William McKnight, Medal of Honor Recipient
notes: label: Description
content: Black and white photographic portrait of William McKnight, a Medal of Honor recipient, for service during the Civil War.
label: Description
content: The inscription on the reverse states that McKnight served onboard the U.S.S. <i>Veruna</i> and participated in attacks on Forts Jackson and St. Philip on April 24, 1862 during the Civil War. The record holds that McKnight did his duty "through the thickest of the fight, with great coolness and danger to the enemy."
label: Description
content: Official Citation:
label: Description
content: McKNIGHT, WILLIAM
label: Description
content: Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy. Born: 1840 Ulster County, N.Y. Accredited to: New York. G.O. No.: 11, 3 April 1863. Citation: Captain of a gun on board the U.S.S. Varuna during the attacks on Forts Jackson and St. Philip and in action against the rebel ship Morgan, 24 April 1862. During this action at extremely close range, while his ship was under furious fire and was twice rammed by the rebel ship Morgan, McKnight remained steadfast at his gun throughout the thickest of the fight and was instrumental in inflicting damage on the enemy until the Varuna, so badly damaged that she was forced to beach, was finally sunk.
topic: label: Subject
content: Portraits
label: Subject
content: Medal of Honor
label: related event
content: Civil War
setName: label: See more items in
content: Military and Society: Armed Forces History, Naval
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content: Military
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content: Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Portraits
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content: Photography
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: AF.11778.28
label: accession number
content: 51057
label: catalog number
content: 11778.28
objectType: label: Object Name
content: photograph
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 6 1/2 in x 4 1/4 in; 16.51 cm x 10.795 cm