Date of Award: April 20, 1896
Conflict: Civil War
Branch: U.S. Army

After he achieved his degree in medicine in 1864, Jacob Raub was appointed to assistant surgeon of the 210th Pennsylvania Volunteer. As part of the board of operating surgeons of the field hospital of the 5th Army Corps, he was positioned in the rear, well out of the distance of any ensuing dangers during the battle. However, at the battle of Hatcher’s Run, Raub heard his regiment was without a surgeon, and volunteered to tend to the wounded in the middle of severe gunfire.

While administering help to the fallen, Raub spotted the enemy repositioning themselves for a surprise attack from an undefended direction. He warned the generals of the imminent attack, and picked up a musket and ammunition and gallantly joined in the fight until the engagement ended. The results could have been disastrous for Raub’s regiment if he had not spotted the attack.

Citation: “Discovering a flank movement by the enemy, appraised the commanding general at great peril, and though a noncombatant voluntarily participated with the troops in repelling this attack.”