Orlando E. Caruana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orlando E. Caruana
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|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 1844 Valletta, Crown Colony of Malta |
| Died | September 14, 1917 (aged 73) Washington, D.C., United States |
| Buried |
Mount Olivet Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit |  51st Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry - Company K |
| Battles/wars | Battle of New Bern Battle of South Mountain |
| Awards |  Medal of Honor |
Private Orlando Emanuel Caruana (June 23, 1844 – September 14, 1917) was a Maltese-born American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Caruana received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of New Bern in North Carolina on 14 March 1862 and the Battle of South Mountain in Maryland on 14 September 1862. He was honored with the award on 14 November 1890.
Biography
Caruana was born on 23 June 1844 in Valletta in the British Crown Colony of Malta. Claiming to be 20 years old, he enlisted in the U.S. Army from New York City in August 1861. He received the Medal of Honor for two actions. The first was on 14 March 1862 during the Battle of New Bern when he took the battle flag from the wounded color bearer, helping off the battlefield. The second was on 14 September that same year when he, along with three other men, volunteered to scout out the enemy's position in Maryland during the Battle of South Mountain. The other three men were killed but he managed to escape and rejoin his company. He was discharged from the 51st New York Infantry in September 1864.
Caruana died on 14 September 1917 and his remains are interred at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington D.C.
