Years of service 1861 - 1865 Spouse Maria Ayer Rank First Lieutenant | Name David Ayers Upcoming movie Suicide Squad Role Film director | |
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Born April 29, 1841
Kalida, Ohio ( 1841-04-29 ) Died December 11, 1916(1916-12-11) (aged 75)
Chicago, Illinois Place of burial Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago Allegiance United States of America
Union Battles/wars American Civil War
• Siege of Vicksburg Movies Suicide Squad, Fury, End of Watch, Sabotage, Training Day Similar People Michael Pena, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Logan Lerman, Jai Courtney Profiles | ||
Service/branch United States Navy | ||
David Ayer on filmmaking: “life experience can be more valuable than a formal education"
David Ayers (April 4, 1841 – December 11, 1916) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863.
Contents
- David Ayer on filmmaking life experience can be more valuable than a formal education
- Union assault
- Medal of Honor citation
- References
Union assault
On May 22, 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant ordered an assault on the Confederate heights at Vicksburg, Mississippi. The plan called for a storming party of volunteers to build a bridge across a moat and plant scaling ladders against the enemy embankment in advance of the main attack. The volunteers knew the odds were against survival and the mission was called, in nineteenth century vernacular, a "forlorn hope". Only single men were accepted as volunteers and even then, twice as many men as needed came forward and were turned away. The assault began in the early morning following a naval bombardment. The Union soldiers came under enemy fire immediately and were pinned down in the ditch they were to cross. Despite repeated attacks by the main Union body, the men of the forlorn hope were unable to retreat until nightfall. Of the 150 men in the storming party, nearly half were killed. Seventy-nine of the survivors were awarded the Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor citation
For gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party on 22 May 1863.