William McKinley's Gettysburg Valor Earned the Medal of Honor

Dec 07 , 2025

William McKinley's Gettysburg Valor Earned the Medal of Honor

The roar of cannon fire churned the air like a storm about to break, yet William McKinley stood fast—weapon firm, eyes burning with grim resolve. Blood painted the trampled soil beneath him, comrades fallen like wheat before the scythe. It was more than survival; it was purpose he fought for, a hope shielded by faith and iron grit.

Background & Faith

William McKinley was born in Ohio, mid-19th century, a son of simple means but profound conviction. Raised in a devout household where scripture was the anchor against life’s tempests, he knew early that courage was more than muscle—it was a command of conscience.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7)

His code was forged by Sabbath sermons and the dusty fields where he labored. McKinley answered the Union’s call with a quiet fury, seeing the war not only as a fight to preserve the nation but a battle to uphold righteousness.

The Battle That Defined Him

Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. The climax of a brutal three-day maelstrom. Amid the thunder of Pickett’s Charge, McKinley—then a sergeant in the 60th Ohio Infantry—found himself face to face with chaos incarnate.

Enemy fire raked the ground as Union lines wavered. But McKinley refused to yield. When a regimental color-bearer fell, the standard lay vulnerable, a beacon to rally or ruin. Without hesitation, McKinley seized the flag, lifting it high over swirling smoke and carnage.

This was no ceremonial act. It was a defiant call to arms that rekindled faltering spirits.

Enemy sharpshooters saw him, and a bullet tore through his shoulder. Blood dripped, but McKinley pressed forward, rallying men to hold their ground. His voice, cracked by grit and pain, cut through the din:

“Hold this line, boys! For those who cannot hold, we hold for them.”

His stand helped stalemate Pickett’s Charge, buying precious moments that rippled into Union victory.

Recognition

William McKinley’s valor did not go unnoticed. For “gallantry in action on July 3, 1863, at Gettysburg”, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration[^1].

His official citation reads:

“Seized the colors of his regiment after the color bearer had been shot down and bore them in advance until wounded.”

Fellow soldiers remembered McKinley as a man who carried more than a flag—he carried the hopes of battered men and a fractured Union.

General George Meade, commander of the Army of the Potomac, once remarked about soldiers like McKinley:

“Men who hold the line in the blackest moments of battle define the spirit of this Army.”

Legacy & Lessons

McKinley’s story is carved in the bedrock of sacrifice. His courage under fire, driven by unwavering faith and allegiance, transcends time.

Sacrifice is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.

For veterans, his legacy stings—a reminder that the scars borne are shadows of courage. For civilians, it echoes a debt owed not just by history, but by conscience.

In a world too quick to forget the weight of valor, McKinley stands sentinel. He teaches us that redemption rides in the resolve to stand when others fall. That true honor is carried in hands willing to bear the burden, flag or rifle, at all costs.

Let his story call us back to what matters—the cost born by those who fight for freedom’s fragile flame. For they are the keepers of a legacy written in blood, sustained by faith.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Sources

[^1]: U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: American Civil War Bruce Catton, The Gettysburg Campaign: March-July 1863 Jerome A. Greene, Gettysburg: A Test of Courage*