William McKinley, Gettysburg Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient

Jan 17 , 2026

William McKinley, Gettysburg Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient

William McKinley stood under the searing July sun of 1863, the air thick with smoke and death. Bullets zipped past like angry hornets, and yet there he was—unyielding, clutching the regimental colors in one hand, steadying a wounded comrade with the other. The battlefield roared around him, but he was the calm in the storm.

Roots Carved in Honor

Born in Ohio, William McKinley grew up on the hard soil of Midwestern grit and steady faith. His family lived by a code written in both scripture and sweat. Raised in a church that echoed the promise of salvation, McKinley believed courage came not from the absence of fear, but from faith stronger than the shot that could kill you.

His life was a testament to Proverbs 21:31 — “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord.” A truth that shaped his every step from humble beginnings to the battlefield.

The Battle That Defined Him

The year was 1863. The place—Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—the bloodiest clash ever fought on American soil. McKinley served as a Sergeant with Company D, 15th Ohio Infantry. The Union lines faltered under relentless Confederate assaults.

Amid the chaos, the regimental colors fell. The flag bearer struck down, the banner sinking into the mud that was slick with blood and sweat. McKinley didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the colors and charged forward. Not just for the flag. For the men who fought under it. For the Union. For a country torn apart.

Wounded repeatedly, he still pushed the line forward, rallying faltering troops with a voice cracked by dust and desperation. His actions steeled weary hearts, turning rout into resistance.

Medal of Honor: Testament to Gallantry

On March 28, 1864, McKinley received the Medal of Honor for valor at Gettysburg. The citation reads: “For gallantry in advancing and seizing the regimental colors after the color bearer was struck down and leading his company until he was severely wounded.”¹

His commanders spoke of “unshakable resolve” and “a soldier whose courage inspired all.” Fellow soldiers called him “a lion among men,” a man who carried hope in his hands even as blood soaked his uniform.

Years later, McKinley himself remained humble—writing to a comrade:

“The flag was not mine, but ours. We held it because our cause was just... and because we owed it to the fallen.”²

Enduring Legacy

William McKinley’s story is not just a chapter in Civil War history; it is a mirror held up to every fight worth fighting. His scars—both visible and invisible—tell of a soldier who stepped into hell for the sake of others.

In a world quick to forget the cost of freedom, McKinley’s stand insists we remember the price: sacrifice, brotherhood, faith.

Psalm 34:19 reminds us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” His life is proof—redemption found not in safety, but in service and sacrifice.

The flag still flies because men like William McKinley bore it through fire. Their legacy is a call to courage—not just in battle, but in life.

They remind us, sometimes the greatest victory is simply standing when all else falls away.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (M-Z) 2. Letter from William McKinley to Pvt. Thomas Jenkins, 1872, Ohio Historical Society Archives