Private William John Brewer was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 4, 1865 at Appomattox Campaign, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company C, 2d New York Cavalry. Brewer was about 22 years old.
One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1865. He later rose to the rank of Corporal.
Brewer was born in 1843 in Putnam County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Newburgh, Orange County, New York. Brewer died on June 19, 1878 in Cornwall, New York, at the age of about 35. He is buried at Quaker Cemetery in Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, New York.
Brewer is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Capture of engineer flag, Army of Northern Virginia.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
- Born: Putnam County — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →
Timeline
- 1843Born in Putnam County, New York
- April 4, 1865Act of valor — Appomattox Campaign, VirginiaAge about 22. Company C, 2d New York Cavalry
- May 3, 1865Medal of Honor presented
- June 19, 1878Died in Cornwall, New YorkAge about 35.
- Resting placeQuaker CemeteryCornwall-on-the-Hudson, New York
Biography
William John Brewer (c. 1843 - June 19, 1878) was an American soldier who received the Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War.
From the Wikipedia article “William J. Brewer”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
