William McKinley's Courage at Chickamauga and Medal of Honor

Nov 13 , 2025

William McKinley's Courage at Chickamauga and Medal of Honor

Blood on the ground. Fire in the smoke. A young soldier doesn’t think twice—he acts. William McKinley was that soldier.

This man stood at the edge where brother fought brother, not for glory or gain, but because the blood of the Union ran through his veins. His story isn’t wrapped in heroics manufactured for history books; it’s carved into the mud, torn from the roar of muskets, and sealed with the souls of those who never came home.

Blood and Rooted Faith

William McKinley was not just a soldier—he was a product of his hard-scrabble roots. Born in Ohio, he grew up with a farmer’s grit and a preacher’s knowledge of scripture. He carried a quiet faith, a compass in the storm. Like many men forged in the crucible of the 19th-century frontier, his honor was simple: defend the Union, protect family, and never flinch in the face of evil.

His comrades remembered his steady calm, even as cannonballs tore through fields and men screamed in agony. Faith wasn’t something he preached loudly. It lived in his clutch on the rifle and the grit in his eyes.

“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

The Battle That Defined Him

September 19, 1863. The battle of Chickamauga. One of the bloodiest clashes of the American Civil War.

McKinley, a private in Company F of the 14th Ohio Infantry, found himself amid a desperate fight to hold a line against surging Confederate forces. The day was chaos incarnate—fallen comrades piled high, smoke thick as night, orders lost in screams.

Amid this hell, McKinley did something few dared. When the regiment’s colors fell, shot down with the color bearer, it meant more than flags—it meant heart, spirit, and the hold on life itself. Without hesitation, McKinley seized the colors and rallied the shattered lines.

He carried that banner forward, under three severe wounds. His resolve never wavered.

His courage anchored the regiment long enough for reinforcements to regroup and push back the enemy tide. It was a moment that turned battle lines and kept hope alive.

Recognition in Blood and Bronze

For his gallantry, William McKinley earned the Medal of Honor—America’s highest and most sacred military award.

His citation reads:

“For extraordinary heroism on 19 September 1863, in action at Chickamauga, Georgia. With total disregard for his own safety, Private McKinley seized the Colors after the color bearer was shot, and carried them during the charge. Despite being wounded three times, he held the Colors until the battle ended.”

Commanders and men alike praised his unwavering spirit. Brigadier General William B. Hazen noted McKinley’s “indomitable courage” as a beacon for soldiers lost in the carnage.

In a letter years later, McKinley’s commanding officer wrote, “The sight of that young private, bloodied yet unbowed, climbing over corpses with the Colors held high, saved more lives than the musket ever could.”

Legacy of Sacrifice and Redemption

William McKinley’s story is not just about medals or battlefield valor. It’s about what lasts after the guns fall silent—the scars, the memories, the call to live a life marked by honor beyond war.

He walked off that battlefield broken yet unbroken. The triumph was not in victory alone, but that he carried his burden with faith, conviction, and an unshakable belief in something greater than himself.

His legacy whispers through the ages:

When the line breaks, when fear gnaws at heart and soul, courage is born not in absence of pain, but in the choice to stand anyway.

In a nation frayed by civil war, McKinley’s courage was a thread woven into the greater fabric of unity. His scars remind us that freedom is never free, and redemption is always earned on the fields stained by sacrifice.

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge.” — Psalm 91:4

William McKinley walked among us—scarred, faithful, relentless. His story is the raw truth behind the medals and the dusty books. It’s about the warrior who holds the Colors when hope seems lost, who bleeds but doesn’t yield.

That is the legacy we carry. The stories we must never forget.