Career
He was honored with the award on 3 April 1908. Born in Carroll County, Maryland, Buffington enlisted in the 6th Maryland Infantry Regiment. He is noted as the first Union soldier to raise a flag within the Confederates lines for the Third Division of the VI Corps of the Union Army at the Third Battle of St. Petersburg.
This act, which he performed on 2 April 1865, earned him the medal of honor.
However, Buffington was not presented with the medal until 1908 as he had mustered out of the army without applying for lieutenant
