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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Colonel · U.S. Army

William Wirt Henry

Colonel William Wirt Henry, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War October 19, 1864

Colonel William Wirt Henry was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with 10th Vermont Infantry. Henry was 32 years old.

18 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on December 21, 1892, 28 years after the action. He later rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General.

Henry was born on November 21, 1831 in Waterbury, Washington County, Vermont. Henry died on August 31, 1915, at the age of 83. He is buried at Lake View Cemetery in Burlington, Vermont.

Henry is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 47 credited to Vermont.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Though suffering from severe wounds, rejoined his regiment and led it in a brilliant charge, recapturing the guns of an abandoned battery.

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

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Though suffering from severe wounds, rejoined his regiment and led it in a brilliant charge, recapturing the guns of an abandoned battery.

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: Waterbury — map
  • Died: Burlington — map
  • Buried: Lakeview Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Vermont →

Timeline

  1. November 21, 1831
    Born in Waterbury, Washington County, Vermont
  2. October 19, 1864
    Act of valor — Cedar Creek, Virginia
    Age 32. 10th Vermont Infantry
  3. December 21, 1892
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. August 31, 1915
    Died
    Age 83.
  5. Resting place
    Lake View Cemetery
    Burlington, Vermont

Biography

William Wirt Henry (November 21, 1831 – August 31, 1915) was a manufacturer and a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He was a recipient of the brevet grade of brigadier general of volunteers and the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action.

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

Further reading

Also honored for actions on October 19, 1864

John W. Blunt First Lieutenant · Army Civil War · 1864 HC Henry H. Crocker Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 UC Ulric Lyons Crocker Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Henry Algernon du Pont Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 IH Ira Hough Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Frederick A. Lyon Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 AM Andrew Jackson McGonnigle Captain & Assistant Quartermaster · Army Civil War · 1864 Henry Jeremiah Parks Private · Army Civil War · 1864 Daniel P. Reigle Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 DS David H. Scofield Quartermaster Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1864 JS James Sweeney Private · Army Civil War · 1864 RT Richard Taylor Private · Army Civil War · 1864

See all 19 recipients for October 19, 1864 →

More Civil War recipients from Vermont

Wheelock Graves Veazey Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 CD Charles W. Dolloff Corporal · Army Civil War · 1865 HN Henry Clay Nichols Captain · Army Civil War · 1865 Ephraim W. Harrington Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 Lester Goodel Hack Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1865 FB Franklin George Butterfield First Lieutenant · 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.