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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

William Reed

Private William Reed, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 22, 1863

Private William Reed was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company H, 8th Missouri Infantry. Reed was 24 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 12, 1895, 32 years after the action.

Reed was born on February 21, 1839 in Union County, Pennsylvania. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois. Reed died on May 30, 1918 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, at the age of 79. He is buried at Riverview Cemetery in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.

Reed 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

Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."

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

Places

  • Buried: Riverview Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. February 21, 1839
    Born in Union County, Pennsylvania
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 24. Company H, 8th Missouri Infantry
  3. December 12, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 30, 1918
    Died in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
    Age 79.
  5. Resting place
    Riverview Cemetery
    Huntingdon, Pennsylvania

Biography

William Reed (February 21, 1839 – May 30, 1918) was an American soldier who fought for the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for valor.

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

Also honored for actions on May 22, 1863

CA Christian Albert Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WA William J. Archinal Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 CA Clinton Lycurgus Armstrong Private · Army Civil War · 1863 DA David Ayers Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 JA John G. k Ayers Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William H. Barringer Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Matthew Bickford Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 TB Thomas A. Blasdel Private · Army Civil War · 1863 EB Emmer Bowen Private · Army Civil War · 1863 UB Uriah H. Brown Private · Army Civil War · 1863 WB William P. Brownell Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 JB John C. Buckley Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863

See all 100 recipients for May 22, 1863 →

More Civil War recipients from Illinois

Douglas Hapeman Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1864 CA Charles Asten Quarter Gunner · Navy Civil War · 1864 EW Elwood N. Williams Private · Army Civil War · 1862 PH Patrick Highland Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 John Mcallister Schofield Major · Army Civil War · 1861 HT Henry H. Taylor Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863
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.