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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

William Ernest Goodman

First Lieutenant William Ernest Goodman, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 3, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 3, 1863

First Lieutenant William Ernest Goodman, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 3, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company D, 147th Pennsylvania Infantry. Goodman was 24 years old.

29 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on January 11, 1894, 30 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major.

Goodman was born on December 10, 1838 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Goodman died on March 22, 1912 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of 73. He is buried at St. Thomas Church Cemetery in Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania.

Goodman is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

★ Flags & Colors★ Rescue & Lifesaving

Official Medal of Honor citation

Rescued the colors of the 107th Ohio Volunteers from the enemy.

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

Battles and campaigns

1863 · Civil War

Battle of Chancellorsville

Result: Confederate victory

8 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Died: Pennsylvania — map
  • Buried: Whitemarsh Township — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. December 10, 1838
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. May 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Chancellorsville, Virginia
    Age 24. Company D, 147th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. January 11, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. March 22, 1912
    Died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Age 73.
  5. Resting place
    St. Thomas Church Cemetery
    Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania

Biography

William Ernest Goodman (December 10, 1838 – March 22, 1912) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Goodman received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Goodman's medal was won when he rescued the colors of the 107th Ohio Infantry from Confederate States Army forces during the Battle of Chancellorsville, in Virginia on March 3, 1863. He was honored with the award on January 11, 1894. Goodman was born in Philadelphia. He was commissioned as an officer in September 1861, and mustered out with his regiment in July 1865.

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

Also honored for actions on May 3, 1863

FB Frederick A. Ballen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Thomas Wilson Bradley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Edward Brown Jr. Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 JB John Knight Bucklyn First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 John F. Chase Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Andrew Davidson Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1863 JF Jacob G. Frick Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 John Curtis Gilmore Major · Army Civil War · 1863 Lewis Addison Grant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 John Hack Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Francis Bloodgood Hall Chaplain · Army Civil War · 1863 Ephraim W. Harrington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 30 recipients for May 3, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

GP George Crawford Platt Private · Army Civil War · 1863 James May Rutter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 William J. Wray Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JS James M. Seitzinger Private · Army Civil War · 1864 HT Henry A. Thompson Private · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 HS Henry C. Slusher Private · Army Civil War · 1863
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.