Private Denis (Dennis) B. Buckley was born in the Lindsey Township, Bruce County, Ontario, Canada in 1844. He enlisted in the Union Army in 1862.
Private Buckey was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously on April 7, 1865.
His Medal of Honor event was the capture of the flag of the CSA 31st Mississippi flag.
In modern vernacular his official citation might have read:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumosly) to Private Denis Buckley, United States Army, for extradianry heroism on 20 July 1864, while serving in Company G, 136th New York Infantry, in action at Peachtree Creek, Georgia, for capture of flag of 31st Mississippi (Confederate States of America).
After enlisting, he fought as a private in Company G, 136th New York Infantry. He died on July 20, 1864, in the Battle of Peachtree Creek, Georgia. The 136th Regiment fought with distinction in many battles, and the Battle of Peachtree Creek would have occurred during the assault on Atlanta.
During the Civil War, defending one’s unit flag was an important symbol of loyalty and boosted morale. It was also crucial in battlefield organization. The loss of a flag on either side was considered a disgrace. By capturing the flag of the 31st Mississippi he brought disgrace to them and honor to his unit.
See the note below on his recognition.
Shown here is the medal Private Buckley earned during his career.
Medal of Honor
Private Buckley is buried in Georgia in the Marietta National Cemetery. There is no known picture of Private Buckley.
In a strange twist of fate, Private Buckley’s burial location and recognition at Marietta National Cemetery did not come for 142 years.
His name had been misspelled on his original tombstone and records, and his heroism was not connected to his burial. Therefore, his tombstone lacked the designation of a Medal of Honor recipient. If he had relatives, it was likely that travel from his home in Canada to Marietta, Georgia, was impractical.
While doing genealogical research, John DuBois of Caledonia, New York, discovered the error and corrected it with the help of the Army. His tombstone (pictured above) was replaced with the correct name and designation.
There is a note on the tombstone that he was also a prisoner of war, but so far, our research has not turned up the definitive details of this reference. There was a B. Buckley who was held at Andersonville in South Georgia, but there is no evidence other than a reference to New York that this was the same person. His brief service (1862 – 1864) seems to make this unlikely, and the health of Andersonville POWs was such that their return to service seems unlikely. But the person referenced in the Andersonville records was released before the war’s end.
There is also a memorial marker in the Riverside Cemetery, Lindsey, Ontario, Canada.
