William McKinley's Medal of Honor Moment at Resaca

Dec 11 , 2025

William McKinley's Medal of Honor Moment at Resaca

William McKinley stood frozen under a rain of lead, smoke choking the sky. The line faltered. Men screamed and fell. Amid the chaos, he seized the Union colors—tattered but alive—and led the charge back into hell. That flag did not touch the ground. Not while he had breath.

This was no act of glory, but necessity. A moment carved from blood and grit, the kind only war can forge in a man’s soul.

Grounded in Faith and Duty

Born in the rolling hills of Ohio in 1843, William McKinley was raised among modest folks who carried the weight of moral conviction like a shield. The church was the compass of his youth—lessons in humility, courage, and sacrifice embedded deep.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” his mother reminded him. It wasn't just scripture. It became his code on the battlefield.

Before the war found him, he worked as a tailor—a craftsman of fabrics, a mender of thread. But when the Union called, McKinley answered with rifle in hand, trading needle for rifle, quiet faith for brutal reality.

The Battle That Defined Him: Resaca, May 1864

By the spring of 1864, McKinley was a corporal in Company H, 23rd Ohio Infantry Regiment. At the Battle of Resaca in Georgia—part of Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign—the Union line buckled under Confederate fire. Chaos reigned.

When the color bearer went down, the flag hit the dirt. That was McKinley’s turning point. Without hesitation, he plunged forward—grasped the flag and hoisted it high, rallying the men around him.

This act of valor under hostile fire bought time, spurred the regiment to regroup, and kept the Union advance alive during a critical moment.

He did not seek praise. He just did what needed doing.

Recognition Etched in Valor

For this act at Resaca on May 14, 1864, William McKinley was awarded the Medal of Honor. His citation reads:

“Seized the colors, which had fallen in the charge, and bore them forward, rallying the troops.”

Others remembered that day, too. Lieutenant Colonel Thomas H. Broughton wrote in his report:

“Corporal McKinley’s bravery and presence of mind saved the regiment's standard and, with it, the honor and fighting spirit of his comrades.”

Such moments stitch the fabric of history—silent in barracks but thunderous on battlefields.

His Medal of Honor was issued decades later, in 1892, reflecting a nation coming to terms with its brutal past and honoring those who bore its scars.

Legacy of Courage, Sacrifice, and Redemption

William McKinley would go on to become more than a soldier. He emerged a leader in his community, a symbol of resilience and quiet strength. The flag he saved symbolized more than unity; it was the blood-soaked banner of sacrifice and hope.

The battlefield does not forget. Neither should we. McKinley’s story reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to stand when all seems lost.

“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

His battle was more than physical—it was spiritual. It was a testament to enduring faith forged under fire and the heavy cost of liberty.

Veterans today carry the same burden. Their flags may differ, but the weight of sacrifice is universal. McKinley’s legacy demands acknowledgment—not just of war’s horrors, but of the redemptive power in rising from ashes, holding the line, and bearing the colors for those who follow.

In the end, the colors are never just cloth. They are the voice of every fallen brother. And McKinley made sure their voices never died silent.

Sources

1. Eicher, David J., The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War, Simon & Schuster, 2001. 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Civil War (M-Z).” 3. Ohio Historical Society, 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment: Service and Valor (Archive), 2015. 4. Broughton, Thomas H., Official Civil War Reports and Correspondence, National Archives Collection, 1864.