Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
U.S. Civil War - U.S. Army
William Henry Mathews
- Also Known As: Henry Sivel
- Rank: First Sergeant (Highest Rank: Captain)
- Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
- Unit/Command:
Company E,
2d Maryland Veteran Infantry - Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
- Medal of Honor Action Date: July 30, 1864
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Petersburg, Virginia, USA
Finding himself among a squad of Confederates, he fired into them, killing one, and was himself wounded, but succeeded in bringing in a sergeant and two men of the 17th South Carolina Regiment (C.S.A.) as prisoners.
- Accredited to: Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: July 10, 1896
- Born: March 3, 1844, Devizes, England
- Died: February 7, 1928, Brooklyn, NY, United States
- Buried: The Green-Wood Cemetery (23377-185), Brooklyn, NY, United States
William H. Mathews served his Civil War military service under the name "Henry Sivel." His Medal of Honor was originally issued under that alias in 1896. Four years later, he petitioned to have his name changed to his legal name of William H. Mathews. The Army issued him a new Medal of Honor with his true name engraved on the back.
His recommendation for the Medal of Honor expands on his valorous actions. Major General John G. Parke wrote that on July 30, 1864, Mathews (then known as Sivel) "when the regiment reached the Crater in a charge, Sergeant Swivel avoided the crater, going around the north side of it, and jumped over the breastworks, calling to his men to follow. Finding himself among a squad of rebels, he fired into them, killing one, and was himself wounded in the left hand but finally succeeded in bringing in a sergeant and two men, of the 17th S.C., as prisoners."
After the war, he became a Methodist minister and served in upper New York State and Kansas. His last job was head of a boy's home in Manhattan, New York.