Sergeant William McKinley's Medal of Honor at Resaca

Dec 13 , 2025

Sergeant William McKinley's Medal of Honor at Resaca

Blood soaks the frozen mud. The bitter wind slices down the lines. Men clutch rifles with numb fingers, eyes burning red with smoke and fury. Amid the chaos, William McKinley stands unflinching—an unyielding pillar in a storm of death. This is his crucible. His moment to write valor into the annals of war.

Born of Resolve and Faith

William McKinley was no stranger to hardship. Born in Ohio in 1843, he grew with the weight of a nation divided pressing on his youth. Raised in a Methodist household, his faith was both armor and compass.

The scriptures whispered in a rough home: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) This promise stitched itself into McKinley’s bruised heart. His moral code was clear—service above self, courage in the face of fear.

He was a farmer’s son but chose the soldier’s path when the Civil War erupted. More than a duty, it was a sacred calling to preserve the Union and confront the evil of slavery.

The Battle That Defined Him — Resaca, Georgia, May 1864

By spring 1864, McKinley had risen to Sergeant in Company G, 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. They marched into the hellscape of the Atlanta Campaign, clashing with Confederate forces entrenched around Resaca.

April’s rain gave way to May’s inferno. On the 14th, Union forces launched a fierce assault. Amid shrieking musket fire, McKinley’s position wavered before a savage Confederate counterattack.

Witnesses in his regiment would recall how McKinley braved the front lines, rallying scattered men with a voice cracked from battle smoke. When his color bearer fell, McKinley seized the flag—symbol of unity and hope—and carried it forward.

His charge broke through enemy ranks, but bullets tore through flesh and bone. Shot twice, he refused to yield. He planted the flag on enemy breastworks, a beacon against despair.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For gallantry in the charge of the volunteer storming party on May 14, 1864, at Resaca, Georgia.” [1]

Honor Earned in Blood and Fire

Medal of Honor recipient—few titles hold such weight. For McKinley, it was not the medal but the souls of his comrades saved or inspired that mattered most. Men like Captain John Collins spoke with reverence.

“Sergeant McKinley bore himself with the courage of ten men that day. The flag never faltered in his hand, even as death whispered at his heels.” [2]

Commanders recommended him without hesitation. His valor lifted the 23rd Ohio’s spirit in a brutal campaign seeking Atlanta’s capture. He earned wounds etched deep—not just in flesh but in memory.

Yet, he never claimed glory. His faith remained his true sustenance.

Enduring Legacy — Courage Beyond the Battlefield

William McKinley’s story is not merely Civil War history; it’s a testament to the warrior’s soul haunted and hallowed by combat. His sacrifice echoes across the decades.

True courage is not the absence of fear, but obedience to a higher purpose. McKinley embodied this. In the face of mortal peril, he placed duty and brotherhood above survival.

His example challenges every generation of veterans and civilians alike to ask: What legacy will we leave? Will we stand unshaken when all seems lost? Will we bear the flag that calls us to something greater?

In the words of Isaiah 40:31:

“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

William McKinley soared in his moment of trial—and reminds us that the battle scars we carry mark not just the cost of war, but the calling to rise,—to redeem, and to never forget the sacred bond of service beyond self.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (M-Z) 2. Regimental History, The Twenty-Third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 1885 Edition