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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Sergeant · U.S. Army

William Sands

First Sergeant William Sands, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions between February 6 and 7, 1865 in Dabney's Mills, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War February 6 - 7, 1865

First Sergeant William Sands was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions between February 6 and 7, 1865 in Dabney's Mills, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 88th Pennsylvania Infantry. Sands was 29 years old.

9 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 9, 1893, 28 years after the action.

Sands was born on October 14, 1835 in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Sands died on October 31, 1918 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, at the age of 83. He is buried at Charles Evans Cemetery in Reading, Pennsylvania. His medal is held by Northampton County Historical Society (1904 design), Easton, PA.

Sands is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Grasped the enemy's colors in the face of a deadly fire and brought them inside the lines.

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

Places

  • Born: Reading — map
  • Died: Norristown — map
  • Buried: Charles Evans Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. October 14, 1835
    Born in Reading, Berks County, Pennsylvania
  2. February 6 - 7, 1865
    Act of valor — Dabney's Mills, Virginia
    Age 29. Company G, 88th Pennsylvania Infantry
  3. November 9, 1893
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. October 31, 1918
    Died in Norristown, Pennsylvania
    Age 83.
  5. Resting place
    Charles Evans Cemetery
    Reading, Pennsylvania

Biography

William Sands (October 14, 1835 – October 31, 1918) was a United States soldier who fought with the Union Army during the American Civil War as a principal musician with the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry and, later, as a first sergeant with that same regiment. He received his nation's highest award for valor, the U.S. Medal of Honor, for capturing an enemy flag and carrying it from behind Confederate States Army lines to those of the Union Army during the Battle of Dabney's Mill/Hatcher's Run, Virginia (February 6–7, 1865). That award was conferred on November 9, 1893.

From the Wikipedia article “William Sands (soldier)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on February 6 - 7, 1865

AC Abel G. Cadwallader Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 DC Daniel G. Caldwell Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JC James Coey Major · Army Civil War · 1865 CD Charles Day Private · Army Civil War · 1865 John Carroll Delaney Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 JS John Christopher Sagelhurst Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 FS Francis M. Smith First Lieutenant & Adjutant · Army Civil War · 1865 JT John J. Thompson Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 John Mitchell Vanderslice Private · Army Civil War · 1865

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

Joseph Kirby Corson Assistant Surgeon · Army Civil War · 1863 HB Henry G. Bonebrake First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1865 Horace Porter Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 TM Theodore Mitchell Private · Army Civil War · 1865 Jacob E. Swap Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Robert Alexander Reid Private · Army 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.