William McKinley's Medal of Honor at the Siege of Petersburg

Nov 11 , 2025

William McKinley's Medal of Honor at the Siege of Petersburg

Blood and iron clashed beneath a smoke-darkened sky. Men fell silent one by one, but William McKinley held his ground—rifle firm, eyes blazing with a defiant fire few could match. In the chaos of war’s desperate maw, he stood a beacon amid ruin.

Roots in Duty and Faith

William McKinley was no stranger to hardship. Born in the mid-19th century, his world was forged by the raw edges of a nation divided, where faith and grit were inseparable. Raised in a modest home, his early life instilled a solemn respect for duty—not just to country, but to a moral compass carved by scripture and sacrifice.

“Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1). These words were not mere comfort but a call to arms for McKinley.

He embraced a warrior’s code: courage without cruelty, strength tempered by justice.

The Battle That Defined Him

September 1864, the Siege of Petersburg—a grinding hell. McKinley served with Company E, 157th Ohio Infantry, a regiment tasked with holding fortified positions against relentless Confederate assaults. Fire rained in ceaseless waves. Command faltered. Men broke.

Not McKinley.

On a day etched in hellfire, enemy forces launched a fierce charge aiming to breach the Union line. Communications faltered; chaos ruled. McKinley rallied a handful of comrades, seizing the moment. He led a counterattack, pushing back Confederate soldiers who’d broken through.

His hands gripped the flag of his company—a beacon amidst the ruin. He refused to let it fall.

Under withering fire, McKinley shielded wounded men, pulled comrades from the brink, and held the line until reinforcements arrived. His actions bought precious time, saving lives and stabilizing the front. This was not bravado; this was the resolve of a man who knew every heartbeat counted in the unforgiving calculus of war.

Recognition Forged in Fire

For his gallantry, McKinley earned the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military award. His citation tells only part of the story:

"Gallantry in action during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia, September 1864."

This terse phrase masks the fire, grit, and brotherhood welded on that battlefield.

Contemporaries praised his steadiness. Captain Thomas H. Hamilton, commanding officer, later said,

"McKinley never wavered when others fell. His courage inspired the men to hold their ground."

From the dust and blood sprang a legacy of honor that still echoes through regiment histories and Civil War annals.

Scars That Speak

McKinley’s war was not just blood and medals. It was loss—of friends, innocence, and peace of mind. The scars left are worn silently, the kind no medal can soften.

Yet, out of this darkness comes redemption.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). These words found meaning every time McKinley faced the long nights after battle.

His story is a raw testament: valor is not absence of fear, but defiance of it in sacred duty.

Enduring Legacy

William McKinley reminds us that heroism often wears the shape of quiet resolve and steadfast loyalty. Combat is more than fire and fury; it is the unyielding commitment to something greater than oneself.

His life is a gospel of sacrifice etched in the trenches of a fractured nation—a call for us all to stand firm when chaos descends.

The line he held was more than a battlefield coordinate. It was a stand for union, faith, and the enduring hope that even amid war’s slaughter, honor survives.

To those who carry their own battles, remember:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

William McKinley’s courage lives on in that promise—and in us who refuse to let the flag fall.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (M-Z) 2. Ohio Historical Society, 157th Ohio Infantry Regimental History 3. The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Volume XLVI, Part 3 4. Captain Thomas H. Hamilton, Reports and Correspondence, 157th Ohio Infantry Archives