Sergeant William Pittinger, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry in April 1862 in Georgia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 2d Ohio Infantry. Pittinger was about 22 years old.
The medal was presented on March 25, 1863. Washington, D.C., presented by Sec. of War Edward M. Stanton.
Pittinger was born on January 31, 1840 in Knoxville, Jefferson County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio. Pittinger died on April 24, 1904 in Fallbrook, California, at the age of 64. He is buried at Odd Fellow Cemetery in Fallbrook, California. Records also list him as Pittenger, William.
Pittinger is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.
Official Medal of Honor citation
One of 19 of 24 men (including two civilians) who, by direction of Gen. Ormsby M. Mitchell, penetrated nearly 200 miles south into enemy territory and captured a railroad train at Big Shanty, Ga., in an attempt to destroy the bridges and track between Chattanooga and Atlanta.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: American Civil War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: writer, screenwriter
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Timeline
- January 31, 1840Born in Knoxville, Jefferson County, Ohio
- April 1862Act of valor — GeorgiaAge about 22. Company G, 2d Ohio Infantry
- March 25, 1863Medal of Honor presentedWashington, D.C., presented by Sec. of War Edward M. Stanton
- April 24, 1904Died in Fallbrook, CaliforniaAge 64.
- Resting placeOdd Fellow CemeteryFallbrook, California
Biography
William Pittenger (January 31, 1840 – April 24, 1904) was an American soldier during the American Civil War. A member of the Union Army, he was one of the first recipients of the Medal of Honor.
From the Wikipedia article “William Pittenger”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
Further reading
- The Great Locomotive Chase: The First Awarded Medals of Honorcmohs.org · 2022
