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Rank and organization: Captain of the Maintop, U.S. Navy. Born: 1828,
New Orleans, La. Accredited to: Louisiana. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863.
Citation: Serving as captain of the maintop of the U.S.S. Pawnee in the
attack upon Mathias Point, 26 June 1861, Williams told his men, while lying
off in the boat, that every man must die on his thwart sooner than leave
a man behind. Although wounded by a musket ball in the thigh he retained
the charge of his boat; and when the staff was shot away, held the stump
in his hand, with the flag, until alongside the Freeborn.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
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