Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Landsman · U.S. Navy

William Williams

Landsman William Williams, Navy, received the Medal of Honor for actions on November 16, 1863 at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War November 16, 1863Born in Ireland

Landsman William Williams, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on November 16, 1863 at Charleston Harbor, South Carolina during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Lehigh (true ship U.S.S. Nahant). Williams was about 23 years old.

7 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day.

Williams was born in 1840 in Ireland — one of 258 recipients born in Ireland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Pennsylvania. Williams died on May 5, 1893 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the age of about 53. He is buried at Mount Moriah Naval Asylum Plot in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Williams is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

On board the U.S.S. Lehigh, Charleston Harbor, 16 November 1863, during the hazardous task of freeing the Lehigh, which had been grounded, and was under heavy enemy fire from Fort Moultrie. After several previous attempts had been made, Williams succeeded in passing in a small boat from the Lehigh to the Nahant with a line bent on a hawser. This courageous action while under severe enemy fire enabled the Lehigh to be freed from her helpless position.

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

Battles and campaigns

Also served in: American Civil War.

Places

  • Born: County Louth — map
  • Died: Philadelphia Naval Asylum — map
  • Buried: Mount Moriah Cemetery — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Pennsylvania →

Timeline

  1. 1840
    Born in Ireland
  2. November 16, 1863
    Act of valor — Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
    Age about 23. U.S.S. Lehigh (true ship U.S.S. Nahant)
  3. May 5, 1893
    Died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    Age about 53.
  4. Resting place
    Mount Moriah Naval Asylum Plot
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Biography

William Williams (1840 – May 5, 1893) was a Union Navy sailor in the American Civil War and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for helping to free his grounded ship.

From the Wikipedia article “William Williams (Medal of Honor)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on November 16, 1863

JB Joseph E. Brandle Private · Army Civil War · 1863 FG Frank S. Gile Landsman · Navy Civil War · 1863 TI Thomas Irving Coxswain · Navy Civil War · 1863 GL George W. Leland Gunner's Mate · Navy Civil War · 1863 JS John H. Starkins Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1863 FS Frederic William Swift Lieutenant Colonel · Army Civil War · 1863 HY Horatio Nelson Young Seaman · Navy Civil War · 1863

More Civil War recipients from Pennsylvania

CB Charles Breyer Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862 Francis Morrison Private · Army Civil War · 1864 CB Charles Blucher Corporal · Army Civil War · 1864 Frank Furness Captain · Army Civil War · 1864 FB Francis A. Bishop Private · Army Civil War · 1864 JD James K. l Duncan Ordinary Seaman · Navy 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.