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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

William Wallace Cranston

Private William Wallace Cranston, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on May 2, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War May 2, 1863

Private William Wallace Cranston, a soldier in the U.S. Army, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on May 2, 1863 in Chancellorsville, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 66th Ohio Infantry. Cranston was 24 years old.

11 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 15, 1892, 29 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Captain.

Cranston was born on November 20, 1838 in near Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio. His Medal of Honor is credited to Urbana, Champaign County, Ohio. Cranston died on December 7, 1907 in Parsons, Kansas, at the age of 69. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons, Kansas.

Cranston is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

One of a party of four who voluntarily brought in a wounded Confederate officer from within the enemy's line in the face of a constant fire.

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

Places

  • Born: Woodstock — map
  • Died: Kansas — map
  • Buried: Oakwood Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. November 20, 1838
    Born in near Woodstock, Champaign County, Ohio
  2. May 2, 1863
    Act of valor — Chancellorsville, Virginia
    Age 24. Company A, 66th Ohio Infantry
  3. December 15, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. December 7, 1907
    Died in Parsons, Kansas
    Age 69.
  5. Resting place
    Oakwood Cemetery
    Parsons, Kansas

Biography

Captain William Wallace Cranston (November 20, 1838 – December 7, 1907) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Cranston received the country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia on May 2, 1863. He was honored with the award on December 15, 1892.

From the Wikipedia article “William W. Cranston”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on May 2, 1863

RB Robert M. Boody Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 FB Felix Brannigan Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Hubert Dilger Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 JG Joseph Gion Private · Army Civil War · 1863 HH Henry Heller Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 EJ Eugene Philip Jacobson Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1863 Nelson Appleton Miles Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 ES Elisha B. Seaman Private · Army Civil War · 1863 TT Thomas W. Thompson Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 CT Clifford Thomson First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 WT William Gardner Tracy Second Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

TG Thomas Guinn Private · Army Civil War · 1863 MB Milton Blickensderger Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 FT Freeman C. Thompson Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 BS Bernard Shields Private · Army Civil War · 1865 RW Robert B. Wood Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 WL William Henry Longshore Private · 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.