The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Michael Dougherty, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 12 October 1863, while serving with Company B, Volunteers 117th Regiment, 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry, in action at Jefferson, Virginia. At the head of a detachment of his company, Private Dougherty dashed across an open field, exposed to a deadly fire from the enemy, and succeeded in dislodging them from an unoccupied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus preventing the enemy from flanking the position of the Union forces.