire, Connecticut. Around 1903 he married Emma McChesney. Together they had one child. When he died in 1928, he was the town's last surviving Civil War veteran. An obituary described him as, "The Grand Old Man of Cheshire."