The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Cecil Clay, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 29 September 1864, while serving with Company K, 58th Pennsylvania Infantry, in action at Fort Harrison, Virginia. Captain Clay led his regiment in the charge, carrying the colors of another regiment, and when severely wounded in the right arm, incurring loss of same, he shifted the colors to the left hand, which also became disabled by a gunshot wound.