William W. Burritt

William Wallace Burritt was an American Union Army soldier whose courage during the Vicksburg Campaign earned him the Medal of Honor. He served as a Private in Company G, 113th Illinois Infantry during the American Civil War and became known for volunteering for an exceptionally dangerous mission under Confederate fire. The Vicksburg Campaign was one of the most important Union operations of the Civil War. The city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, stood on high ground overlooking the Mississippi River and was one of the Confederacy’s strongest defensive positions. As long as Confederate forces held Vicksburg, they could interfere with Union movement along the river and maintain an important connection between the eastern and western parts of the Confederacy. Major General Ulysses S. Grant made the capture of Vicksburg a central objective of Union strategy in the Western Theater. To accomplish this, Union forces needed not only infantry and artillery but also reliable transportation and supply routes along the Mississippi River. Naval vessels, transports, steamers, and support craft all played critical roles in moving soldiers, supplies, ammunition, and equipment. One of the most dangerous parts of the campaign involved running vessels past the powerful Confederate batteries positioned around Vicksburg. These batteries could fire directly onto Union ships attempting to pass along the river. Any vessel that entered the range of the Confederate guns faced the risk of being struck, disabled, set on fire, or sunk. On April 27, 1863, William W. Burritt volunteered for a dangerous mission connected with these operations. Although he was an infantry soldier, he volunteered to serve as a fireman aboard a steam tug that had to pass the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg. The role of a fireman aboard a steam-powered vessel was physically demanding and extremely important. The fireman was responsible for maintaining the fires that heated the boilers, which produced the steam needed to power the vessel. Without continuous attention to the boilers and fires, a steam tug could lose power at the worst possible moment. Under normal conditions, this work was already difficult because of the intense heat, smoke, and exhausting labor involved. During a combat operation under enemy artillery fire, the danger became far greater. The fireman could not simply abandon his position when shells began striking nearby because the vessel depended on continued steam power to maintain speed and maneuverability. Burritt accepted this responsibility voluntarily. As the steam tug moved past the Confederate batteries, it came under heavy fire. Despite the danger, Burritt remained at his duties and helped ensure that the vessel continued operating while passing the enemy defenses. His willingness to place himself in such a hazardous position demonstrated exceptional courage. He was not performing his ordinary infantry duties at that moment. Instead, he stepped forward to perform a specialized and dangerous task that was essential to the success of the vessel’s mission. The successful movement of vessels past Vicksburg’s defenses was an important part of Grant’s broader campaign strategy. Union forces needed ships and transports below the city so troops could cross the Mississippi River and operate against Confederate positions from directions the defenders did not expect. Burritt’s mission therefore took place within a larger strategic effort that eventually helped Grant move his army into position for the final campaign against Vicksburg. The courage of individual soldiers and sailors who helped move vessels past Confederate batteries contributed directly to the Union’s ability to continue operations. For his actions on April 27, 1863, William Wallace Burritt was awarded the Medal of Honor. His award recognized his voluntary service as a fireman aboard the steam tug while passing under heavy Confederate fire at Vicksburg. The Medal of Honor became the defining military decoration of Burritt’s career. The historically appropriate version associated with his service is the Medal of Honor 1862–1895 Army. The Army Medal of Honor had been authorized by Congress in 1862 during the Civil War. At the time, the United States did not yet have the broad and complex system of military decorations that would develop in later generations. The Medal of Honor therefore became the principal national award for soldiers who demonstrated extraordinary gallantry or distinguished conduct. The early Army Medal of Honor featured a five-pointed star and a central allegorical design featuring Minerva, symbolizing the Union and victory. The design belonged to the earliest period of the Medal of Honor and is historically associated with Civil War recipients such as Burritt. Because Burritt’s qualifying action occurred in 1863 while serving in the Union Army, the Medal of Honor 1862–1895 Army is the correct historical version for his hero profile. No verified device or clasp is associated with his Medal of Honor. Burritt’s Medal of Honor action is especially interesting because it demonstrates that military heroism during the Civil War was not limited to infantry charges or direct hand-to-hand combat. His recognized act involved maintaining a critical support function aboard a steam vessel while exposed to enemy artillery. The Vicksburg Campaign required close cooperation between the Union Army and Navy. Infantry, artillery, cavalry, naval crews, engineers, transport workers, and volunteers all contributed to the effort. Burritt’s decision to serve aboard the tug reflects how soldiers sometimes performed duties far outside their normal