William H. Mathews | |
---|---|
Born | March 3, 1844 |
Died | February 7, 1928 | (aged 83)
Place of birth | Wiltshire, England |
Place of death | Brooklyn, New York |
Buried at | Green-Wood Cemetery Brooklyn, New York |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/branch | U.S. Army |
Rank | First Sergeant |
Unit | Company E, 2nd Maryland Veteran Infantry |
Battles/wars |
American Civil War • Battle of the Crater |
Awards | Medal of Honor |
First Sergeant William Henry Mathews (also known as Henry Sivel) (March 3, 1844 – February 7, 1928) was a soldier from Maryland who fought in the American Civil War. Mathews received the United States' highest medal for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor, for his action during the Battle of the Crater in Petersburg, Virginia on 30 July 1864. He was presented the medal on 10 July 1892.
Biography[]
Mathews was born March 3, 1844, in Wiltshire, England and at some point before the start of the American Civil War he emigrated to the United States and settled in Baltimore, Maryland. He enlisted into Company E, 2nd Maryland Veteran Infantry from Maryland under the name Henry Sivel.
While fighting in the Battle of the Crater on 30 July 1864, First Sergeant Mathews found himself among a squad of Confederate soldiers. He fired into the group killing one, and although he was also wounded in the process, he was able to capture a sergeant and two men of the 17th South Carolina Regiment as prisoners. For his actions during this battle, he received the United States military's highest, and at that time only, medal for bravery in combat, the Medal of Honor. The medal was presented to him on 10 July 1892.[1][2]
When the medal was originally presented, it was given to him under his wartime name of Henry Sivel. In 1900 he requested a medal under his actual name of William Mathews and the request was granted.
Mathews died February 7, 1928, in Baltimore, Maryland and was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery Brooklyn, New York. His grave can be found in Section 185, lot 23377.[2][3]
Medal of Honor citation[]
Finding himself among a squad of Confederates, he fired into them, killing 1, and was himself wounded, but succeeded in bringing in a sergeant and 2 men of the 17th South Carolina Regiment (C.S.A.) as prisoners.[1][2]
See also[]
- List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: M–P
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of the Crater
- List of foreign-born Medal of Honor recipients
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Medal of Honor recipients". American Civil War (M-Z). United States Army Center of Military History. 27 June 2011. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/civwarmz.html. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "William H. Mathews (Medal of Honor)". Military Times. http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=3302. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
- ↑ "William H. Mathews (Medal of Honor)". Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8039. Retrieved 29 April 2017.