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Captain of the Forecastle · U.S. Navy

William G. Taylor

Captain of the Forecastle William G. Taylor, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions between December 24 and 25, 1864 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War December 24 - 25, 1864

Captain of the Forecastle William G. Taylor was a sailor in the U.S. Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions between December 24 and 25, 1864 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Ticonderoga. Taylor was 35 years old.

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

Taylor was born on August 9, 1829 in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Taylor died on March 28, 1910 in Quincy, Illinois, at the age of 80. He is buried at Sunset Cemetery in Quincy, Illinois.

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

★ Wounded but Fought On

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Ticonderoga during attacks on Fort Fisher, 24 and 25 December 1864. As captain of a gun, Taylor performed his duties with coolness and skill as his ship took position in the line of battle and delivered its fire on the batteries onshore. Despite the depressing effect caused when an explosion of the 100-pounder Parrott rifle killed eight men and wounded 12 more, and the enemy's heavy return fire, he calmly remained at his station during the two days' operations.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Philadelphia — map
  • Buried: Quincy — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. August 9, 1829
    Born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
  2. December 24 - 25, 1864
    Act of valor — Fort Fisher, North Carolina
    Age 35. U.S.S. Ticonderoga
  3. March 28, 1910
    Died in Quincy, Illinois
    Age 80.
  4. Resting place
    Sunset Cemetery
    Quincy, Illinois

Biography

Captain William G. Taylor (9 August 1829 – 28 March 1910) was an American sailor who fought in the American Civil War. Taylor received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his actions on the USS Ticonderoga during the First Battle of Fort Fisher. Taylor was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and buried in Quincy, Illinois.

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

Also honored for actions on December 24 - 25, 1864

JA John Angling Cabin Boy · Navy Civil War · 1864 AB Asa Betham Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 RB Robert M. Blair Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864 HC Harrison Collins Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 GM George Washington McWilliams Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 GP George Prance Captain of the Main Top · Navy Civil War · 1864 JW Joseph White Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 AW Anthony Williams Sailmaker's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1864

Same unit

RB Richard Binder Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 EB Edward R. Bowman Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 WC William Campbell Boatswain's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1865 Isaac N. Fry Orderly Sergeant · Marine Corps Civil War · 1865 JH Joseph B. Hayden Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1865 TJ Thomas Jones Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865 James Jonas Madison Lieutenant Commander · Navy World War I · 1918 WS William Shipman Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

WF West Funk Major · Army Civil War · 1865 James Monroe Reisinger Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CB Charles E. Brown Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 CI Charles Henry Ilgenfritz Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 William Sully Beebe First lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 GR George W. Reed 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.