Bishop received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House in Virginia on 12 May 1864.

[1][2] Bishop was born in Bradford County, Pennsylvania.

He enlisted into the 57th Pennsylvania Infantry on 15 September 1861.

He attained the rank of corporal and mustered out on 29 June 1865.

He moved to Retsil, Washington after the war and died there.