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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Corporal · U.S. Army

Francis A. Waller

Corporal Francis A. Waller, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War July 1, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Corporal Francis A. Waller received the Medal of Honor for his actions on July 1, 1863 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company L, 6th Wisconsin Infantry. Waller was 22 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 1, 1864. He later rose to the rank of First Lieutenant.

Waller was born on August 15, 1840 in Gurney (now Gurneyville), Clinton County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to DeSoto, Vernon County, Wisconsin. Waller died on April 30, 1911 in Bentford, South Dakota, at the age of 70. He is buried at Walnut Mound Cemetery in DeSoto, Wisconsin.

Waller is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 50 credited to Wisconsin.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag of 2d Mississippi Infantry (C.S.A.).

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Battles and campaigns

1863 · Civil War

Battle of Gettysburg

Result: Union victory

21 Medal of Honor recipients

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Ohio — map
  • Died: Retreat — map
  • Buried: Wisconsin — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Wisconsin →

Timeline

  1. August 15, 1840
    Born in Gurney (now Gurneyville), Clinton County, Ohio
  2. July 1, 1863
    Act of valor — Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
    Age 22. Company L, 6th Wisconsin Infantry
  3. December 1, 1864
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. April 30, 1911
    Died in Bentford, South Dakota
    Age 70.
  5. Resting place
    Walnut Mound Cemetery
    DeSoto, Wisconsin

Biography

Francis Asbury Wallar (August 15, 1840 – April 30, 1911) was a Union Army volunteer in the American Civil War and received the Medal of Honor for actions on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. He was a corporal in Company I of the 6th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, in the Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac. During the battle, he engaged a Confederate soldier of the 2nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment in single combat, capturing him and seizing his battle flag. Following the war he became Sheriff of Vernon County, Wisconsin. Wallar died in 1911 and was buried in Walnut Mound Cemetery in Retreat, Wisconsin.

From the Wikipedia article “Francis A. Wallar”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on July 1, 1863

Jefferson Coates Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Richard Enderlin Musician · Army Civil War · 1863 Edward Lyons Gilligan First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Henry Shippen Huidekoper Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 Francis Irsch Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 Harvey May Munsell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 James Monroe Reisinger Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 James May Rutter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Alfred Jacob Sellers Major · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Wisconsin

JD John S. Durham Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 ET Edwin M. Truell Private · Army Civil War · 1864 HE Horace Ellis Private · Army Civil War · 1864 James Burton Pond First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 TT Thomas Toohey Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 PA Peter T. Anderson Private · Army Civil War · 1865
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.