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Boatswain's Mate · U.S. Navy

William Farley

Boatswain's Mate William Farley, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on December 25, 1863 off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 25, 1863

Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Boatswain's Mate William Farley received the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 25, 1863 off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Marblehead. Farley was about 28 years old.

3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Farley was born in 1835 in Whitefield, Lincoln County, Maine. His Medal of Honor is credited to Maine. His medal is held by Naval Historical Center, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC.

Farley is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 66 credited to Maine.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Served on board the U.S.S. Marblehead off Legareville, Stono River, 25 December 1863, during an engagement with the enemy on John's Island. Behaving in a gallant manner, Farley animated his men and kept up a rapid and effective fire on the enemy throughout the engagement, which resulted in the enemy's abandonment of his positions, leaving a caisson and one gun behind.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Whitefield — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Maine →

Timeline

  1. 1835
    Born in Whitefield, Lincoln County, Maine
  2. December 25, 1863
    Act of valor — off Legareville, Stono River, John's Island, South Carolina
    Age about 28. U.S.S. Marblehead

Biography

William Farley (born 1835, date of death unknown) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during an 1863 engagement.

From the Wikipedia article “William Farley (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Further reading

Also honored for actions on December 25, 1863

RB Robert Blake Contraband · Navy Civil War · 1863 JM James Miller Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1863 CM Charles Moore Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1863

Same unit

JB James Harvey Bennett Chief Boatswain's Mate · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 DC Daniel J. Campbell Private · Marine Corps Spanish-American War · 1898 JC Joseph Edward Carter Blacksmith · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 LC Leonard B. Chadwick Apprentice First Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 John Davis Gunner's Mate Third Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 JD John James Doran Boatswain's Mate Second Class · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 NE Nicholas Erickson Coxswain · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898 Herbert Louis Foss Seaman · Navy Spanish-American War · 1898

More Civil War recipients from Maine

AH Asbury F. Haynes Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Charles Henry Smith Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 TT Thomas Taylor Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 JA John Angling Cabin Boy · Navy Civil War · 1864 Thomas Worcester Hyde Major · Army Civil War · 1862 JM James McLeod Captain of the Foretop · Navy Civil War · 1862
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.