Reynolds was born in Ireland in 1839. He enlisted in the US Army from
New York City in October 1861, and mustered out in October 1864. After the war, he went on to study art under the great American painter Thomas Eakins and was a member of The
Art Students' League of Philadelphia. He was included in several Eakins paintings and pioneering photographs. He was the subject of a famous portrait by Eakins, "The Veteran," now in the collection of Yale University. ==Medal of Honor citation==