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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

William Bumgarner

Sergeant William Bumgarner, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Sergeant William Bumgarner received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 4th West Virginia Infantry. Bumgarner was 25 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 10, 1894, 31 years after the action.

Bumgarner was born on July 12, 1837 in Mason County, West Virginia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Mason City, Mason County, West Virginia. Bumgarner died on December 24, 1911 in Liberty Center, Indiana, at the age of 74. He is buried at Mossburg Cemetery in Liberty Center, Indiana.

Bumgarner is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 45 credited to West Virginia.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Places

  • Born: Mason County — map
  • Died: Indiana — map
  • Buried: Mossburg Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in West Virginia →

Timeline

  1. July 12, 1837
    Born in Mason County, West Virginia
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 25. Company A, 4th West Virginia Infantry
  3. July 10, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 24, 1911
    Died in Liberty Center, Indiana
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Mossburg Cemetery
    Liberty Center, Indiana

Biography

Sergeant William Bumgarner (July 12, 1837 – December 24, 1911) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Bumgarner received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action at the siege of Vicksburg on 22 May 1863. He was honored with the award on 10 July 1894.

From the Wikipedia article “William Bumgarner”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from West Virginia

JM Joseph McCauslin Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AW Adam White Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 SM Samuel O. McElhinny Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AA Andrew O. Apple Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Charles A. Reeder Private · Army Civil War · 1865 GM George G. Moore Private · Army Civil War · 1864
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.