William Laing Heermance (February 28, 1837 - February 25, 1903) was a Union Army soldier in the American Civil War who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.[1][2]
William L. Heermance | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | February 28, 1837 Kinderhook, New York |
| Died | February 25, 1903 (aged 65) |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Company C, 6th New York Cavalry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | American Civil War Battle of Chancellorsville |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
Heermance was born on February 28, 1837, and entered service at Kinderhook, New York. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism on April 30, 1863, while serving as a Captain with Company C, 6th New York Cavalry Regiment, at Chancellorsville, Virginia. His Medal of Honor was issued on March 30, 1898.[3][2]
He died at the age of 65, on February 25, 1903, and was buried at the Oakland Cemetery in Yonkers, New York.
Medal of Honor citation
editThe President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain William Laing Heermance, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 30 April 1863, while serving with Company C, 6th New York Cavalry, in action at Chancellorsville, Virginia. Captain Heermance took command of the regiment as its senior officer when surrounded by Stuart's Cavalry. The regiment cut its way through the enemy's line and escaped but Captain Heermance was desperately wounded, left for dead on the field and was taken prisoner.[4]
References
editCitations
editSources
edit- Phisterer, Frederick (1912). In the State in 1861 - Ninth Regiment of Cavalry (PDF). New York in the War of Rebellion, 1861-1865. Vol. 1 (3rd ed.). Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company, State Printers. pp. 846–866. hdl:2027/chi.66317239. LCCN 14013311. OCLC 1359922. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain. - "William L. Heermance". Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- "William L. Heermance". Hall of Valor: Medal of Honor, Silver Star, U.S. Military Awards. November 5, 2024. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- "William L. Heermance". National Medal of Honor Museum. May 25, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
External links
edit"William L. Heermance". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
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