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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Commissary Sergeant · U.S. Army

William M. Houlton

Commissary Sergeant William M. Houlton, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 6, 1865

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Commissary Sergeant William M. Houlton received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 1st West Virginia Cavalry. Houlton was 29 years old.

59 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on May 3, 1865.

Houlton was born on September 1, 1835 in Clymer, Chautauqua County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Athens, Athens County, Ohio. Houlton died on February 13, 1918 in Abilene, Kansas, at the age of 82. He is buried at Abilene Cemetery in Abilene, Kansas.

Houlton is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

★ Flags & Colors

Official Medal of Honor citation

Capture of flag.

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

Timeline

  1. September 1, 1835
    Born in Clymer, Chautauqua County, New York
  2. April 6, 1865
    Act of valor — Deatonsville (Sailor's Creek), Virginia
    Age 29. 1st West Virginia Cavalry
  3. May 3, 1865
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. February 13, 1918
    Died in Abilene, Kansas
    Age 82.
  5. Resting place
    Abilene Cemetery
    Abilene, Kansas

Biography

William Houlton (September 1, 1835 - February 13, 1918) was an American soldier and recipient of the Medal of Honor who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

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

Also honored for actions on April 6, 1865

JB John Francis Benjamin Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 OB Orrin Bennett Private · Army Civil War · 1865 HB Hugh Patterson Boon Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Lewis Francis Brest Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Andrew Bringle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 IC Ivers S. Calkin First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Chapman Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AC Albert Adams Clapp First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 TC Trustrim Connell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 FC Francis Marion Cunningham First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 Thomas Ward Custer Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 TD Thomas Davis Private · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 60 recipients for April 6, 1865 →

Same unit

Charles E. Capehart Major · Army Civil War · 1863 HC Henry Capehart Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

JS John Whedon Steele Major & Aide-de-Camp · Army Civil War · 1864 John Wilson Sprague Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 ✦ MM Martin McHugh Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1863 Wager Swayne Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1862 CS Christian Schnell Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 JH James Haley Captain of the Forecastle · Navy 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.