The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Michael Madden, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 3 September 1861, while serving with Company K, 42d New York Infantry, in action at Mason’s Island, Maryland. Private Madden assisted a wounded comrade to the riverbank and, under heavy fire of the enemy, swam with him across a branch of the Potomac to the Union lines.