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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Sergeant · U.S. Army

William Toomer

Sergeant William Toomer, 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, 1863Born in Ireland

Sergeant William Toomer, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 22, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 127th Illinois Infantry. Toomer was 33 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on July 9, 1894, 31 years after the action.

Toomer was born on January 12, 1830 in Dublin, Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Toomer died on December 27, 1901 in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 71. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

Toomer 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.

Battles and campaigns

1863 · Civil War

Siege of Vicksburg

Result: Union victory

21 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Dublin — map
  • Died: Chicago — map
  • Buried: Graceland Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. January 12, 1830
    Born in Dublin, Ireland
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 33. Company G, 127th Illinois Infantry
  3. July 9, 1894
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 27, 1901
    Died in Chicago, Illinois
    Age 71.
  5. Resting place
    Graceland Cemetery
    Chicago, Illinois

Biography

William Toomer (January 12, 1831 – December 27, 1901) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Tommer received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Toomer's medal was won for his gallantry at the Battle of Vicksburg, Mississippi on May 22, 1863. He was honored with the award on July 9, 1894. Toomer was born in Dublin, Ireland. He joined the US Army from Chicago in August 1862, and mustered out with his regiment in June 1865.

From the Wikipedia article “William Toomer”, 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 WP Wesley James Powers Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 JW John W. Whitmore Private · Army Civil War · 1865 RS Reuben S. Smalley Private · Army Civil War · 1863 GL George Washington Lucas Private · Army Civil War · 1864 SC Samuel Joseph Churchill Corporal · 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.