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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

William Joyce Sewell

Colonel William Joyce Sewell, 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, 1863Born in Ireland

Colonel William Joyce Sewell was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 3, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 5th New Jersey Infantry. Sewell was 27 years old.

29 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on March 25, 1896, 32 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Major General.

Sewell was born on December 6, 1835 in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Camden, Camden County, New Jersey. Sewell died on December 27, 1901 in Camden, New Jersey, at the age of 66. He is buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden, New Jersey.

Sewell is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 93 credited to New Jersey.

★ Wounded but Fought On

Official Medal of Honor citation

Assuming command of a brigade, he rallied around his colors a mass of men from other regiments and fought these troops with great brilliancy through several hours of desperate conflict, remaining in command though wounded and inspired them by his presence and the gallantry of his personal example.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Assuming command of a brigade, he rallied around his colors a mass of men from other regiments and fought these troops with great brilliancy through several hours of desperate conflict, remaining in command though wounded and inspired them by his presence and the gallantry of his personal example.
  • Age at death: 66
  • Resting place: Harleigh Cemetery

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Life beyond the battlefield

Source: Wikidata.

Places

  • Born: Castlebar — map
  • Died: Camden — map
  • Buried: Harleigh Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New Jersey →

Timeline

  1. December 6, 1835
    Born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland
  2. May 3, 1863
    Act of valor — Chancellorsville, Virginia
    Age 27. 5th New Jersey Infantry
  3. March 25, 1896
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 27, 1901
    Died in Camden, New Jersey
    Age 66.
  5. Resting place
    Harleigh Cemetery
    Camden, New Jersey

Biography

William Joyce Sewell (December 6, 1835 – December 27, 1901) was an American Republican Party politician, merchant, and military officer who served as a U.S. senator from New Jersey for two non-consecutive terms from 1881 to 1887 and 1895 until his death in 1901. Sewell was born in Castlebar, County Mayo, Ireland. He immigrated to the United States in 1851, where he worked in the merchant industry in Chicago, Illinois, before moving to Camden, New Jersey in 1860. He served as an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chancellorsville. He was also a Reconstruction Era state senator and U.S. Senator.

From the Wikipedia article “William J. Sewell”, 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 WG William Ernest Goodman First Lieutenant · 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

See all 30 recipients for May 3, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from New Jersey

WH William B. Hooper Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 WM William Magee Drummer · Army Civil War · 1864 DW Daniel Whitfield Quartermaster · Navy Civil War · 1864 WP William Porter Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 EY Edward B. Young Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 Frank E. Fesq Private · Army Civil War · 1865
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.