Wesley James Powers
Born: October 26, 1845 at Orono, Ontario, Canada
Home Town: Virgil, Illinois
Medal of Honor
American Civil War
U.S. Army
Date of Issue: October 24, 1895
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Corporal Wesley James Powers, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 3 April 1865, while serving with Company F, 147th Illinois Infantry, in action at Oostanaula River, Georgia. Corporal Powers voluntarily swam the river under heavy fire and secured a ferryboat, by means of which the command crossed.