Graves was born September 29, 1866, in
Milton, Indiana and joined the army from
Columbus, Ohio in May 1898. He was sent to fight in the Spanish–American War with Company C,
17th U.S. Infantry as a private where he received the
Medal of Honor for his actions. He was discharged in May 1901. He died January 27, 1944, and is buried in Zion Lutheran Cemetery Pershing, Indiana. ==Medal of Honor citation==