Galusha Pennypacker

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher during the Civil War. Galusha Pennypacker was born supposedly June 1, 1844, but the year is uncertain. Census and other records indicate an earlier year of birth, perhaps 1840–41; his death record cites June 1, 1842. Ages in this article are based on the 1844 date. He was born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to a family with a long history of military service. He was raised without having any memory of his parents, Joseph Judson Pennypacker (1814–1880?) and Tamson A. Workheiser. His mother died when he was still a baby, and his father, who had taken part in the Mexican–American War, later became an adventurer in California, where he founded the Petaluma Argus newspaper in 1859 and sold it in December 1860. His grandfather also served in the military, fighting in the American Revolutionary War.