Private William Wallace Burritt was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 27, 1863 in Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company G, 113th Illinois Infantry. Burritt was about 32 years old.
The medal was presented on July 8, 1896, 33 years after the action.
Burritt was born in 1831 in Campbell, Steuben County, New York. His Medal of Honor is credited to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Burritt died on October 18, 1901 in Wadsworth, Kansas, at the age of about 70. He is buried at Leavenworth National Cemetery in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Burritt 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
Voluntarily acted as a fireman on a steam tug which ran the blockade and passed the batteries under a heavy fire.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Places
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Timeline
- 1831Born in Campbell, Steuben County, New York
- April 27, 1863Act of valor — Vicksburg, MississippiAge about 32. Company G, 113th Illinois Infantry
- July 8, 1896Medal of Honor presented
- October 18, 1901Died in Wadsworth, KansasAge about 70.
- Resting placeLeavenworth National CemeteryLeavenworth, Kansas
Biography
Private William W. Burritt (c. 1831 to October 18, 1901) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Burritt received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action at Vicksburg in Mississippi on 27 April 1863. He was honored with the award on 8 July 1896.
From the Wikipedia article “William W. Burritt”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
