Nathaniel M. Allen

Corporal Nathaniel M. Allen was a United States soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Nathaniel was awarded the Medal of Honor the United States highest award for bravery during combat for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was presented the award in 1899, a year before he died.

Nathaniel was born in Boston, Massachusetts on April 20, 1840. His father Gaius Allen, who came from Acton, was a former soldier who served in the Davis Blues Regiment during the War of 1812. As a young man, Nathaniel worked in Boston as a watchmaker. When the civil war broke out on April 12, 1861, he immediately enlisted into the 1st Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry as a Private, on May 22, 1861, aged 21. In April 1862, he was promoted to Corporal of the Color Guard and maintained the rank for the rest of his military career.

Source: Wikipedia