Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
U.S. Civil War - U.S. Navy
William Williams
Details
- Rank: Landsman
- Conflict/Era: U.S. Civil War
- Unit/Command:
U.S.S. Lehigh (true ship U.S.S. Nahant) - Military Service Branch: U.S. Navy
- Medal of Honor Action Date: November 16, 1863
- Medal of Honor Action Place: Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, USA
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.
Additional Details
- Accredited to: Pennsylvania
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Born: 1840, Ireland
- Died: May 5, 1893, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Buried: Mount Moriah Naval Asylum Plot, Philadelphia, PA, United States