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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

William W. Fraser

Private William W. Fraser, 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 Scotland

Private William W. Fraser, 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 I, 97th Illinois Infantry. Fraser was 19 years old.

99 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on October 24, 1895, 32 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Corporal.

Fraser was born on March 7, 1844 in Burn Brac, Scotland — one of 41 recipients born in Scotland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Alton, Madison County, Illinois. Fraser died on February 9, 1915 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 70. He is buried at Odd Fellow Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. Records also list him as Frazier, William W..

Fraser 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

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Scotland — map
  • Died: California — map
  • Buried: Odd Fellows Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Illinois →

Timeline

  1. March 7, 1844
    Born in Burn Brac, Scotland
  2. May 22, 1863
    Act of valor — Vicksburg, Mississippi
    Age 19. Company I, 97th Illinois Infantry
  3. October 24, 1895
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. February 9, 1915
    Died in Los Angeles, California
    Age 70.
  5. Resting place
    Odd Fellow Cemetery
    Los Angeles, California

Biography

William W. Fraser (March 7, 1844 – February 9, 1915) was a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. He received the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Siege of Vicksburg on May 22, 1863. His surname is sometimes spelled Frazier. Fraser joined the 97th Illinois Infantry in August 1862 and was mustered out in July 1865.

From the Wikipedia article “William W. Fraser”, 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

EW Elwood N. Williams Private · Army Civil War · 1862 RG Richard J. Gage Private · Army Civil War · 1863 Nineveh S. McKeen First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1863 EP Edward M. Pike First Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 RS Reuben S. Smalley Private · Army Civil War · 1863 John Shapland 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.