Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, Captain William Perkins Black received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 7, 1862 at Pea Ridge, Arkansas during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company K, 37th Illinois Infantry. Black was 19 years old.
3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 2, 1893, 31 years after the action.
Black was born on November 11, 1842 in Woodford County, Kentucky. His Medal of Honor is credited to Danville, Vermillion County, Illinois. Black died on January 3, 1916 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 73. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.
Black is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 210 credited to Illinois.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Singlehandedly confronted the enemy, firing a rifle at them, and thus checked their advance within 100 yards of the lines.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Battle of Pea Ridge.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: lawyer
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →
Timeline
- November 11, 1842Born in Woodford County, Kentucky
- March 7, 1862Act of valor — Pea Ridge, ArkansasAge 19. Company K, 37th Illinois Infantry
- October 2, 1893Medal of Honor presented
- January 3, 1916Died in Chicago, IllinoisAge 73.
- Resting placeGraceland CemeteryChicago, Illinois
Biography
William Perkins Black (November 11, 1842 – January 3, 1916) was a lawyer and veteran of the American Civil War. He received America's highest military decoration – the Medal of Honor – for his actions at the Battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, in 1862.
From the Wikipedia article “William P. Black”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Further reading
- 7 Sets of Medal of Honor Siblings: Literal Brothers in Armscmohs.org · 2022
