Medal of Honor Created: Congress Honors the Bravest
Congress authorized the creation of the Medal of Honor on July 12, 1862, initially for enlisted Navy personnel before expanding it to Army soldiers within months. The decoration was intended to recognize extraordinary valor in combat, but during the Civil War the standards were loose: an entire regiment of 864 men received it simply for reenlisting. Congress later revoked 911 medals in a 1917 review, including those awarded to Mary Edwards Walker, the only woman recipient, who had hers reinstated posthumously in 1977. Today the Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military decoration, requiring such extreme gallantry that many recipients are honored posthumously.
July 12, 1862
164 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on July 12
Titus's legions smashed through Jerusalem's battered walls three days after breaching the perimeter, unleashing a fire that consumed the Second Temple. This des…
King Æthelstan of England secured the submission of Scotland's Constantine II, Wales' Hywel Dda, and northern leaders Ealdred and Owain at a meeting that ended …
Athelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, forced Constantine II of Scotland to submit at Eamont Bridge in July 927, compelling the Scottish king to pledge loyalt…
Saladin’s garrison surrendered Acre to King Philip II of France, concluding a brutal two-year siege that claimed thousands of lives. This victory secured a vita…
Pope Benedict XII issued the papal bull Fulgens sicut stella matutina on July 12, 1335, to enforce stricter discipline within the Cistercian Order. This decree …
The Venetians called it Negroponte—their richest colony, holding the narrows between mainland Greece and Euboea. Sultan Mehmed II brought 100,000 men and siege …
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.