Joseph Bell Kemp (July 1, 1844 – July 13, 1917) was an American soldier who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864 during the American Civil War.
Biography Kemp was born in Lima, Ohio, in 1844 and worked as a painter before enlisting in the 5th Michigan Infantry Regiment on August 19, 1861. He was promoted to corporal in April 1862 and was wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31, 1862. He was promoted to sergeant in September 1862, and was wounded twice more at the Battle of Chancellorsville and the Battle of Gettysburg (where he fought as a first sergeant) in 1863.
At the Battle of the Wilderness on May 6, 1864, Kemp captured the colors of the 31st North Carolina Infantry Regiment by ripping them from the staff held by the Confederate color bearer, for which he was recommended for the Medal of Honor. Kemp was a prisoner of war from June to November 1864 after being captured at the Siege of Petersburg, though he returned to his regiment in January 1865, where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant. He was mustered out on July 5, 1865, shortly after his promotion to captain. For gallantry in combat, Kemp was awarded the Kearny Cross, a non-government honor given directly by army officers.
After the war, Kemp settled in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he died on July 13, 1917, at the age of 73, and was buried in the city's Forest Hill Cemetery.
Medal of Honor
For his feat at the Battle of the Wilderness, Kemp was recommended for the Medal of Honor by Major General George Meade, and the award was ready for presentation on December 1, 1864. Kemp, however, never received the medal, possibly because he had been a prisoner of war in the months leading up to that date. In 1897, Kemp was notified by the Department of War that the medal was on file at its office, and Kemp finally received it on July 14, 1909.
Citation Service: United States Army Rank: First Sergeant Division: 5th Michigan Infantry Action Date: May 6, 1864 Date of Issue: December 1, 1864
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