William L. Heermance

William Laing Heermance took command of a surrounded cavalry regiment at Chancellorsville, helped cut it through the enemy line, and was then so badly wounded that he was left for dead and captured.

Heermance was born on 28 February 1837 in Kinderhook, New York. He served as captain of Company C, 6th New York Cavalry. On 30 April 1863 near Chancellorsville, Virginia, he became the regiment's senior officer in a crisis and assumed command while it was surrounded by Stuart's cavalry. The regiment broke through, but Heermance was desperately wounded on the field and taken prisoner.

Medal of Honor Citation (condensed): Surrounded at Chancellorsville, Heermance assumed command as senior officer and helped his regiment cut through the enemy before being desperately wounded, left for dead, and captured.

The Medal of Honor was presented on 30 March 1898. He died at Yonkers, New York, on 25 February 1903 and was buried in Oakland Cemetery.

His verified rack consists of the Medal of Honor and the Army Civil War Campaign Medal, with no additional device supported.