The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Joseph L. Epps, United States Army, for most distinguished gallantry on 4 December 1899, while serving with Company B, 33d Infantry, U.S. Volunteers, in action at Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Private Epps discovered a party of insurgents inside a wall, climbed to the top of the wall, covered them with his gun, and forced them to stack arms and surrender.