unit role when circumstances demanded it. Running vessels past the Vicksburg batteries was among the most dangerous river operations of the campaign. Confederate artillery positions were prepared to fire on ships moving along the river, and vessels had limited room to maneuver. Darkness was sometimes used to reduce the danger, but enemy fire remained a constant threat. A steam-powered vessel also faced unique risks. A hit to the boilers or machinery could disable the ship or cause catastrophic injuries. Firemen and engineers working below or near the machinery could be especially vulnerable because they were confined to areas where escape might be difficult. Despite these dangers, Burritt volunteered to take part. His decision to remain at work under fire helped keep the vessel moving through the dangerous zone. Following the operations around Vicksburg, Grant’s campaign continued with a series of movements and battles that gradually isolated the Confederate garrison. Union forces defeated Confederate troops in several engagements and eventually surrounded Vicksburg. After failed direct assaults in May 1863, Grant settled into siege operations. Union troops constructed trenches and tightened their lines around the city while Union naval forces maintained control of the river. The Confederate garrison at Vicksburg gradually ran short of food, ammunition, and supplies. Civilians and soldiers endured increasingly difficult conditions as the siege continued. On July 4, 1863, Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg to Grant. The victory gave the Union control of a major stretch of the Mississippi River and severely weakened the Confederacy’s ability to communicate and transport supplies between its eastern and western territories. The fall of Vicksburg became one of the most important Union victories of the Civil War. Burritt’s act of bravery had occurred several weeks before the surrender, but it was part of the sequence of dangerous operations that made the final campaign possible. As a Private, Burritt did not hold senior command authority. He was an enlisted soldier whose courage became historically significant because he voluntarily accepted a mission involving extraordinary danger. His Medal of Honor shows that heroism was recognized not only among officers and commanders but also among ordinary soldiers who stepped forward when difficult tasks had to be completed. The official recognition of Burritt’s conduct also illustrates how nineteenth-century Medal of Honor citations often focused on the essential act rather than providing the detailed narratives common in modern military awards. The central fact was clear: Burritt voluntarily served as a fireman aboard a steam tug and remained at his dangerous duty while the vessel passed Confederate batteries under heavy fire. That act became the defining military achievement of his life. The Medal of Honor 1862–1895 Army remains the only decoration that should be treated as firmly confirmed for Burritt’s profile. His Civil War service alone should not be used to automatically assign later campaign medals unless specific individual entitlement can be demonstrated. This distinction is important because several decorations connected with Civil War service were created after the conflict. A veteran’s participation in the war does not automatically prove that every later medal was formally issued to that individual. Burritt’s Medal of Honor, however, is fully documented and directly connected with his actions at Vicksburg. After the Civil War, Burritt returned to civilian life. Like many enlisted veterans of the period, the surviving historical record of his later life is much less extensive than the documentation of the act that earned him the Medal of Honor. His military legacy therefore remains centered on his service with Company G, 113th Illinois Infantry and his volunteer duty aboard the steam tug during the Vicksburg Campaign. William Wallace Burritt’s story demonstrates the importance of courage in support roles during military operations. His task may not have involved leading an infantry charge, but the vessel could not have continued safely without men willing to maintain its engines and boilers while under fire. His bravery illustrates how the success of major campaigns often depended on individuals performing dangerous but essential duties that were rarely visible outside the immediate operation. The Medal of Honor ensured that Burritt’s actions would not be forgotten. By voluntarily entering one of the most dangerous river operations of the Vicksburg Campaign, he demonstrated the willingness to risk his life for the success of the mission. His service also reflects the broader cooperation between Union ground forces and river operations during the campaign. The capture of Vicksburg required far more than battlefield victories alone. It depended on transportation, logistics, naval power, engineering, and the courage of soldiers who accepted unconventional assignments when necessary. For Burritt, that defining assignment came on April 27, 1863. On that day, while serving as a Private of Company G, 113th Illinois Infantry, William Wallace Burritt volunteered to work as a fireman aboard a steam tug running past the Confederate batteries at Vicksburg. Under heavy enemy fire, he continued performing the vital work necessary to keep the vessel moving. For that courageous service, he became a recipient of the Medal of Honor 1862–1895 Army. The decoration remains the central symbol of William Wallace Burritt’s military career and permanently connects his name with the Vicksburg Campaign, the Union war effort, and the earliest traditions of the United States Medal of Honor.