The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Andrew Symmes Bryant, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 23 May 1863, while serving with Company A, 46th Massachusetts Infantry, in action at New Bern, North Carolina. By his courage and judicious disposition of his guard of 16 men, stationed in a small earthwork at the head of the bridge, Sergeant Bryant held in check and repulsed for a half hour a fierce attack of a strong force of the enemy, thus probably saving the city New Bern from capture.