The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private George Kretsinger, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 22 May 1863, while serving with Chicago Mercantile Battery, Illinois Light Artillery, in action at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Private Kretsinger carried, with others, by hand, a cannon up to and fired it through an embrasure of the enemy’s works.