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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

William Laing

Sergeant William Laing, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on September 29, 1864 at Chapin's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War September 29, 1864Posthumous

Sergeant William Laing was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on September 29, 1864 at Chapin's Farm, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 158th New York Infantry. Laing was about 33 years old.

Laing was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. 37 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 6, 1865.

Laing was born in 1831 in Hempstead, Nassau County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. Records also list him as Lang, William.

Laing is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 678 credited to New York.

★ Gave Their Lives

Official Medal of Honor citation

Was among the first to scale the parapet.

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

Wounds and death in action

  • Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (September 29, 1864).
  • Age at death: about 33

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Hempstead — map
  • Died: Virginia — map
  • Buried: Saint George's Church Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in New York →

Timeline

  1. 1831
    Born in Hempstead, Nassau County, New York
  2. September 29, 1864
    Act of valor — Chapin's Farm, Virginia
    Age about 33. Company F, 158th New York Infantry Killed in action.
  3. April 6, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented posthumously

Biography

William Laing (c. 1831 – September 29, 1864) was a soldier in the Union Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his role in the American Civil War. Laing enlisted in the Army from Brooklyn in August 1862.

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

Also honored for actions on September 29, 1864

LA Lester Archer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ WB William Henry Barnes Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Powhatan Beaty First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 TB Thomas Belcher Private · Army Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Blucher Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 JB James Brady Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JB James H. Bronson First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 GB George A. Buchanan Private · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ FB Frederick Clarence Buck Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 CC Cecil Clay Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 NE Nathan Huntley Edgerton First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1864 AF Augustin D. Flanagan Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 38 recipients for September 29, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

Charles Franklin Cleveland Private · Army Civil War · 1862 HJ Henry Johnson Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WC William Henry harrison Crosier Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Henri Le fevre Brown Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 Edward M. Knox Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 Archibald Freeman 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.