Captain of the Maintop John Williams, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on June 26, 1861 at Matthias Point, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Pawnee. Williams was about 33 years old.
He later rose to the rank of Master's Mate.
Williams was born in 1828 in Blair County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Louisiana.
Williams is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 24 credited to Louisiana.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Served as captain of the maintop of the U.S.S. Pawnee in the attack upon Mathias Point, 26 June 1861, Williams told his men, while lying off in the boat, that every man must die on his thwart sooner than leave a man behind. Although wounded by a musket ball in the thigh he retained the charge of his boat; and when the staff was shot away, held the stump in his hand, with the flag, until alongside the Freeborn.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
Although wounded by a musket ball in the thigh he retained the charge of his boat; and when the staff was shot away, held the stump in his hand, with the flag, until alongside the Freeborn.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Louisiana →
Timeline
- 1828Born in Blair County, Pennsylvania
- June 26, 1861Act of valor — Matthias Point, VirginiaAge about 33. U.S.S. Pawnee
Biography
John Williams (1828 – October 3, 1886) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of Mathias Point.
From the Wikipedia article “John Williams (Medal of Honor, born 1828)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
