Forrester Lore Taylor (October 30, 1833 – April 21, 1907) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War who received the Medal of Honor for his bravery at the May 3, 1863 Battle of Salem Church. Early years and education Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was a member of a Burlington, New Jersey militia company at the start of the Civil War. In July 1862, President Abraham Lincoln enacted legislation that called for established militia units to be called into Federal service for a period of nine months. Military career Forrester Taylor's unit was recruited up to the strength of a standard Union Army infantry company, and it was mustered into service as Company A of the 23rd New Jersey Volunteer Infantry, with Taylor becoming a sergeant on September 13, 1862. He served in this duty as the regiment was brigaded with the Army of the Potomac's First New Jersey Brigade in October 1862, and fought in the December 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg, where the 23rd New Jersey performed rather well for a green, untested unit, and took a number of casualties. The battle, however, was an unequivocal Union defeat, and the 23rd New Jersey, with the rest of the beaten army, limped into winter quarters to await the spring after the engagement. While in that period of inactivity, Forrester Taylor was promoted three times: December 26, 1862 to second lieutenant of Company G, February 13, 1863 to first lieutenant of Company D, and April 18, 1863 to captain and commander of Company H. He was in command of his company during the May 1863 Chancellorsville Campaign, which featured an attack of the First New Jersey Brigade on Confederate positions in and around Salem Church, just west of the town of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The brigade encountered the rebel forces in strong defensive positions and superior numbers, and eventually retreated with a great number of casualties. In that retreat, Captain Taylor twice braved intense enemy gunfire to save wounded comrades, and was almost killed himself by friendly Union artillery fire. His act was recognized over 33 years later, when, on November 2, 1896, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery (his official citation reads simply "At great risk voluntarily saved the lives of and brought from the battlefield two wounded comrades"). His enlistment expired on June 27, 1863, and he was mustered out in