Private Joseph Wortick

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Joseph Wortick, United States Army, for gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party on 22 May 1863, while serving with Company A, 6th Missouri Infantry, in action at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

General Orders: Date of Issue: July 14, 1894

Action Date: May 22, 1863

Service: Army

Rank: Private

Company: Company A

Division: 6th Missouri Infantry

• Reference: CMOHS
• Reference: Wikipedia

Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. On March 5, 1862 at Hannibal, Missouri, He volunteered in Company A 6th Missouri Infantry. He was wounded in the charge at Vicksburg. Mr. Wartick was the first man in his regiment to step to the front when his Colonel (Sherman) asked for 200 men to storm a redoubt at Vicksburg. Thirty of those men carried heavy planks to bridge a ditch outside of the earth works. The group of men were mowed down like grass. Some were able to reach the ditch and many were killed by grenades thrown over the breast works by the Confederates. Wartick and a first lieutenant were the only ones to cross the ditch but they couldn’t stay. Nearly all the storming party was killed or wounded, not a dozen escaped. Later Mr Wartick was asked if he wasn’t afraid to join the forlorn hope. He said, ”I don’t know; I heard what my Colonel said, believed it should be done and wanted to help do it. It was pretty bad business. I don’t know how I escaped death” His heroism there and his surviving comrades earned them a Legion of Honor Medal, voted by Congress in recognition of patriotism and valor. He was hit seven times and still carried lead in his body. He recovered in time to participate at Champion Hill, then marched with Sherman to the sear and finally took part in the Grand Review in Washington D.C. and was finally honorably discharged in May 27, 1865.

Bio by: Busy Graven

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 9 2020, 17:27:41 UTC