William Charlie Horton

He built protective barricades under sustained enemy gunfire

William Charlie Horton was born in Chicago on 21 July 1876. He entered the Marine Corps through Pennsylvania and served during the period when American forces were increasingly active overseas. His military experience included the Spanish-American War before his service in China brought the Medal of Honor.

In the summer of 1900, Horton was a private associated with the Marine detachment of USS Oregon. He served at Peking during the Boxer conflict, when foreign representatives, civilians and Chinese Christians were caught in a violent struggle involving the Boxers and imperial forces. For the defenders, barricades and protected positions were essential: ordinary construction tasks had to be performed while the people doing them were exposed to enemy fire.

Horton's Medal of Honor citation identifies his service between 21 July and 17 August 1900. It recognizes his work erecting barricades despite heavy fire. His repeated willingness to continue the work helped strengthen the position and protect the people depending on it. The short official notice was issued in General Order 55 on 19 July 1901 (citation: https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/william-m-horton).

He received the decoration in January 1902 and eventually attained sergeant. His surviving award history also records Marine Good Conduct, Spanish or West Indies campaign service, Philippine campaign service and the China Relief Expedition Medal. These distinctions show a broader period of service than the few weeks named in the gallantry citation.

Horton lived a long life after his military service and settled in the Seattle area. A notable act in his final year connected him directly with the events of 1900. On 19 July 1968, he presented the Marine Corps with the forty-four-star American flag he had raised over the United States Legation in Peking. Lieutenant Colonel Henry M. Robinette accepted it at the Marine reserve training establishment at Sand Point. The official photograph identified Horton as the oldest living Marine Medal of Honor recipient.

Horton died in Seattle on 14 February 1969, aged ninety-two, and was buried at Evergreen-Washelli Memorial Park. The flag presentation records his continued relationship with the Corps nearly seven decades after the action.