Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

William G. Whitney

Sergeant William G. Whitney, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on September 20, 1863 in Chickamauga, Georgia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 20, 1863

Sergeant William G. Whitney was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on September 20, 1863 in Chickamauga, Georgia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company B, 11th Michigan Infantry. Whitney was 22 years old.

4 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 21, 1895, 32 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Whitney was born on December 13, 1840 in Allen, Hillsdale County, Michigan. His Medal of Honor is credited to Quincy, Branch County, Michigan. Whitney died on May 7, 1915 in Allen, Michigan, at the age of 74. He is buried at Allen Cemetery in Allen, Michigan.

Whitney is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 112 credited to Michigan.

Official Medal of Honor citation

As the enemy were about to charge, this officer went outside the temporary Union works among the dead and wounded enemy and at great exposure to himself cut off and removed their cartridge boxes, bringing the same within the Union lines, the ammunition being used with good effect in again repulsing the attack.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Allen — map
  • Died: Allen — map
  • Buried: Allen Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Michigan →

Timeline

  1. December 13, 1840
    Born in Allen, Hillsdale County, Michigan
  2. September 20, 1863
    Act of valor — Chickamauga, Georgia
    Age 22. Company B, 11th Michigan Infantry
  3. October 21, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 7, 1915
    Died in Allen, Michigan
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Allen Cemetery
    Allen, Michigan

Biography

William Garrett Whitney (December 13, 1840 – May 7, 1915) was an American Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and was awarded for his actions during the Battle of Chickamauga. He served in Company B, 11th Michigan Infantry, enlisting August 24, 1861 as a sergeant. Whitney was 21 years old at the time of enlistment and was from Allen, Michigan. There were at least 53 men who served from Allen. At the time of his enlistment he was also a student of Hillsdale College. Hillsdale College was founded in 1844 in Spring Arbor and was a strong proponent of abolitionism. Frederick Douglass even spoke on the campus of Hillsdale in January 1863.

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

Also honored for actions on September 20, 1863

Orville Tyron Chamberlain Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 CC Clinton Albert Cilley Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 Horace Porter Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 Anthony Taylor First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Michigan

HP Henry E. Plant Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 Cornelius Cronin Chief Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 JC James Isaac Christiancy First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 GC Gabriel Cole Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 JF John A. Falconer Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 Edward Hill Captain · 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.