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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Lieutenant · U.S. Army

William Plimley

First Lieutenant William Plimley, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on April 2, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War April 2, 1865

Serving as a soldier in the U.S. Army, First Lieutenant William Plimley received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 2, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company F, 120th New York Infantry. Plimley was 25 years old.

65 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 4, 1898, 33 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Major.

Plimley was born on August 12, 1839 in Catskill, Greene County, New York. Plimley died on October 2, 1913 in New York, New York, at the age of 74. He is buried at Catskill Rural Cemetery in Catskill, New York.

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

Official Medal of Honor citation

While acting as aide to a general officer, voluntarily accompanied a regiment in an assault on the enemy's works and acted as leader of the movement which resulted in the rout of the enemy and the capture of large numbers of prisoners.

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

Timeline

  1. August 12, 1839
    Born in Catskill, Greene County, New York
  2. April 2, 1865
    Act of valor — Hatcher's Run, Virginia
    Age 25. Company F, 120th New York Infantry
  3. April 4, 1898
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 2, 1913
    Died in New York, New York
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Catskill Rural Cemetery
    Catskill, New York

Also honored for actions on April 2, 1865

AA Abner Peeler Allen Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 AA Andrew O. Apple Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 William J. Babcock Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JB James Albert Barber Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 EB Eugene Beauharnais Beaumont Major and Assistant Adjutant General · Army Civil War · 1865 William Robert douglas Blackwood Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John W. Boutwell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JB John E. Buffington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 CC Carlton N. Camp Private · Army Civil War · 1865 JC John Corcoran Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Stephen Potter Corliss First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC Josiah M. Curtis Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865

See all 66 recipients for April 2, 1865 →

More Civil War recipients from New York

Philip Goettel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Charles Franklin Cleveland Private · Army Civil War · 1862 MC Michael Cassidy Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1864 WD Warren C. Dockum Private · Army Civil War · 1865 AB Asa Betham Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1864 MM Michael C. Murphy Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.