Private Richard Beddows received a Medal of Honor for saving his artillery battery's guidon (type of flag) from Confederates during the May 1864 Battle of Spottsylvania. However, he did not receive it until 1896 and he died in 1922 and is buried at New Rochelle, New York's Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
He was born in Liverpool, England June 27, 1843 and was a member of the 34th New York Battery.
A descendant, Michael Resnick of Long Island, presented the medal of Honor to the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs. They have the original guidon that Beddows saved and the two will be put on temporary display.
From his Medal of Honor Commendation: "Bought his guidon off in safety under a heavy fire of musketry after he had lost his horse becoming furious from the bursting of a shell."
June 13th, AP.
Talk About TWO Important Things in a Man's Life. --Old Blockade-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
