The Early Years

John Harvey Fisher, son of George W. Fisher and Barbara Ann Williams, was born on 12 Mar 1837 in Pennsylvania, United States, was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on 22 May 1863.

In 1860 John, age twenty-two and worked in a Lab, resided with the Israel Drehers' Family in Naperville, DuPage, Illinois, United States.

The Civil War

John Harvey Fisher, a twenty-eight-year old and a resident of Dement, Illinois, United States, enlisted in the Union Army for three years on 10 Sep 1861 at Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States as a Private. John was described as 5'8" tall, light hair, gray eyes and light complexion. On 31 Oct 1861, he was assigned to Company B., 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry.

Private Fisher reinlisted on 27 Feb 1864 and was listed as wounded on 22 Jul 1864 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, when Private Fisher received his promotion to Corporal and then First Lieutenant. It is not clear when he received his promotion to Captain as noted on Wikipedia. First Lieutenant Fisher was discharged on 15 May 1865. First Lieutenant Fisher received his Medal of Honor for action at Vicksburg, Mississippi, Forlorn Hope on 22 May 1863, exact date of receipt of award is not known (in findagrave bio it indicates Lieutenant Fisher was awarded on 2 Sep 1893.

Civil War Engagements with the 55th Illinois Infantry Regiment, Nickname: "Canton Rifles"; Organized: Camp Douglas, Chicago, Illinois on 31 Oct 1861; Mustered out: 14 Aug 1865:

Shiloh, a series of maneuvers and battles in the Western Theater of the American Civil War directed against Vicksburg, Mississippi, a fortress city that dominated the last Confederate-controlled section of the Mississippi River, 6-7 Apr 1862, Corinth, Mississippi United States, Union Victory

Corinth, (aka Battle of Pittsburg Landing), 29 Apr-30 May 1862, Hardin County, Tennessee United States, Union Victory

Vicksburg, 29 Dec 1862-11 Jan 1863 (operations against Vicksburg), 29 Mar-4 Jul 1863 (Grant's operations against Vicksburg), In and around Vicksburg, Mississippi, United States, Decisive Union Victory

Chickasaw Bayou, (aka Battle of Walnut Hills), 26-29 Dec 1862, Warren County, Mississippi, United States, Confederate victory

Arkansas Post, (aka Battle of Fort Hindman), 9-11 Jan 1863, Arkansas Post, Arkansas, United States, Union Victory

Snyder's Bluff, 29 Apr-1 May 1863, Warren County, Mississippi, United States, Confederate victory

Jackson, MS, during the Vicksburg Campaign, 14 May 1863, Jackson, Mississippi, United States, Union Victory

Champion Hill, pivotal battle in the Vicksburg Campaign, 16 May 1863, Hinds County, Mississippi, United States, Union Victory

Vicksburg, final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign, 18 May-4 Jul 1863, Warren County, Mississippi, United States, Union Victory

Collierville, final major military action in the Vicksburg campaign, 11 Oct First Battle of Collierville-Second Battle of Collierville 3 Nov 1863, Collierville, Tennessee, United States, Union Victory

Third Battle of Chattanooga, series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863, 21 Sep-25 Nov 1863, Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States, Union Victory

Atlanta, Siege of Atlanta series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864, 2 May-2 Sep 1864, Northwestern Georgia and around Atlanta, United States, Union Victory

Resaca,formed part of the Atlanta Campaign, 13-15 May 1864, Gordon County and Whitfield County, Georgia, United States, Inconclusive Victory

Kennesaw Mountain, during the Atlanta Campaign, 27 Jun 1864, Cobb County, Georgia, United States, Confederate victory

Atlanta, during the Atlanta Campaign, 22 Jul 1864, Fulton and DeKalb counties, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

Ezra Church, (aka Battle of Ezra Chapel and the Battle of the Poor House), 28 Jul 1864, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

 Jonesborough, 31 Aug-1 Sep 1864, Clayton County, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

Allatoona, (aka Battle of Allatoona Pass), 5 Oct 1864, Bartow County, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

March to the Sea, (aka Savannah campaign or simply Sherman's March), 15 Nov-21 Dec 1864, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

Fort McAllister, final stages of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, 13 Dec 1864, Bryan County, Georgia, United States, Union Victory

Carolinas, (aka campaign of the Carolinas), the final campaign conducted by the Union Army against the Confederate Army in the Western Theater, 1 Jan-26 Apr 1865, Carolinas, United States, Union Victory, unconditional surrender of the Army of the South on April 26, 1865, effective end of the American Civil War, dissolution of the Confederacy and reconstruction of the Southern States

Bentonville, 19-21 Mar 1865, Bentonville, North Carolina, United States, Union Victory

On 22 May 1863, at the Siege of Vicksburg, Sprague was one of a storming party. The storming party, known as "Forlorn Hope," was a group who volunteered to attack the enemy fortifications. The storming party had heavy casualties.

First Lieutenant John Harvey Fisher fought in the American Civil War and received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Siege of Vicksburg at Warren County, Mississippi, United States. Lieutenant Fisher bravely defended Company B, 55th Regiment, Illinois Infantry during the storming party on 22 May 1863.

In accordance to military tradition, service members salute Medal of Honor recipients, regardless of rank. This is a matter of respect for the recipients' sacrifices and is not required by law. Department of Defense Saluting MOH Recipients. In addition, MOH Recipients receive special benefits: 1. A Monthly Pension and Special Retirement Pay; 2. Uniform Allowances; 3. On-Base Parking Spots; 4. Priority Space-A Travel; 5. Invitations to Presidential Inaugurals; 6. Academy Appointments for Dependents; 7. A Medal of Honor Flag; 8. Full Military Burial Honors Military Times, Special Benefits for MOH Recipients.

Postbellum

John married the former Harriet L. Ingle on 12 Apr 1866 in Jones, Iowa, United States.  They had at least nine known children: Ira M Fisher, Irene Fisher, Cora Fisher Wilson, George William Fisher, Dr Eugene Malgane Fisher, Ethel Fisher Brown, Ada Fisher Holmes, John Harvey Fisher Jr., and Harriet Lucy Fisher.

John was in a pension record in 1869.  By 1870 John, age thirty-two, a Farmer and the head of household had relocated to Iowa and was married to his wife of four years, Harriet (aka Hattie). They resided in Wyoming, Jones, Iowa, United States. The personal estate was $500 and the real estate value was $3000. Hattie managed the household and raised Ira and Irene.   As of 1880, John, age forty-two, a Farmer and the head of household was married to his wife of fourteen years, Harriet (aka Hattie) and they resided in Clay Township, Clay, Iowa, United States. Hattie managed the household and raised Ira (Harry), Irene, Cora, George, Eugene, and Ethel.   John, age forty-eight, a Farmer and the head of household was married to his wife of nineteen years, Harriet (aka Hattie) and they resided in Clay Township, Clay, Iowa, United States in 1885. Hattie managed the household and raised Ira (Harry), Irene, Cora (aka Dora), George, Eugene, Ethel, Ida (Ada) and John Harvey, Jr.

Death & Burial

Medal of Honor Recipient Captain John Harvey Fisher, son of George W. Fisher and Barbara Ann Williams, died on Tuesday, 16 Sep 1895 at the age of 58 years, 6 months, 4 days in Wyoming, Jones County, Iowa, United States and is interred in Mountain View Cemetery, Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado, United States.

Research Notes

Civil War Data indicates John died in Spencer, Iowa vs. what findagrave shows, Longmont, Boulder County, Colorado.